Meet Lisa Corp, Art Director

However much we may like our jobs, there aren’t very many of us that can view them with a sense of destiny. Lisa Corp, Meyer Sign & Advertising’s art director, is a notable exception.

It isn’t just that Lisa’s grandfather, John Meyer, founded the company where she now works. Anyone who knew John and the management team that runs the company bearing his name would tell you that while DNA is no doubt a factor in Lisa’s career path, nepotism certainly isn’t.

Born and raised in Mount Vernon, Lisa has loved art since she was very young — it was a passion that her grandfather encouraged, and one that eventually led her to the Art Institute of Seattle. She remained in the Emerald City after graduating to launch her career in graphic design. Her first job was with a t-shirt manufacturing company, which she remembers as being “a lot of fun.” She later stepped up to more serious design challenges with a large direct mail company whose big name clientele included Holland America Line and Microsoft.

After a number of years, Lisa struck out on her own as a freelance designer, which gave her greater opportunity to indulge her passions for illustration and logo creation. One of her freelance customers was Humungous Entertainment, a maker of educational games for children whose cast of characters include Putt-Putt, Pajama Sam, Freddi Fish, and Spy Fox.

“I created illustrations for children’s software, games, and newsletters,” says Lisa. “I also worked on projects for the zoo, as well as on in-house and marketing packages.”

Lisa eventually moved back to Mount Vernon to raise her family, and continued her freelance work until getting a call from Meyer Sign president Martin Boer asking her if she would consider coming to work for her grandfather’s company. Thanks to an increasing level of business, the demand on the company’s design department required an additional resource — and when the company’s previous art director decided to pursue another career opportunity, Lisa was ready to step into the role.

“The design process usually begins with the sales rep,” says Lisa. “I rely on their communications with our clients to understand what they’re looking for. I look at their websites and marketing materials, and then do a lot of Internet browsing to come up with ideas that work for their brand. My goal is to accurately reflect what their business is about in a dynamic and pleasing way. That’s how I bring value to our clients.”

Lisa’s eye for design comes in particularly handy when working with clients that lack a logo or an established “look.” A recent example is Master Marine, who depended on Lisa to create their graphic identity as well as their sign, just off I-5 in Mount Vernon. “This only happens in about 10 percent of the jobs that we do, but we do quite a bit of work with businesses who are just getting established,” Lisa explains.

Fortunately for our customers, new or established, we have an art director that has an “eye for design,” to use Lisa’s words. “To represent a company graphically, you have to look into their business and come up with their personality. It’s not about you,” she says.

With one child in college and another attending high school, Lisa has a bit more time these days to pursue her personal artistic interests, which include photography (she worked shooting weddings before joining Meyer Sign & Advertising). She knows this would please her grandfather. “He was an artist, and he always encouraged me. Both my parents were talented as well.”

It’s her memories of John Meyer that bring Lisa a particular sense of job satisfaction as Meyer Sign & Advertising’s art director.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle. My grandfather started this business, and I spent a lot of time at the company when my dad worked here — and now I’m employed here. I don’t think anyone would be happier about that than John Meyer.” With the possible exception of our clients, we wholeheartedly agree.