Rick Heffner

Fresh from design school, Rick got his start at one of D.C.’s premier design firms, Supon Design Group. He then moved on to be one of the initial members of the design team for Discovery Communications as Senior Design Manager. In that role he was responsible for designing and art directing collateral for Discovery Channel, TLC, and Animal Planet. Thirsting for an opportunity to apply his skills to a wider array of clients, in 1996 he founded his own design firm – Fuszion. The studio would soon be a national player, expanding into the museums, arts, environmental, associations, and institutional markets.

Rick earned a MA from the University of Baltimore (where he and his project team were the proud recipients of the E. John Schmitz Award for their graduate work), BFA from Shepherd University, and AA from Frederick Community College. Rick has been an adjunct faculty member at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, and has served as a board member of the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington. Rick is currently a member of the AIGA, Broadcast Designers Association, University & College Designers Association, and The Society of Publication Designers.

Rick and his firm provide creative services and design consultation for clients that include the Smithsonian, National Geographic, World Wildlife Fund, Ocean Conservancy, American Rivers, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Parks Conservation Association, Galapagos Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), PBS, Georgetown Business Improvement District, United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Hasbro, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and the National Children’s Museum. Rick is currently a candidate for a Master of Fine Arts – MFA, Graphic Design from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Fuszion’s work has earned praise all around the world from the Broadcast Designers Association, Art Directors Club of Thailand, Print, AIGA, HOW, Graphis, the ADDYs, Novum, ADCMW, CTAM, HOW Design Books, Rockport Publishers, DESI, American Corporate Identity, The Big Book of Logos, Entertainment Graphics and many others.