Hi, I’m Cary Zartman, a creative director and designer with over 20 years of experience in design, branding, and marketing. I build brands and campaigns that connect with audiences and deliver measurable results, forging lasting partnerships with clients and adapting quickly to changing project needs. In my work, I lead cross-functional teams from concept to completion across print, digital, and broadcast media. I’ve delivered branding programs for major names like EJ Gallo, The NutraSweet Company, and the U.S. Air Force, and collaborated with top agencies on freelance projects for Abbott, YMCA, and Herman Miller. I also run MD Holdings Co., creating consumer goods for events and celebrations and growing engagement through weekly content. I love turning ideas into tangible, impactful experiences.…

Cary Zartman

Hi, I’m Cary Zartman, a creative director and designer with over 20 years of experience in design, branding, and marketing. I build brands and campaigns that connect with audiences and deliver measurable results, forging lasting partnerships with clients and adapting quickly to changing project needs. In my work, I lead cross-functional teams from concept to completion across print, digital, and broadcast media. I’ve delivered branding programs for major names like EJ Gallo, The NutraSweet Company, and the U.S. Air Force, and collaborated with top agencies on freelance projects for Abbott, YMCA, and Herman Miller. I also run MD Holdings Co., creating consumer goods for events and celebrations and growing engagement through weekly content. I love turning ideas into tangible, impactful experiences.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Cary Zartman, a creative director and designer with over 20 years of experience in design, branding, and marketing. I build brands and campaigns that connect with audiences and deliver measurable results, forging lasting partnerships with clients and adapting quickly to changing project needs.

In my work, I lead cross-functional teams from concept to completion across print, digital, and broadcast media. I’ve delivered branding programs for major names like EJ Gallo, The NutraSweet Company, and the U.S. Air Force, and collaborated with top agencies on freelance projects for Abbott, YMCA, and Herman Miller. I also run MD Holdings Co., creating consumer goods for events and celebrations and growing engagement through weekly content. I love turning ideas into tangible, impactful experiences.

See more

Work Experience

Principal / Creative Director at Z Factory, Chicago, IL
January 1, 1997 - Present
Directed creative strategy and execution for diverse clients, transforming one-off projects into long-term partnerships. Delivered successful branding campaigns for both established and start-up businesses. Developed innovative solutions across print, digital, and advertising media, with notable work for clients such as EJ Gallo, The NutraSweet Company, and the United States Air Force. Established a reputation for expertise in corporate identity and branding, earning multiple professional industry recognitions.
President / Creator at MD Holdings Co., Chicago, IL
January 1, 2025 - August 28, 2025
Founded and scaled a successful business creating consumer goods for large-scale events and personal celebrations. Innovated new product lines, driving revenue growth year-over-year. Built a robust social media presence, achieving month-over-month engagement growth through weekly content creation. Led promotional campaigns to expand market reach and identify new customer opportunities.
Freelance Art Director at Freelance – Agencies including Bozell, Campbell Mithun, DraftFCB, Weber Shandwick
January 1, 1998 - Present
Collaborated on project-based assignments for leading agencies; designed point-of-sale materials for M&M/Mars increasing in-store engagement; partnered with Remedy Chicago to conceptualize and deliver campaigns for Abbott, YMCA, and Herman Miller; provided creative leadership on print, TV, and digital projects for clients including Ace Hardware, Kraft Foods, National Pork Board, and Weber Grills.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design, Cum Laude at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
September 1, 1983 - May 1, 1987

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Consumer Goods, Professional Services, Retail, Media & Entertainment, Other, Manufacturing, Healthcare
    uniE621 NuBrick Partners Marketing
    Marketing materials, including those developed in partnership with Furst Group branding.…
    uniE621 NuBrick Partners Brand Identity
    NuBrick Partners is the perfect example of a NEW company branding. As a sister company to Furst Group, I was given the chance to build the brand from the ground up – understanding the core shared principles at the foundation, but with a need to play catch up in order to present itself as being just as stable, trusted and proficient. The NuBrick Partners name presented the perfect opportunity to create a unique identity that took the primary characters of the two-word title and combined them into one very distinctive mark, becoming the foundation of a strong personality viewed at any scale. The N and P share a common weight but are separated by a use of color and an upward, converging negative space that suggests forward movement to an otherwise stable design. graphicdesigner logo…
    uniE621 Linkergy Brand Identity & Marketing
    From “We’ve got this idea” all the way to “Hello World – make room for the new guy!” Rare is the occasion when you can help a company name themselves, identify themselves and then showcase themselves to the business world – but Z Factory was afforded just that opportunity. One that was not just rare – but fun as well. logo graphicdesigner branding illustrator designer…