The MDesign Media Team
Here are the professionals that lead the MDesign Media team. Each professional oversees a single, specific facet of a marketing project per client need. Each applies their unique talents and guides support staff in creating marketing excellence for clients.
CEO/President
Marie Furman, CEO/President of MDesign Media, Inc., has created one of the fastest growing media design companies in Tampa Bay. Her charisma, passion and expertise to take an idea or philosophy to a visual masterpiece puts MDesign Media in a class of its own. Marie’s extensive professional background includes Website / Graphic Design Development, Marketing Promotion, Project Management and Ad Campaign Experience. Marie has over 10 years of corporate experience working for both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.
Marie earned a B.A. in Advertising from USF, and a Computer Graphics degree from the International Academy of Design and Technology. Her education began in Belgium where she earned a Science-Economics Degree before moving to Tampa Bay. She is also fluent in French and Polish.
Among her most important achievements is her tremendous quality to listen. “My best work comes as a result of being able to figure out what the client wants and then communicating it visually.” This talent has translated to critical positions with companies such as DMX-Works, Inc., where she was responsible for business development and new market penetration.
She was also the Multimedia and Internet Service Manager for Tampa Digital Studios where she oversaw the in-house team of designers and programmers on internal and external projects, while also being responsible for all client deadlines. She was Senior Multimedia Designer for corporate marketing for both First Advantage (formerly known as HireCheck) and The First American Corporation. Her experience in corporate America made the transition into entrepreneurship easy.
“One of the most important things about my work ethic is creating friendships based on mutual respect for each other. All of my old employers, co-workers, and people I have met over the past 16 years are my clients, and that can only happen with trust and hard work.”
Writing
Steve Germain, Chief Content/Marketing Writer, has written results-driven copy for clients ranging from local, Bay Area companies to Fortune 500 corporations for more than 20 years.
Through his ability to generate action through words, Steve has helped B-to-B, consumer-focused and non-profit companies exceed desired goals by creating effective, web content/SEO, ad/brochure copy, video scripting, press releases/media placement, internal/external newsletters, ghostwritten expert-opinion articles for print/radio/TV, and more.
His extensive career includes staff writing positions with Fortune 500 companies Raymond James and The First American Corporation, serving as communications director for a 100,000-plus member nonprofit, and serving as editor-in-chief/senior writer for a national gourmet food magazine.
Steve’s ego-free, business-focused and flexible writing style has helped many Tampa Bay-area businesses gain exposure, drive sales, create name recognition, gain customers and thrive in all market conditions.
Social Media
Derek Lee, is the Founder, President and CEO of Visual Alliance Media, a multimedia company that specializes in helping clients connect with their audiences through the use of social media marketing and rich content development. Prior to founding Visual Alliance Media, Derek was in the real estate business, providing account and asset management services to various clients including a large healthcare network in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. In addition to reading, blogging and traveling, Derek enjoys music, video games and outdoor sports.
Photography/Photo Retouching
Michael Harris moved to Oldsmar, Florida in April of 1998, where for two seasons he was director of the Adult Players for the Oldsmar Performing Art Centre. After three years of study with the New York Institute of Photography, he became a freelance professional photographer with a photographic passion for artistic portraits, landscapes, wildlife and the study of the human form.
Michael’s professional mobile studio allows for flexible photography at a client’s home or office. He also does location photography and his own processing, editing and re-touching. In 2006 through 2007, he was published many times in Tampa Bay’s Best magazine, where he was assigned people and beautiful homes. He teaches seasonally at the Dunedin Fine Art Centre.
Jason Henthorne‘s experience comes from his passion of shooting in the powerful medium of Black and White. He specializes in photography for Design, Architecture and Lifestyle market. With over 10 years experience and hundreds of thousands of images, he has mastered the art of high contrast monochrome photography.
Lighting, shape, and shadows are the essence of black and white photography. Jason’s artistic approach to shooting allows him to capture that essence whether its design, commercial or architectural shoots. Although he is also highly skilled shooting in color, his preference is shooting with natural light for monochrome photography.
“Being able to ‘see’ the shot in monochrome well before the shutter is released is a talent that has taken me many years to develop. I enjoy the challenge that each client brings in the form of unique requirements. For me black and white photography is a unique blend of perfectionism, artistic impression and of course an expression of how I see the world.”
