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2005 Fellow Award

Ann Willoughby
The AIGA Fellow Award recognizes design professionals who have raised the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their local or regional design community as well as in their local AIGA chapter. The areas of education, writing, leadership, reputation and the practice of design are considered in measuring the award candidate' significant contributions. AIGA Kansas City is proud to award the 2005 Fellow Award to Ann Willoughby.

Ann Willoughby is the President and Creative Director of Willoughby Design Group, a brand innovations and identity design firm she founded in 1978. Willoughby Design has developed brand identity systems for groundbreaking retail start-ups including Three Dog Bakery, Einstein Bros Bagels, Noodless, SPIN! and Kevin Carroll. Other retail clients include Buckle, Lee Company, Hallmark, Interstate Brands Corporation, Playtex and Nestle.

Each year leading companies turn to Ann and her collaborative team of 18 to help them create innovative products, communications and brand experiences.

Willoughby's holistic approach to design and business is reflected in the company's unique studio environment-a collaborative space where designers work alongside entrepreneurs, strategists, writers, and specialists to innovate. The Willoughby studio, complete with a meditation room and off-site Design Barn retreat helps attract and retain top creative talent and brings blue chip clients to Kansas City.

Ann is a former National Board Director for AIGA, the professional association for design. Ann serves on the National Board for AIGA Center for Brand Experience and is a member of the Editorial Board of How magazine. She was co-chair of the 2004 AIGA Business & Design Conference in New York.

Ann attended the pilot AIGA design leadership program at Harvard Business School and in 2005 the Aspen Design Summit. Ann is a frequent judge and this past year served as judge for Communication Arts Design Annual 2005, the Dallas Society of Visual Communication, Hawaii's 5-0 Design Competition and the 11th Y Design Conference in San Diego.

The Willoughby team curated and designed The Best Brochure Design for Rockport Publishers, Inc. as well as the Dictionary of Brand from A-Z for AIGA Center of Brand Experience. Willoughby Design Group has won awards from Print, Communication Arts, Graphis, and AIGA and has been published for over 25 years in national and international competitions and books. In 2005. Rockport selected Willoughby Design Group as one of the best Design Firms in the US. Also in 2005, the firm was awarded a How Perfect TEN award for Kevin Carroll's identity and book Rules of the Red Rubber Ball. Ann is a frequent contributor to design and innovation on our culture.

Ann has taught design at the University of Kansas and at the Kansas City Art Institute. As a Visiting Professor at KU, she was instrumental in building a pilot program that helped graduating seniors and businesses create successful engagement models. Teaching and Community outreach to woman and children remain two of Ann's passions as she works with many organizations through her firm and the Willoughby Design Barn.

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