A Wall of Awards
Fame Only Takes Four Years

Only four years have gone by since Roy Tahtinen (B'95) was a Visual Communication student at Ferris State, struggling with the rigors of developing a portfolio and dreaming of the day when he could create "real" designs for "real" clients. Today, not only does Tahtinen have real clients, but his real designs have won impressive awards in the advertising industry.

As art director for Hanon McKendry, a Grand Rapids advertising agency, Tahtinen has garnered more than 60 awards for his designs in print and television media. This year alone, he received 21 local ADDY awards, which are presented by the Grand Rapids Area Advertising Federation to recognize excellence in media. Overall, he's earned more than 50 local ADDYs and five district ADDY awards from the American Advertising Federation.

On the national level, Tahtinen won two silver Telly awards and a special 20th Anniversary Telly award that was given to the "best of the best." Tahtinen's Telly awards were all presented for television commercials or bulletins produced for advocate groups, including Right To Life, Americans for Better Care and Citizens for Compassionate Care.

Tahtinen also won a New York Festivals World Medal for international television advertising for a commercial created for Americans for Better Care. And, to top off the list, he is a finalist in the judging for an OBIE award, one of the oldest and most prestigious honors for creative excellence in advertising.

A Voice for Humanity
While the company has an impressive list of traditional clients, its employees take pride in their work for the non-traditional, cause-related organizations. "Hanon McKendry is a unique ad agency because it is based on a commitment to serve as a voice for humanity," said Tahtinen. "It helps you make it through the day when you know you are working to advance a good cause."

Hired on the Spot
Tahtinen credits much of his success to the excellent, yet demanding, Visual Communication program at Ferris State. "When students graduate from Ferris, they're in a position to walk right into interviews. The instructors do a very good job of preparing you so that you have the skills and materials necessary to get a job," he said.

One of the requirements of the program is that students have a comprehensive portfolio of their work to show to prospective employers. While the portfolios are very time-consuming and costly to create, Tahtinen emphasized the value of having a good showcase for your designs. "You can put anyone else's portfolio up against one created by a Ferris student, and you can tell the difference," he said.

Indeed, when he first interviewed at Hanon McKendry, his prospective employer told him his portfolio was one of the best he had ever seen. Tahtinen was hired on the spot and began work that same day.

A few years and many awards later, Tahtinen was asked to describe his fondest memories of his years at Ferris State University. "The thing I enjoyed most was working in the design studio with 20 other students who were all trying to be the best graphic designers they could possibly be."

Roy Tahtinen is still on the quest to be the best that he can be. And he has a wall of awards to prove it.