Honored for her outstanding lifetime contribution to the advertising field
The Akron chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) is pleased to announce that Janice Troutman, director of Myers School of Art at The University of Akron, is the 2021 recipient of its distinguished Silver Medal award.
Janice began her design career as an Art Director at Smiley/Hanchulak after graduating from Kent State University. In her five years at Smiley/Hanchulak, she worked on award-winning promotional campaigns, publications, print ads, package design, brochures and corporate identities for local, regional and national accounts.
After starting her own design firm, Troutman Design (which recently celebrated its 30th year in business), Janice returned to Kent State to earn her Master of Arts in Graphic Design to begin her teaching career.
“Professor Troutman has had an award-winning career as a designer and art director—and a profound and lasting impact on design education in the Greater Akron and northeast Ohio region,” said Bob Kelemen, professor of Instruction and Graphic Design Area Co-Coordinator at Myers School of Art, award nominator, and colleague of award winner. “In her three decades in design education, she has undoubtedly taught thousands of eager—and sometimes reluctant—students and helped launch their careers as designers, art directors, illustrators, photographers and fellow design educators worldwide.” She began her career at The University of Akron’s Mary Schiller Myers School of Art in 1989, becoming a tenured Professor in 1997.
One of Janice’s greatest impacts at the Myers School of Art was the establishment of design x nine, the graphic design studio within the school. In its 24 years in existence, design x nine has won more than 100 awards on the local, regional, national and international levels. The work of these talented students is always entered in professional—not student—categories, to ensure the work is judged at the highest level.
Janice developed the ‘Design for Good’ Advanced Graphic Design course, which works specifically with not-for-profits, and she engaged area donors to establish a fund to help produce much-needed design collateral. The not-for-profits benefited from the gratis design services, the students involved gained a unique professional experience and the entire Akron community was enriched by the effort. In 2015, Janice was recognized with the Community Engagement Award from The University of Akron.
Janice still finds time to stay on top of trends in design and higher education, write grants to bring visiting artists to Akron and fund creative endeavors of her own. She is an active supporter of AAF-Akron, most specifically connecting the creative community to design students, and gives her time and creative talents to many local charities.
The AAF-Akron special selection committee chose Troutman during a closed session vote in August 2021. Troutman will be presented the Silver Medal at the AAF-Akron Annual Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21, at the Akron Civic Theatre Knight Stage.
Troutman joins a distinguished list of recently awarded AAF-Akron Silver Medal winners, including Dennis Kleidon, founder and CEO of Akron-based Kleidon & Associates; Janet VonGunten, retired business development representative at Veritiv Corp.; Doug Smiley, founding partner of former Smiley/Hanchulak Marketing Communications; and Jack DeLeo, retired president/CEO of Hitchcock Fleming & Associates, Inc. (hfa).
The American Advertising Federation (AAF) Silver Medal program was established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence, and responsibility in areas of social concern.
For a list of past recipients, go to aafakron.com/silvermedal
