Membership Spotlight: Karen Sessions

October 01, 2008 Filed Under: Member Spotlight 0 Comments

Karen Sessions, member since 1999
President, Perry Sessions Design, Inc.

Where are you from?
Wingate, NC

How and why did you get involved with AIGA? Approximately how long have you been involved with the organization?
In March of 1999, I called the AIGA headquarters to say that I believed Charlotte needed a chapter. AIGA national sent me the Chapter petition, which asked that we get 20 individuals who had practiced or taught in graphic design or an allied field for at least three years to mutually agree to undertake the responsibilities to form a chapter. I called everyone I knew in the industry and asked them to meet with me. There was a great response to start this chapter. We met at Cadmus one night, signed the petition and started moving forward.

I always felt strongly that Charlotte should have an AIGA chapter. I had worked for a large bank here for almost 10 years and saw the importance of connecting business leaders with design. I also was very familiar with the American Institute of Architecture.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
To own a free-range organic chicken farm.

What attracted you to the design profession?
Starting back in high school, there was friend of our family who introduced me to art, design and architecture. On into college, I loved anything Marimekko; loved going to the MOMA and The National Gallery; and I took a few classes in architecture at NC State while I attended Meredith College.

Did you have particular mentors or experiences that opened the door to the profession for you?
My first job out of college was in a marketing position for Campbell Soup. My boss, Frank Dudowicz gave me a great deal of responsibility, which opened the door to in-depth on-the-job learning. I’ll always remember, my first press check, Frank showed me what to look for on a press sheet (the day before.) And it was for a print job that cost close to a million dollars.

I traveled a lot too. That was a fun learning experience.

Another mentor of mine was Bill Wilkerson. Bill was a true entrepreneur. The first time I met him, he was dropping golf balls on a squishy shoe form - it was one of the original prototypes for the Dr. Scholl’s shoe inserts. Bill showed me that we just need to open our minds to possibilities and creativity.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
That I’m related to the hymn-writer Isaac Watts, he wrote Joy to the World

If you or someone you know would like to be interviewed and appear on AIGA Charlotte’s Membership Spotlight, contact membership@aigacharlotte.org.