Hello, my name is Michael Thomas, and welcome to the portion of my site where I give you a brief synopsis about myself.  Currently, I am the Senior Graphic Designer for one of Northern Virginia's textile print companies located just outside the D.C. Metropolitan area.  We help facilitate branding or the visual needs of various clientele in and around the region, also as far away as the West Coast.  Ranging from local High Schools, Universities, upstart Companies as well as regional County Agencies and Government Contractors.

   Everyday tasks include the creation and overseeing of our art department with the following, ensuring all in-house projects are completed with the highest standards.  My goal is to make sure that we either meet or exceed, every customer's visionary needs.

   Included with those tasks, are budgetary needs to maintain optimal efficiency within the department's materialistic needs.  Also, included with that is ensuring all other departments have what they need to keep customers' projects running on time to upon completion.  With social media very much a part of who we are, I maintain both our eCommerce online store with the use of Adobe's software, Magento as well as customizing the storefront with HTML.  Along with connecting with our customers through Cassel's Sports and Awards Facebook, I also am tasked with creating both online and various print-based advertisements.

   My love for computers and software was born out of the early 1980s with the introduction of the Commodore 64, the first Apple Macintosh.  In 1993, the year I graduated High School, the Art Department invested in a single computer where I was introduced to Adobe Illustrator, a vector-based graphic program.  That year I spent the vast majority of my time coming in on weekends and staying after school, learning and understanding vector artwork.  Soon afterward I branched off into other visual-based software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Freehand, Corel Draw, etc.

   Since that time I have continued to incorporate a variety of visual communication software to my workflow to push not only myself but others as well.  I take pride in the fact that not only can I create with the Industry standard visual tools, but I too am malleable at learning other software packages.  Always improve after each project, evaluate, and execute.

   When not pushing visual communications, is where you'll find me with my incredible wife Lori, of over 23 years, along with our roguish feline, Emmy.  Also, born of the time of being around computers for the vast majority of my life, is my love of building computers for either myself (pictured) or others.  I love the outdoors and enjoy camping and mountain biking in and around the surrounding area of Northern Virginia in its vast wooded or open fields.  Finally, love to sit down from time to time with and just enjoy a good book, such as with The Lord of The Rings series.

I have known and worked closely with Mike Thomas for over 16 years.  He goes above and beyond what I ask of him, completing every project with amazing results.  He takes great pride in his work with us and with the sparse information we give him, his imagination is vast and memorable for what he brings to the Foundation.