We Love You Dana!

March 31st, 2000, marked my debut at Alan Furst, Inc. Not too long after I met Dana Bromley. At about the same time I started working for Al, Dana started working at STEM Int'l. Our paths first crossed due to a 32 page magazine called Commissioned. The magazine had been done by STEM since their first team went out in 1985 and was now coming to us since their in-house designer was no longer with them.

The first official meeting of Dana and me was just that, a meeting. It was a Monday morning and some of the STEM staff (CEO Roger, COO Julie, editor Dana) had a pre-arranged meeting set-up to meet with Al. The Saturday before, I remember dying my hair blonde. The only reason I remember that was it didn't turn out blonde, but bright yellow. So when I came in Monday morning and found out we were to have a meeting, I asked Al why he didn't tell me (as if I would have done anything different.) His response was classic Al, "Why didn't you tell me you were going to dye your hair yellow?" (We had a great relationship. Seriously.)

Anyway, my first encounter with Dana and STEM was with big, bright, yellow, spikey hair. I remember Roger commenting how it was nice that I was young enough to pull it off. Little did I know that he would be my future employer. I don't remember much of that meeting only that I wasn't looking forward to tackling a redesign of their magazine. Thankfully Al knew what he was doing and took charge.

Throughout my three years with Al, we did several ads and Commissioned's. So much so that he turned the magazine over to me. Dana, being the editor, was my main contact and we had a great business relationship those three years even though we had only met face to face (or should I say, lovely brown hair to anime-ish golden hair) that one time.

After the events of September 11th, business started to and continued to decline. Not only for the advertising industry but for the printing business as well. It makes sense, when the economy is severely hit, you get rid of what isn't essential...advertising.

Alan Furst, Inc. permanently closed their doors in 2003 do to lack of work. I was able to make ends meet by first doing odd jobs (being hired by Holiday gas stations to attempt to purchase cigarettes and see if I was carded, working at PBS, cleaning up an Eddie Bauer, and taste-testing at General Mills) before working three months loading trucks at FedEx.

Erin and I were about a month from being married and I was working 11 pm to 7 am. Not the shift I want to start married life. That's when I got a call from Leif. He noticed a job posting on the campus of Northwestern College for none other than a graphic design position at STEM Int'l! He asked me if I ever heard of it and told me the contact was a lady named Dana. Thank you God!

Calling for a potential job interview was never easier. Talking to Dana was almost like talking with an old friend. After the interview, I was offered the position as long as I would support raise a percentage of my salary. After discussing it with my future wife, I obviously took the position.

During my tenure at STEM, Dana has technically been my boss but more of a friend. We have tackled several projects, both big and small together (including Commissioned).

Skipping a few chapters lands us at March 14th, 2008...Dana's last day at STEM.

She has a great story of a broken marriage brought back together only by God authoring her life. She is/has moved to Tulsa, OK with her original husband and will only be five minutes from her aging-gracefully mother.

Two nights ago, Erin and I invited her over for some chicken off the grill (gotta love the warmer temps), salad, potatoes, and corn on the cob. Excellent! She loves Brevin, and Bella loved them both.

We are going to miss Dana more than we realize. She stopped being a co-worker and became a good friend a while ago. Which is why I feel the need to have a post centered on our relationship with her. It hasn't hit me yet that I'll walk into work Monday morning and Dana won't be there.

It was fitting that the project which initially brought us together, also came to an end this year, Commissioned. It had a great run and served it's purpose wonderfully but in the end, God saw to complete it...just like Dana's time with STEM. It was time to put an end to that chapter.

As Dana left the office today, tears were being shed by almost all. God used Dana to bring glory to His name and all of us got to be apart of that chapter in her life. So while those tears may have looked painful, they were filled with happiness knowing we get to experience many more chapters in our life authored by God.

We love you Dana!

—b