Founder and Creative Director Kathy Schipper and her San Juan Bautista, California-based graphic, Web design, and marketing agency, Schipper Design, have two big reasons to celebrate in 2019.
Schipper Design celebrates its fifteenth anniversary, and its Executive Vice President has been named a partner in the agency. Beth Welch, who has been with Schipper Design for almost six years, is now the Managing Director.
When Kathy founded Schipper Design fifteen years ago in San Benito County, a hop-skip from California’s Silicon Valley, she immediately applied her signature style to her work. Not content to simply design, Kathy quickly set to work attracting and hiring fresh and innovative designers, digital creatives and marketing experts to the firm, building a well-rounded team equipped for collaboration.
“We are bringing Beth on as a partner so we can continue to deliver high-quality design and branding and continue our path for growth in marketing and design,” said Schipper, who now leads 15 full-time employees in a 4,000-square-foot studio in the heart of historic San Juan Bautista, California. “Beth has been instrumental in the company growth over the past five years. She brought a high level of agency experience and organizational leadership to Schipper Design.
“Although our growth has primarily been referrals, we always welcome new clients, and we are strengthened by new projects with our current clients. We have a commitment to be on the cutting edge of design and technical trends so our clients can benefit from our expertise. This makes our investment in continuous training and education for the staff vitally important.”
Adding Welch as a partner gives Schipper more flexibility to concentrate on the ever present demand for creative design and innovative marketing at Schipper Design.
Schipper started her career as a publishing rep for a book company and also worked in journalism, publication design, and leadership before moving to the Central Coast and starting her own design firm.
Welch had 15 years of marketing agency experience before joining Schipper in 2013. A native of Santa Maria, California, Welch graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing.
“It’s very exciting. It’s something Kathy and I have been working on for the last couple of years,” said Welch about her new position. “We took the time to consider how it would impact the staff and our clients. We wanted it to be a smooth transition and have a positive outcome.”
Welch said her focus will be on business operations, human resources, business development, and managing client services. Her goal is to keep the firm progressing without losing sight of its vision.
“The goal is to continue to grow and manage the business; keeping it strong and instilling a culture and dedication much in alignment with our values and the high expectations we have for the creative work we design,” she said. “Our goal is to continue to provide our clients with clear marketing strategies and smart design. Working with our clients is exciting and important to me.”
Welch lives in San Juan Bautista with her husband and their three children.
Schipper Design has executed brand and identity work for countless MedTech innovators, launching new brands for multi-national cutting-edge tech such as Cordella by Endotronix and EBR System’s Wise CRT. Yet the firm has also stayed close to its roots: crafting an inspirational, community-centered brand launch for Natividad, Monterey County’s leading health center; garnering national “Best in Show” recognition—a rare call out from the distinguished Service Industry Awards—for their work with the San Francisco 49ers Museum; and delivering identity, messaging, and digital presence for vital service leaders such as Stevenson School, Hayashi Wayland financial consultancy, and multiple local city and county organizations.
For more information, visit www.schipperdesign.com.
