Creative Director at era//404 Creative Group, Inc.
Greater New York City Area
- Current
-
- Freelance UI Designer at NYPHP
- Creative Director at Lyrek, Inc.
- Creative Director at era//404 Creative Group, Inc.
- Past
-
- Freelance Designer at Loewy Design
- Freelance Graphic Designer at Heartbeat Digital
- Graphic Designer at Performancebase.com
- Education
-
- Ferris State University
- Recommended
-
6 people have recommended Don - Connections
-
90
connections
- Industry
- Graphic Design
- Websites
Don Citarella’s Summary
As an entrepreneur, Don Citarella has founded multiple successful businesses, and has been the driving vision behind numerous profitable products designed to make the client's life easier such as Lyrek Contact and Events Management System (CEMS), Musikal Chairs and MediaPASS (Project Asset Sharing System). As a highly-awarded creative, he is a trusted source for both industry-specific publications like Communication Arts and mainstream media outlets like The New York Times.
He is currently the President and Creative Director of New York City-based, multi-disciplinary studio, era//404 Creative Group, Inc., as well as the President of Lyrek, Inc., a software company catering to the fashion and PR industries. He oversees a network of 40+ designers, developers and artisans who cater to Fortune 1000 companies seeking a change from the factory-style design of large agencies.
In these roles he serves as the face of his companies, as well as the creative mind behind campaigns for clients such as NBC, The Herb Ritts Foundation, The Target Corporation, Big Beach Films, MoMA, Sanrio/Hello Kitty, Pantone, ASUS and Broadway Video. With a business degree in Visual Communication and a focus on user experience, typography and color theory, Don directs all aspects of era//404’s print, identity, environmental and new media design.
In the last decade, Don has been recognized by numerous design organizations, including receiving the “Addy Award” Citation of Excellence, the AGC Showcase Award, Golden Web Award and DesignInteract “Site of the Week”. He has been featured in numerous publications, including Communication Arts’ “Insights” column, HOW Magazine’s “Behind the Design” column, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NetDiver.com, InternetVibes.com, MediaInspiration.com, and was a guest lecturer at The School of Visual Arts.
You can follow Don personally on his blog, [d]online (http://don.citarella.net/).
twitter.com/citarella
twitter.com/era404
Don Citarella’s Specialties:
Identity, Print, Environmental and New Media Design, Visual Communication, Type and Grid Strategy, Color Theory, ActionScript 2.0/3.0, HTML, JavaScript, DHTML, Smarty Templating System
Don Citarella’s Experience
-
Freelance UI Designer
NYPHP
(Internet industry)
July 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)
Consulting with clients for recommendations on marketing and usability impact. Concepting and design of interactive user interfaces for web and application development. UI Encoding and Development using PHP, AJAX, Javascript, ActionScript 2.0.
-
Creative Director
Lyrek, Inc.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Computer Software industry)
April 2001 — Present (8 years 4 months)
Manage application workflow and design, interface with clients and developers to enhance usability and increase customer satisfaction.
-
Creative Director
era//404 Creative Group, Inc.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Graphic Design industry)
August 2000 — Present (9 years)
era//404 Creative Group, Inc. was founded by Don Citarella in August 2001 with the sole purpose of changing the way companies look at visual communication.
The Network
era//404 is a network of designers, developers and artisans located all over the world. The hub of the network are the engagement managers, based in New York City. Prospects and clients meet with the engagement managers to discuss their needs and skilled members of the team are selected for the work. While design may be created in Denver, CO, the programming may be moved to Sao Paolo, Brazil. era//404 designers in Switzerland may interface with developers in Calgary, Alberta.
You've always been told that on the wheel of time, money, and quality, you can have two options at most. Welcome to the new era. -
Freelance Designer
Loewy Design
(Graphic Design industry)
2003 — July 2006 (3 years)
-
Freelance Graphic Designer
Heartbeat Digital
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Graphic Design industry)
April 2002 — October 2005 (3 years 7 months)
was contracted by Creative Director Tim Carpenter and Design Director Chris Whaites for multiple projects while they sought a designer for a full-time position. Over the course of the two years I worked one a variety of exciting projects for internal development and for their end clients, including the redesign of the Heartbeat Digital site (www.heartbeatdigital.com) which won the prestigious DesignInteract site of the week (http://www.designinteract.com/sow/040405/) in April 2005.
-
Graphic Designer
Performancebase.com
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
May 2000 — November 2001 (1 year 7 months)
Management of all print and web materials generated by Performancebase.com
Creation of business materials for the sale of Performancebase.com services
Identity and Branding Development
New Media and Online sites, tours and marketing pieces
Production Management to vendors for print materials
Reported directly to Marketing Director
Don Citarella’s Education
-
Ferris State University
Bachelor of Science , Visual Communication , 1996 — 2000
WFSU Radio DJ, Campus Cable Channel VJ, Occupational Research and Assessment (ORA Inc.) Webmaster, Crowe Chizek and Company Intern (1999), Manager of River Town Coffee House (FSU's off-campus café) and I make a mean Cappuccino...
- Activities and Societies:
- FSU Design Works (Campus Design Organization) President 2000, Grand Rapids Area Advertising Foundation (GRAAF) member, American Center for Design (ACD) "Students in Design" organization member, Pi Kappa Delta (PKD) National Honors Forensic Society Student Lieutenant Governor (Province of the Lakes), Interim Campus Graphic Designer for Ferris State University,
Additional Information
Don Citarella’s Websites:
Don Citarella’s Groups:
Design Works, NYPHP, DesignInteract, Communication Hotlist, QBN, HOW Magazine, ISES New York, NYC Web and Graphic Designers (Google Group Admin)
-
era404 Network -
Ferris State University Alumni -
FWA -
AIGA | the professional association for design -
Unintentional Entrepreneur -
QBN - For a better tomorrow
Don Citarella’s Honors:
Grand Rapids Area Advertising Foundation (GRAAF) "Addy" Showcase Award
Net Diver Notable Site
Golden Web Award
Communication Arts/DesignInteract Site of the Week (HeartbeatSoftware.com)
Communication Arts/DesignInteract Interview
Communication Arts/DesignInteract Holiday Card Mention
Guest Speaker at The School of Visual Arts (SVA)
HOW Magazine - Behind the Design (Brooklyn Wine Company)
Book Acknowledgements: Michelle Rago "Signature Weddings", Charles Bock "Beautiful Children"
Don Citarella’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- consulting offers
- expertise requests
- business deals
- getting back in touch
