Andy van Duym
(Retired) Vice President at National Geographic
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I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Steve Grundmeier for more than 20 years. Over that time, Steve became the vital central design resource for the U.S. launch and subsequent growth of the National Geographic Live program of speakers and events. Steve not only created
the popular brand mark, but was also
a critical force in the successful establishment of the brand and its associated graphic standards in multiple U.S. and Canadian markets. His graphic designs earned high praise both within and beyond National Geographic, helped power the international growth of the program, and became the visual representation of one of Nat Geo’s most acclaimed experiential activities. There are many good designers; but we always felt particularly fortunate to have Steve on our team. He not only produced great designs that always seemed fresh; he also consistently impressed us with his attention to detail, his intuition, and his organization. Steve is also delightful personally. I can give him the highest recommendation!
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Gregory McGruder
Vice President, Live Events at National Geographic
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Steve is one of the best graphic designers I’ve ever worked with. He’s extremely talented, works very quickly, is a great problem solver, and is completely free of drama. During my time working with him, our performance series and speakers bureau grew from a few locations to multiple cities around the world. Every
step of the way, Steve’s thoughtful approach to graphic design ensured that our promotional material was a true reflection of our organization, and its
131-year-old tradition of supporting storytelling, exploration, and adventure.
Natali Freeling
Director of Marketing at National Geographic
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Steve has done design work for National Geographic for many years, and continues to be my go-to graphic designer. He’s extremely easy to work with—patient with multiple rounds of edits, able to take constructive feedback without taking it personally, proactive in anticipating project needs and suggesting creative solutions, and extremely well organized. In short, if you want a designer that makes your life easier, Steve’s your man. I recommend him wholeheartedly.
Julie Gerdes Becnel
Marketing Director at National Geographic Society
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I've had the pleasure of working with Steve on many projects for National Geographic over the course of my time with the company. Steve is a gem to work with—
in addition to being a great designer, he's both a fantastic communicator and an expert problem solver. Much of the work Steve does for National Geographic Live involves creating marketing pieces for the public and there are often a lot of details (ticket price, event location, date, etc.) that have to go on the various collateral. Steve is always incredibly detail oriented and is excellent at calling out any inconsistencies he might observe. He also has a rare talent for creating intuitive designs that anticipate the client's needs--in many cases before they are even voiced. In sum, Steve is talented, courteous, prompt, and well organized. I would highly recommend him for any design project.