Greater Chicago Area
- Current
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- Member of the Design Council at Appleton Coated Paper
- Advisory Board Member at Life In Abundance International
- Principal/Creative Director at Rule29
- Past
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- Board of Directors, Arizona & Chicago at AIGA
- Art Director at Tyndale House Publishers
- Art Director at Duke Marketing Communications
- Recommended
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15 people have recommended Justin - Connections
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500+
connections
- Industry
- Graphic Design
- Websites
Justin Ahrens’s Summary
Short version: To continually make creative matter for our clients and be an outstanding designer, strategist, lecturer, and teacher
More details: As founder and principal of Rule29, Justin Ahrens infuses his strategic creative firm's credo of "making creative matter" into every project. With clients ranging from non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 corporations, Justin strives to continuously expand the boundaries of R29's design, collaborative approach and creativity to deliver unequaled results. His passion for his profession is evidenced by Justin's involvement in design community organizations. Having served several years on the HOW Conference Advisory Board and more recently on the Create Magazine Advisory Board, Justin is also a member of the STA and AIGA having held AIGA board positions in Arizona and Chicago.
Other work being done is Justin's and Rule29's involvement with Life in Abundance and their work in the slums of Northeast Africa. To make creative matter in the world both in the US and in Africa is a core benefit to being a creative from the R29 perspective.
Justin's award-winning work resulted in being chosen by Graphic Design USA as one of the top designers to watch in 2004. His work can be seen in leading industry publications and books including Communication Arts, HOW, PRINT, Graphis, Create, Rockport Publishers and STEP. Justin's passion for design is only overshadowed by his passion for being home with his wife Sarah and their four amazing kids who think Dad's job is listening to music, drawing pictures and playing on the computer.
A sampling of client experience includes the following: ACCO Brands, American Cancer Society, D.C. Comics, Hewlett Packard, Kraft Foods, Rand McNally, Office Max, Invesco Powershares, Life in Abundance, Alice Cooper
Justin Ahrens’s Experience
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Member of the Design Council
Appleton Coated Paper
(Privately Held; Paper & Forest Products industry)
January 2009 — Present (11 months)
Each year, Appleton Coated brings together a panel of leading designers from across North America to serve on our Design Council. We meet to learn first-hand about issues and trends that they observe in their region and to share trends that we see in paper and print. Engaging designers in a dialogue about their business and ours helps us to shape a relevant marketing program that supports our customer's success.
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Advisory Board Member
Life In Abundance International
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
November 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)
Life in Abundance International works with seven nations of Africa, in partnership with churches for Community Wholistic Transformation.
Though the implementation of our ministry can be fairly complex, the foundation of the ministry is quite simple. In partnership with existing local Christian churches and organizations throughout seven east African countries, LIA implements wholistic (body, mind, and spirit) community based interventions as solutions to critical global concerns. Such concerns range from HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, to poverty alleviation, to orphans and vulnerable children.. -
Principal/Creative Director
Rule29
(Privately Held; Design industry)
January 2000 — Present (9 years 11 months)
We are a multi disciplined strategic design firm with extensive experience helping companies of various size with branding, identity, packaging, promotion, and communication issues. This enables Rule29 to help you implement single projects or entire campaigns with equal ability. We would like to be considered to work with you on any of your upcoming creative.
Additional Information
Justin Ahrens’s Websites:
Justin Ahrens’s Interests:
Cycling, Painting, Cooking, Making Creative Matter™
Justin Ahrens’s Groups:
AIGA , The Designers Accord, Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance, STA, TKE, HOW, O'Neil, FBCG
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Art & Design -
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network -
Tweeple -
AIGA | the professional association for design -
Illinois Wesleyan University Network -
STA | The Society of Typographic Arts -
Illinois Wesleyan University Alumni -
FONA International -
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading -
HOW Mind Your Own Business -
The Designers Accord -
Social Media Marketing Mavens -
EPIC: Engaging Philanthropy, Inspiring Creatives -
Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance Members -
Small: Design Firms in Small Towns -
Designer Sobriety -
AIGA Chicago Chapter
Justin Ahrens’s Honors:
Featured in:
Communication Arts
Graphis
Print Regional Design Annual
American Corporate Identity
Coupe Design Awards
HOW International Awards
HOW Promotion Awards
HOW Perfect 10
Create Awards
iParenting Media Award
Graphic Design USA's People to Watch
American Graphic Design Awards
Creativity Awards
STEP 100 Design Annual
STEP Best of Web
U Be The Judge
STA Design Archive
MarCom Awards
French Paper Company
Prisma Award
CBA Impact Awards
Chicago Book Clinic
Neenah Paperworks
American Design Awards
Zanders USA Corporate Communications Design Competition
