Interior designer and Space Planner

Gwendolyn R. Blackshear II

Interior Designer and Space Planner 1702 Horizon Drive, Apt C, Akron Ohio 44313 c: 330-***-**** e-mail: ********@*****.***

In May of 2005, I received my Bachelors of Arts degree in Interior Design from Kent State University. While studying, I participated in several

design associations and annual design competitions. I studied and worked under NCIDQ certified designers for several years, and when given the

opportunities, accepted an independent design project, a full time summer internship, and then a full time design position working with men and

women in the field. For the past several years, I have gained most of my experience in the design industry from working as a retail designer and

space planner. For the past three years, I have worked on small residential projects as a consultant and space planner, and worked full time as a

flooring sales rep.

As a Store Planner for the Jo-Ann Fabric Corporation, I worked side by side with the Architecture, Construction, Facilities and Real Estate teams

daily, designing schematic plans for future projects and proposals. Past project scopes have ranged from carefully selecting paint, flooring, and

furniture arrangements for small boardrooms and single -family homes, designing basic electrical and flooring layouts for store and office spaces,

producing plans for small corporate-wide roll outs, as well as drawing construction, phase and demolition plans for 15K to 70k square foot retail

and corporate spaces.

In addition to working on final finishes, lighting, electrical and construction plans, I have gained experience working with architects and real estate

developers in the field, taking on responsibilities of a surveyor and project manager during multiple phases of a project, with new construction and

renovations.

As a Sales Representative, I work directly with architects, designers, contractors, and residential clients, helping them make final decision on carpet

and hard surface materials. Because of my design background, I often extend my services out and assist in layouts as well as furniture and paint

selections. I also schedule installations, resolve problems between manufacturers and clients, and work on multiple projects simultaneously.

Working in a corporate setting has taught me several things. Many of my everyday tasks as a designer are to assist several different people in

several different projects in addition to keeping current on my own responsibilities. I was often responsible for the following:

● Prepare written communication, visual presentations and prepared weekly bulletins for department, regional and national meetings.

● Creating Work Orders and developing project schedules for multiple projects simultaneously.

● Helping design, implement and updated electronic Master Schedule and Calendar for department meetings. This reduced scheduling conflicts, and kept entire design, construction and facilities staff on schedule.

● Standardized and maintain Electronic Design Library and create and update Prototype

● Handling travel arrangements for staff members as required; prepare all necessary paperwork and audio/visual materials for large trips; process travel expense reports.

● Supervising and training all entry level designers, temps and interns in all computer software, daily tasks and company standards and branding.

Over the past several years, I have seen and experienced many faces of design. My hope is that you feel these experiences in the design industry

show my dedication and also express how I will be a great tool as an Interior Designer for your company I look forward to speaking with you about

my experiences as a designer and how I can be a great asset to your staff.

Sincerely,

Gwendolyn R. Blackshear II

Gwendolyn R. Blackshear II

Interior Designer and Space Planner 1702 Horizon Drive, Apt C, Akron, OH 44313 c: 330-***-**** e-mail: ********@*****.***

Work Experience

Northport Flooring America: Akron, Ohio- May 2013-Present : Interior Designer

Spanky’s Carpet Outlet: Akron, Ohio- May 2010-May2013 : Flooring Sales Representative, Installation and Repair Scheduler

Lane Bryant: Akron, Ohio- September 2008-November 2012 : Fashion Specialist, Retail Assistant

Commercial Consultation : Akron, Ohio- Fall 2011-Spring 2012 : Wishing You Well Tea Shop: Purchasing Fixtures, Budget Proposal, Interior Finish selection; custom furniture design, and color palette specification.

K-12 Substitute Teacher : Akron and Kent, Ohio- September 2008-May 2010 : Substitute, Intervention Specialist and Teaching Aid for Akron and Kent public school districts.

Residential Consultation : Kent, Ohio- Spring 2009 : Space Planning, Finish selection and color palette specification.

Residential Consultation : Akron, Ohio- Fall 2008 : Space Planning, Finish selection and color palette specification. Furniture Selection

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Inc. : Hudson, Ohio: Store Planner, October 2007-August 2008 Store Planning Coordinator, May 2005-October 2007 Store Planning Intern, May 2004-August 2004

Commercial Consultation : Tallmadge, Ohio- Spring 2007- Present : Shepherd’s Pasture for All Nations Church: Remodel, Budget Proposal, Interior Finish selection; custom furniture design, and color palette specification.

Residential Remodel : Kennesaw, Georgia- Summer 2006 : Kitchen cabinetry design, Interior Finish selection, and color palette specification.

Residential Consultation : Akron, Ohio- Summer 2005 : Space Planning and Finish selection and color palette specification.

Education

Kent State University - Kent, Ohio Graduation Date: May 2005 Bachelor of Arts, College of Architecture and Environmental Design Concentration: Interior Design, FIDER accredited

Kent Roosevelt High School – Kent, Ohio Graduation with Honors Diploma, June 2001

Related Course Work and Experience

Architectural Theory I&II, Lighting Applications in Interior Design, Textiles in Built Environment, Methods and Materials, Art History I & II, History of Interiors I & II, Drawing & Visual Organizations, Color Study

Computer Skills

AutoCAD 2000-2012, PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Access and Word, Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Standard and Photoshop.

Professional Development Activities

Allied Member, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

Working to achieve LEED certification- Silver: Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, Round Rock, Texas.

Green Study and Implementation: Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts Corporate office, Hudson, Ohio.

Student Member, Coalition of Interior Design Legislation Organization (KSU IDLO)

Independent Study: Red Cross Center Space-planning and conceptual development, Wooster, Ohio

Allied Member, International Interior Design Association (IIDA)

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