Creativity is big business in Ohio and around the globe. And in early 2023, Columbus CEO magazine subscribers got an in-depth look at just how Columbus College of Art & Design and our alumni are impacting businesses and the economy in places near and far.
Columbus CEO’s special section CCAD: Here for Creative Collaboration includes a range of features, from employers’ perspectives on the value of creative problem solving to the college’s involvement in an equity design institute for women of color to CCAD’s approach to UX design teaching—and so much more.
CEOs from Abercrombie, Moody Nolan, Huntington, and Nationwide weigh in
Here for Creative Collaboration opens with “Creativity Means Business,” featuring insight from several high-flying leaders of Columbus-headquartered companies: Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch; Jonathan Moody, CEO of Moody Nolan; Steve Steinhour, CEO of Huntington Bancshares Inc.; and Kurt Walker, CEO of Nationwide.
“There's been a huge shift in the design practice over the last several years,” says Walker. “Design is no longer just about your own perspective as a designer, but also includes thinking about who you design for, what they need, and offering something new.”
“Design has gone beyond the technical aspects to include designing solutions, products, even teams and businesses. CCAD graduates are among the first to lead these efforts at Nationwide because of their broad-based problem-solving skills and adaptable mindset,” says Nationwide CEO Kurt Walker.
CCAD fosters equity design, creative collaboration, UX design & more
Meanwhile, another piece, “Making Space for Community Solutions,” focuses on CCAD’s new equity design institute partnership with Zora's House and The Women’s Fund. “By addressing social and economic disparities that women of color face, the institute's cohorts will be better equipped to positively influence community development in Columbus. It will also create more economic opportunities for women of color and, in turn, help them affect change in those around them,” writes reporter Brittany Moseley.
And in “Creative Collaboration,” about CCAD’s Corporate & Community Partnerships relationships with more than 80 companies, including Cardinal Health, Huntington Bank, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and SocialVentures, Moseley describes creative collaboration as “paramount to CCAD’s core values.”
“Symbiotic partnerships with outside organizations allow students to experience collaboration both in and out of the classroom and add real-world experience to their resumes; in turn, they infuse the Columbus community with their creative talent, and partner organizations reap the benefit of CCAD's: expertise,” she continues.
Other articles in the special section include:
- “Designing a Healthier World,” about CCAD students using their skills to shape the healthcare industry;
- “Leading the Way in UX Design,” about CCAD's expertise on human-centered design and new Master of Professional Studies in User Experience Design; and
- “CCAD Grads Make Columbus a Place the World Watches,” featuring Jen Burton (Fine Arts, 2000), owner/partner at Seventh Son Brewing Co.; Bobby Silver (Fine Arts, 1999), co-owner, Yellow Brick Pizza; Lauren Conrath (Fine Arts, 2004), director of operations at 400 Square; Joel Limes (Industrial Design, 1994), co-founder and chief brand officer, COhatch; and Emily Kellett (Industrial Design, 2016) and Brian Kellett (Media Studies Still-Based, 2007), co-owners of STUMP.
Learn about CCAD’s Fine Arts, Industrial Design, and Photography undergraduate programs, as well as our new Master of Professional Studies in User Experience Design.
