The Alex Osborn Award
Greg Meadows, Associate Creative director, The Martin Group

You could be having an abysmal day – exploded pen in your pocket at 9:00, diarrhea attack at 9:30, commercial-free block of Nickelback songs at 10:00 – but if Greg Meadows strides up to your desk and asks “What are we makin’ today?” you’re going to feel rejuvenated. It’s one of Greg’s favorite sayings, a group of words that encapsulates his approach to life and the infectious positivity he brings to every situation.

Of all the remarkable things about Greg, from his finely honed design sensibilities to his passions for photography, wine, type-setting, Pat Metheny and life in the Elmwood Village, his attitude reigns supreme. If ever you need a glass to be half full, he’s your man, but not in that creepy, Macy’s makeup counter lady way.

Over the course of his 25 years in the design world, Greg hasn’t been immune to the occasional venting session, and he’s probably said more “f” words than the average guy. But by the end of the day, he ends up pointing out so many silver linings, you’ll be left wondering if there was even a storm cloud in the first place.

The Alex P. Osborn ain’t the Nice Guy Award, though. It’s an award for creativity, and if you’ve seen what Greg has done for clients as diverse as HSBC, the Roycroft Inn, Secrets of Allentown, Kodak, ECMC, Rich Products and Greatbatch, you know that his art imitates life. The same vibrancy and joy that Greg brings to the lives of his family, friends and co-workers is splattered all over his portfolio, from his early days at Design For Industry to his time at The Wolf Group, Partners and Napier, Stand Advertising and The Martin Group.

And if you know that his work has appeared in Communication Arts, Graphis and Print, you probably didn’t hear it from him. Greg would rather tell a story about how he met his wife, or show you a YouTube video of his kids singing a Foo Fighters tune, or send you a link to a site that features somebody else’s awesome work, or talk about a promising student (he’s inspired future Osborn winners as a design teacher at Fredonia, Villa Maria, UB and Daemen, and as a guest speaker at Syracuse university). He’s as genuinely humble as they come, and as copiously talented.

So what are we makin’ tonight? Some serious noise for our main man, Greg Meadows.