McElhanney
Project Title:
2025 ACEC-BC Meritorious Achievement Award Submission
Client: Internal Marketing / Project Date: Spring 2025
Project Overview
My primary objective was to design a compelling submission document for the prestigious Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia (ACEC-BC) 2025 Meritorious Achievement Award. This submission was crafted to powerfully advocate for McElhanney's recently retired CEO, Allan Russell, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the consulting engineering profession, the industry, and the community. The ultimate goal was to secure this distinguished award.
The Challenge
The project presented a significant challenge due to a tight timeline, coupled with the need to balance this high-priority submission alongside other ongoing projects. Compiling Allan Russell's extensive 35-year career of transformative leadership and lasting impact, along with numerous contributions to the business and stature of consulting engineering in BC, engineering excellence, industry leadership, and community involvement, into a concise yet comprehensive document demanded meticulous organization and strategic design.
The Solution
To address these challenges, I took the lead on the design and layout of the comprehensive submission document. While the internal marketing team provided content and followed a lightly guided template, my specific contribution involved designing the entire document in Adobe InDesign, with supporting graphics created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I conceptualized and created the visual timeline graphic spanning pages 10-19 using Canva Whiteboard, effectively condensing Allan's extensive career into an engaging, digestible format. This approach ensured a professional, visually compelling, and organized presentation of Allan Russell's remarkable legacy.
The Impact
My comprehensive design work for the submission document exceeded expectations, directly contributing to Allan Russell being selected as the ACEC-BC 2025 Meritorious Achievement Award winner. This significant achievement recognizes his profound and lasting impact on the consulting engineering industry and will be celebrated in May 2025. The success of this submission not only honoured a deserving leader but also reinforced McElhanney's commitment to recognizing excellence within the industry.
Project Title:
Award Submission Canada’s Top 100 Employers
Client: Internal Marketing / Project Date: Spring 2024
Project Overview
McElhanney, a prominent engineering consulting firm, sought to reinforce its standing as a premier employer across Canada and British Columbia. My role was pivotal in crafting a compelling submission document for the prestigious Canada's Top 100 Employers 2024 awards. This project was a strategic opportunity to showcase McElhanney's commitment to its employees and enhance its brand visibility on a national scale.
The Challenge
This project presented a unique hurdle: navigating the strict confidentiality surrounding the Top 100 Employer announcements while adhering to an incredibly tight deadline. With less than a month to deliver, the process demanded highly efficient planning, seamless coordination across teams, and precise design execution to ensure a top-tier submission.
The Solution
As the lead graphic designer, I collaborated closely with McElhanney's internal marketing communications team to bring this vision to life. Together, we developed a visually engaging and informative submission document that meticulously highlighted McElhanney's exceptional employee experience. This included showcasing key initiatives and innovative programs that define their strong employer brand.
Key Design Considerations
My design approach focused on creating a submission that was not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional. This involved implementing a clear and concise layout to enhance readability, guiding the judges' attention effortlessly through complex information. I strategically incorporated engaging visuals to illustrate key points and ensure consistent branding aligned with McElhanney's corporate identity. Crucially, timely delivery was paramount, requiring meticulous project management to meet the tight deadline without compromising quality.
The Impact
The meticulously crafted submission document proved instrumental in McElhanney's significant achievement: earning recognition as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2024. This document successfully articulated the company's profound dedication to employee well-being, fostering professional growth, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Its success underscored the power of strategic visual communication.
Key Takeaways
This project reinforced several critical lessons that I carry forward into my work. It underscored the absolute necessity of effective collaboration between design and marketing teams, demonstrating how integrated efforts yield superior results. I also gained further appreciation for the power of visual communication in transforming complex data into digestible, impactful narratives. Finally, it solidified my ability to consistently deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines, a crucial skill in fast-paced environments.
Project Title:
University of Victoria Engineering Yearbook Print Ad
Client: Internal Marketing for Human Resources - Recruitment Team / Project Date: Fall 2024
Project Overview
To bolster McElhanney's presence and attract top-tier engineering talent from the University of Victoria, I took the lead in designing a compelling half-page print advertisement. This ad, featured in the 2025 Engineering Yearbook, served as a crucial tool for enhancing brand visibility directly within a key academic community
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to craft an advertisement that would not only captivate attention amidst numerous corporate competitors but also effectively communicate McElhanney's core brand message and recruitment opportunities. The design needed to be both visually striking and highly informative to resonate with a discerning student audience.
The Solution
My approach involved developing a fresh, modern design that seamlessly integrated McElhanney's established brand guidelines with the aesthetic of the yearbook. The advertisement strategically highlighted key selling points for prospective engineers, such as robust career growth pathways, invaluable mentorship programs, and the company’s dedication to social impact. Crucially, I ensured a strong call to action was included, directing students to McElhanney's website or encouraging direct connection with a recruiter.
The Impact
The successful deployment of this print advertisement significantly enhanced McElhanney's brand visibility among University of Victoria engineering students. By effectively sparking interest in career opportunities, this initiative is set to play a vital role in attracting top talent and reinforcing the company's future recruitment efforts.
Key Takeaways
This project reinforced the critical understanding that effective advertising hinges on a deep comprehension of both the target audience and the specific platform. I learned anew how a visually appealing and highly informative design can profoundly influence brand recognition and engagement. Furthermore, it highlighted the absolute necessity of close collaboration with internal clients, ensuring the final product consistently aligns with their overarching goals and objectives.
Project Title:
Photo Library Solution
Client: All McElhanney Staff / Project Date: October 2023 - October 2024
Project Overview
To tackle the widespread challenge of disorganized and hard-to-find photo and video assets, I spearheaded the implementation of an interim photo library solution utilizing SharePoint. This initiative created a centralized, accessible platform designed to significantly improve asset organization, search efficiency, and retrieval for all McElhanney staff.
Presented research
The Challenge
McElhanney faced a significant hurdle: a scattered collection of photo and video assets spread across numerous network drives and SharePoint sites. This disorganization was compounded by a severe lack of consistent metadata and a proliferation of outdated files. Furthermore, storing large video files directly within SharePoint presented considerable technical limitations, adding to the complexity of a cohesive solution.
The Solution
To overcome these complexities, we developed a multi-faceted approach. This involved establishing a dedicated SharePoint site for image assets, designing a comprehensive metadata system to ensure consistency, and implementing a clear archiving protocol to keep the library current. Crucially, I conducted extensive user training to promote adoption, and we integrated a private Vimeo account specifically for efficient video storage and streaming, circumventing SharePoint's limitations.
The Impact
The new photo library delivered substantial improvements, dramatically enhancing asset accessibility and significantly streamlining search and retrieval processes for staff company-wide. This initiative also ensured a consistently clean and up-to-date asset library. Thanks to focused user training and engagement efforts, we saw high adoption rates and widespread utilization, solidifying the solution's success.
Key Takeaways
This project underscored several vital lessons. It demonstrated that interim solutions, like a well-structured SharePoint site, can effectively meet immediate asset management needs, especially when a full-scale Digital Asset Management (DAM) system isn't feasible. I learned firsthand that a robust and consistently applied metadata system is absolutely crucial for efficient asset organization and retrieval. Moreover, the experience highlighted that user training and ongoing engagement are not just important, but essential for successful adoption of any new system. Finally, it reinforced the value of regular archiving practices in maintaining a clean and relevant library, and the critical role of cross-functional collaboration among IT, marketing, and other stakeholders for truly successful implementation.