AVON LAKE, Ohio – Tom Miller, VP of sales and marketing for Design Engineering Inc. (DEI), has announced the addition of Steve Garrett to the DEI marketing team.
 
Garrett, a professed bona fide “car guy” and performance enthusiast, has joined DEI to serve as a coordinator for all media and PR activities and to handle the company’s graphic design for collateral, print and online advertising, packaging and catalogs. A talented graphic design artist, he is the prior owner of Highline Advertising located in Bay Village, Ohio.
 
Prior to joining the DEI staff, he worked as a graphic design artist for The Plain Dealer Publishing Co., publisher of The Plain Dealer daily newspaper, and was responsible for designing all print and online advertising for area automotive dealerships as well as product design for special advertising sections. Additionally, he coordinated the graphic design for the Cleveland International Auto Show from 2007 through 2011.
 
Garrett also served as a graphic designer for several Cleveland-based automotive companies including Genuine Hot Rod Hardware and Stylin’ Concepts, where he also served in inside sales. Stylin’ Concepts is a well-known truck performance parts and accessories retailer with significant online and mail order sales. In addition to handling graphic design, he promoted new products, provided customer service and tech advice, and served as the company’s show coordinator for the annual Sport Truck Nationals show. Garrett is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace College and resides in Bay Village, Ohio.  
 
Miller says, “We have been working with Garrett on numerous projects over the years so he knows the DEI line very well. We recognized how extremely talented he is, hard-working with a strong work ethic, and most importantly he really understands the mind of the enthusiast. DEI has shown steady year-to-year growth, which necessitated the need to expand the marketing requirements for all our brands. We are excited he is on board and look forward to his ideas on branding and his media expertise for an even stronger online and print presence.”
 
Garrett says, “This is a dream opportunity to combine my artistic and media skills with automotive performance. My dad was a mechanic and I grew up assisting him with every kind of project. Since working with DEI on a freelance basis, I had the advantage of getting to know the products and marketing team firsthand and recognized that this would be a perfect fit. I am excited to work with a local company that is entrenched in the performance market and on the cutting edge of new product development.”