The final stop on AIGA Richmond’s 2024 Studio Tour is Elevation, an integrated, full-service agency located in Monroe Ward, just east of VCU’s Monroe Park campus. On this interactive tour, AIGA members will be treated to a “Taste of Elevation,” an introduction to the agency’s approach to strategy-driven, high-quality design, with special snacks crafted by award-winning chef Jason Alley and custom-made house cocktails and mocktails. Founded in 2001 by principals Frank Gilliam and Aaron Dotson, Elevation delivers a higher level of thinking and a higher level of service—helping its clients achieve a higher level of success.
Complimentary parking is available in spaces marked for Elevation in the surface lot just east of the building, as well as in any spot marked Reserved in the alley lot behind the building. On-street parking also is available.
Our Hosts:
Frank Gilliam, Founder, Executive Creative Director
Some people within the creative world believe that the bigger the talent, the bigger the ego. But they’ve obviously never met Frank. He develops striking concepts and designs that bring a client’s message to life. He approaches his work with a strategic point of view—enabling him to create materials that not only look great, but also perform well in the marketplace. And he does it all with a down-to-earth, flexible style that clients find surprisingly refreshing in a creative director. In fact, Graphic Design USA magazine named him a Designer to Watch in 2018. Together with Elevation co-founder Aaron Dotson, he was named “Advertising Person of the Year” by the Richmond Ad Club in 2010.
Matt Klimas, Senior Graphic Designer
Matt is an experienced designer of print and digital media, with two decades of experience. Obsessed with the details, he is an excellent translator of goals into solutions, a critical thinker, and his design decisions are always grounded in strategic and conceptual thinking. Prior to joining the Elevation team, Matt led creative strategy for local brands Strangeways Brewing, The Urban Farmhouse, and the Richmond Kickers, among others. At Elevation, Matt has quickly become known as a go-to collaborator and gifted creative, always looking for opportunities to make products more useful and experiences more compelling.
Scott Vadas, Senior Art Director
As an art director and designer with nearly 20 years of industry experience, Scott has developed creative solutions for a wide variety of brands. Now in his tenth year with Elevation, he has created brand identities, graphic standards, digital campaigns and video productions for some of the company’s largest clients, including Virginia ABC, Virginia Credit Union, Smithfield, OrthoVirginia, and the Propane Education and Research Council.
Website: https://elevationadvertising.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElevationAdvertising
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation_4
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/elevationbrand
