Jim Somers - Founder and Owner
After 10 years of work in graphic design, marketing, and video production, Jim and his wife Heidi decided to start their own business doing all the things that Jim loves.
Jim's 25 years of experience includes:
- Video Production and Direction
- Graphic Design
- Commercial Photography
- Web Design
- Business Management
- Art Direction
"It got to the point that I was doing what I love but for someone else. So the natural progression was to work for myself...and that was over 17 years ago."
My hobbies:
Photography, Rock Climbing, Gold Prospecting, Guitar, Family
Jims latest projects:
New England Gold Prospecting
The Leeward Rail Band
Goals:
Live in the desert of Arizona with Heidi and prospect for gold!
Briana - Web & Print Designer
Starting over 13 years ago as a point of purchase display and sales presentation designer for an international sports medicine company, Briana quickly evolved her career to encompass package design, logo development and large scale signage. "I was given a huge opportunity when as an entry level designer, the lead designer left abruptly. The company was in a bind to find someone to fill his shoes. In the midterm I was given the chance to start designing packaging and product displays and months later was given the job as lead graphic designer officially. I learned so much so fast, from how to create professional mockups, to how to color correct photos, and prepare electronic files for press.
Joining the Sonora DesignWorks team 10 years ago, she designs logos, advertisements, marketing collateral and web site designs for a wide client base. "When my husband Jesse and I were expecting our son Spencer, I realized I wanted a more flexible schedule and a closer commute. I cold-called a few local companies looking for freelance work, and that's how I met Jim. I really appreciate the family oriented work atmosphere we have here, and also the way the company has grown and evolved over the years - my job never gets boring! And I couldn't get any closer for my commute- I enjoy riding my bike to work in the spring/summer." Although, primarily focused in the creative phase of development for our clients, she also assists in building the code for web development projects.
Interests:
Photography, Outdoor Sports (Snowboarding, Surfing, Hiking, Trail Running), Flea Markets and Antiquing
Mike - Website Designer / Developer
Mike's design career started with the graphic design program at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass. That was 12 years ago, and he's been designing a variety of projects ever since.
"I loved art as a teenager, and the idea of doing it for a career was more than intriguing to me. I worked as a graphic designer for a few years and then started to get really interested in website design. The process of building a website is a combination of creative and technical skills. That's what I love about it. The web is a relatively new environment, and it changes so quickly that it's a full time job trying to keep up. So many changes are made to the technologies that the web supports, which is exciting for us. It gives us the ability to expand and use our creative skills in new and fresh ways, which as a designer is a dream come true."
Mike's roles at Sonora range from print design to website design and development.
If you're looking for Mike, he's most likely staring at a computer screen, at the gym, grilling, snowboarding, or at a Red Sox game.
Marissa - Web & Print Designer
Marissa has been a designer at Sonora DesignWorks for the past 10 years. She has been working with the company since she left college where she trained as a graphic designer, and enjoys the creativity and challenges the job presents. "I was fresh out of college, looking for a job, and my sister Briana mentioned the great company she was working for. Sonora was looking for new designers, so I went down, got hired on the spot and I've never looked back. It's a great company to be a part of; it's family-oriented, and the flexiblity is great, especially since the arrival of my son, Jasper. A lot of the projects we work on allow us to really stretch our creativity to the limit, and that's something I really value."
Marissa works primarily with the design aspect of project development, including website design, logo design, and graphic layouts such as brochures and flyers, but she also assists with coding and development of web projects. She also works with illustrative projects, providing custom artwork for clients. Marissa lives in Concord, New Hampshire with her husband, James and son, Jasper.
My Hobbies:
Illustration (mainly cartoons, especially children oriented), Painting, Sewing, Hiking
My Goals:
Expand my creativity, Mountain bike this summer
Steve Shwartz - Sales & Customer Service
"Before graduating college with a degree in Economics more than a year ago, I would have said that Web Design was just a hobby. However, graduating during the worst job market in decades and experiencing the often soul-crushing atmosphere of a traditional financial career I knew change was needed. Since then I've been doing freelance programming and sales which I am immeasurably happy with. Specifically, I love the open ended problem solving and individual merit this profession allows for."
