Mike Fender

Current

Design Director at Mike Fender Design

Past

Design Director at Harvard Business School Publishing
Design and Production Director at Brick House Publishing
Book Designer at Harvard University Press

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Education

San Francisco Art Institute

Recommended

3 people have recommended Mike

Connections

67 connections

Industry

Publishing

Websites

My Website

Mike Fender’s Summary

Art Director and Design Director for various publishers for over 25 years. Working electronically, I have been able to expand my client list to beyond the greater Boston area, with clients in California, New York, and London.

Particularly adept at series design and brand development, as well as book jacket and cover design. Strong experience with business titles, history, political science, alternative energy, and general non fiction.

Seeking to expand the subject areas of the books I design and develop.

Mike Fender’s Specialties:

Brand development; title development; book design and production; marketing (advertising and catalog) design and production for publishers; photo research

Mike Fender’s Experience

Design Director

Mike Fender Design

(Design industry)

September 2006 — Present (3 years 4 months)

Comprehensive design and research services, specializing in book publishing and title branding
Design Director

Harvard Business School Publishing

(Non-Profit; 201-500 employees; Publishing industry)

November 1994 — September 2006 (11 years 11 months)

I worked as Art Director and Design Director in collaboration with marketing and editorial directors to increase presence in trade book marketplace, and to increase sales of HBS Books from a gross of less than 1 million in '94, to 24 million in 2006. Worked to professionalize the look of the list, while playing against the conservative brand with innovative and striking cover designs.
Design and Production Director

Brick House Publishing

(Publishing industry)

1979 — 1983 (4 years )

An interesting book publishing division of Solar Age Magazine. We were among the first to publish Amory Lovins books, such as " Brittle Power, Energy Strategy for National Security." Also subjects in sustainable energy issues and solar and super-insulated building projects by people like William Shurcliff, Bruce Anderson, and Michael Riordan.
Book Designer

Harvard University Press

(Publishing industry)

1975 — 1979 (4 years )

I had the pleasure of working with Susan Hayes, John Walsh, Marianne Perlak, Susan Boehmer, Aida Donald, Arthur Rosenthal as I developed my talents as a book and jacket designer.

Mike Fender’s Education

San Francisco Art Institute

Painting, Design 1957 — 1962

I was lucky enough to attend California School of Fine Arts (now SFAI) during one of the most important times in its history. I was there when Elmer Bischoff, Richard Diebenkorn, and Frank Lobdell were teaching. I took painting with Lobdell and Diebenkorn. This exposure affected me profoundly, helping in my painting, and influencing my earlier design work at Ramparts Magazine, Transaction Magazine, and others.

CSFA was also instrumental in my interest in publishing good freelance photographers as an Art Director at magazines and in book publishing.

Activities and Societies:

Student Body President, 1959