Joel Gratcyk builds websites, creates blogs, manages social media accounts, and podcasts. He has maintained them from both domestic and international locations as required. He is a graphic designer, blogger, traveler, music fan, photographer, videographer, movie lover, coffee drinker,web geek, and explorer.

Joel prefers working on Macs, but is experienced with Windows and Linux systems as well. Having spent several years in office, field and retail positions Joel is an adaptable and capable worker in almost any environment. Teaching people one-on-one and in group settings about technology and how to best use it is something he enjoys.

His favorite projects have involved the use of social media, film, television, marketing, non-profit efforts and travel. While working with various non-profits and independently, Joel has led teams of people, from 3 to 30, on both tourism and work trips globally. Countries he has traveled to include India, Australia, Ghana, Argentina, England, and the Netherlands.

You can find him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Joel Gratcyk

(630) 286-9227
joel@gratcyk.com
http://joel.gratcyk.com

Objective

To work as within the social media, film, television, marketing, and/or travel industries where my skills as a graphic designer, photographer, videographer and web geek are improved upon daily.

Qualifications Summary

Working with Macs and PCs; I’ve built websites, created blogs, social accounts, and podcasts. I’ve maintained  them from both domestic and international locations. I have spent several years working in both fast paced office and retail environments and on the road. Teaching people one-on-one and in group settings about technology and how to best use it is something I really enjoy. While working with various non-profits and independently, I’ve lead teams of people, from 3 to 30, on both tourism and work trips globally.

Management

• Extensive Social Media & Blogging experience (9+ years)
• Graphic / Web Design experience (8+ years)
• Desktop user support experience (10+ years)
• Retail merchandising and inventory support experience (5+ years)
• Experience with tourism and organizing group travel (8+ years)
• Project management skills (5+ years)
• Extensive non-profit experience (14+ years)
• Working in adverse and fast paced environments (14+ years)
• Multi-tasking and meeting deadlines on time and on budget. (14+ years)
• Orchestrating food & clothing distribution to at-risk communities (8+ years)

Computer Skills

• Experience with Mac, Windows & Linux
• Daily Social Media User: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, bit.ly, Digg, Posterous, Virb, Vimeo, Tumblr, etc.
• Adobe Master Suite 5: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash, After Effects, SoundBooth, Premiere, etc.
• MS Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook
• Experience in using multiple CMS options: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc. 
• Miscellaneous programs / languages I’m familiar with: OpenOffice, Final Cut, Corel Draw, QuarkXPress, CSS, HTML

Employment History

Five Iron Frenzy, Website & Social Media Manager May 2008 – Present

• Social media promotions
• Website updates, management and backups
• Internet tech support and tutoring
• Helped raise $208,000 in 60 days via a Kickstarter campaign

Union Church of Hinsdale, Project Manager June 2006 – Present

• Editorial, graphic design & print work for 8 page monthly newsletter distributed via print & the internet
• Create and place TV, radio and print advertising for local publicity
• Report to multiple supervisors on various time sensitive projects
• Create and maintain various websites & social media profiles for the support of the Church’s programs, events and ministries
• General administrative duties
• Help desk support on laptops, desktops, smartphones, etc.

Best Buy, Sales, Inventory & Merchandising Teams June 2000 – May 2003, July 2009 – June 2010

• Exceeded customer’s expectations with product knowledge and service
• Traveled from store to store setting up product displays
• Kept products in stock, reduced shoplifting and supported the sales floor

Living Stones Fellowship, Website Manager May 2002 – Dec. 2006

• Designed from the ground up a public and a private website including HTML/CSS coding & graphic user layouts
• Managed, recorded and edited weekly podcast
• Performed scheduled website updates and maintenance

Fuel International, Website Producer / Administrative Assistant Sept. 1997 – Dec. 2005, Current Freelancer

• Extensive travel every 3-6 months to international locations including El Salvador, Ghana, India, and the Netherlands
• Managed all website design, podcasts, and blogs for tourist and volunteer groups of up to 300 in multiple locations, both domestically and internationally.
• Helped organize, run and document (via audio, video and still images)business conferences and concerts for up to 1,100 people

Education

Columbia College Chicago 2007 (4.0 GPA while in attendance)
GED 1998, Indiana State Education Department

References available upon request.

“Our band, Five Iron Frenzy, has appreciated Joel’s commitment to maintaining our online presence. The entire band trusts Joel to keep our sites up-to-date, visually creative and honest. Joel also maintains a professional relationship and is able to keep our private lives private.”

- Leanor Ortega Till, Saxophonist
Five Iron Frenzy

“Joel jumped onboard our web series as if he’d been on the show from the beginning. A proactive self starter who understands the value of an original idea and how to execute and see it though to fruition.”

- Eric Small,
Creator of 10,000 Days

“Joel has provided quick and friendly service every time I have called or emailed him. Not only does he manage my website, but he provides me tutorials and basic tools to manage and update my company website.”

- Cecil Pendleton III, CPT, EN, Commanding
U.S. Army

“Joel has worked with our missions organization, Fuel International, off and on since he was in high school. He is easy to work with, communicates effectively, and puts together excellent work. He has a heart to serve which is often difficult to find in the secular realm. We would recommend Joel to anyone wanting web designs and other computer and internet media projects completed with excellence, creativity, and in a timely fashion.”

- Dan Crosby, Founder and President
Maria Crosby, Assistant Director
Fuel International

“Joel is a pleasure to work with. Though we worked together only once, Joel demonstrated a promptness to respond and a willingness to go the extra mile to tackle challenges when they arose. I would absolutely reach out to Joel to work together again in the future.”

- Alex Buznego, Business Development and Marketing Services Manager
Inktel Direct

“Joel Gratcyk is a consummate professional. As a web designer, he developed innovative ways to gain exposure for our online videos. I can recommend him to anyone seeking creative solutions to web design and social media challenges.”

- Niles Maxwell, Director
Balanced Productions, LLC

“Joel Gratcyk has an amazing talent for anything technical and an eye for design. I have known Joel for almost 12 years and consider him one of the foremost web designers. I have consulted him on all things computer oriented, and he has consistenly given fair and easily doable advice. I have used his websites for classroom illustrations and have also had students post to his websites. He’s someone I can easily recommend to others knowing his work ethic and final product will always be exemplary.”

- Amy Brailey, 8th Grade English Teacher
Thomas A. Edison Jr./Sr. High

“Joel is a hard worker and faithful to the task in front of him.”

- Matt Inama, former Director of Missions and Outreach
Living Stones Fellowship

Joel Gratcyk

(630) 286-9227 | joel@gratcyk.com | @joelgratcyk

Joel Gratcyk is a coffee drinker, web designer, gadget geek, tech blogger & freelancer for hire based in Chicago. Please send any comments, questions or inquiries about projects via the contact information on this page or the form below:

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