Glen Ellyn Man Wins Mustang in Design Contest

Thanks to paper, a man has a new Ford Mustang sitting in the driveway of his home.

James O’Connor, a designer at O’Connor Design, won the grand prize in the Neenah CLASSIC Papers Treasure Contest, a competition celebrating design projects featuring the company’s paper. As the grand-prize winner, O’Connor received a new Ford Mustang.

All of the finalists received $500 for entering the contest, according to Neenah Paper. When O’Connor arrived at an event Thursday in Wheaton to honor him as a finalist, he learned he was the grand-prize winner and was surprised with the car. 

"My very first car was a '67 Mustang and I still have dreams about that car,” O’Connor said in a news release. “The dream is always the same – I go out to my garage, and there it is! I’m so excited to have won the contest and have the chance to make that dream a reality once again."

The contest kicked off last October and designers from across the country entered, according to Neenah Paper. The contest was a way for Neenah Paper to mark the enhancement of its brands.

The contest was held through April 30 and entries included a variety of works, including business identity packages, brochures, direct mail pieces, posters, invitations, packaging, signage, annual reports and other printed collateral.

The designs were judged on three criteria: creativity, use of paper and technique (such as printing, embossing, foil stamping or die cutting). Design Army, the award-winning graphic design firm that created the new paper swatchbooks for the CLASSIC refresh, selected O’Connor from the 10 finalists to receive the grand prize.

“We wanted to encourage designers and printers to really experience the benefits of the CLASSIC brands refresh and this contest provided the perfect incentive,” Kathy Kemps, senior brand manager for Neenah Paper said in a news release. “We were moved by the creativity of our finalists and hope this contest continues to inspire designers and printers to explore the updated CLASSIC Papers and the efficiencies the new platform provides.”

Grand Prize

• James O’Connor – designer, O’Connor Design, Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Finalists

• Jeff Bowman – owner and creative director, Bowman Creative, Garner, N.C.
• Stacy Fox – designer, Prism Design, Houston, Texas
• Steve Hallac – principal, Atelier Isabey, New York, N.Y.
• Shawn Harrington – principal, Asterisk Group, Austin, Texas
• Mary Hastings – president, Hastings Design Corp., Roanoke, Va.
• Chris Kuhl – vice president of sales, Trio Printing Company, St. Louis, Mo.
• Dayala Levenson – president, Aslan Graphics, San Francisco, Calif.
• Camille Long – studio manager, The Matchbox Studio, Dallas, Texas
• Philip Mitri – creative director, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Mich.

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