Our Firm
Designing Communications That Move Your Audience
For the past two decades, HWDS & Associates, Inc., has created print publications and promotions for a wide array of government agencies, municipalities and large institutional clients. These include the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro); the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink); the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA); the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC); Norwalk Transit; the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; Montgomery County Commuter Services (Maryland, VA); the cities of Santa Monica, Lancaster and Santa Clarita; the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project (Maryland); Cherriots Rideshare (Salem, OR); Long Beach Transit; and the Bringing Back Broadway project for the City of Los Angeles. Our corporate accounts include Kaiser Permanente, Time Warner Cable, Pathways Strategic Communications, Countrywide, Innovative Healthcare Management, and LLG Engineers.
Services include:
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Creative and Art Direction
- Branding
- Print Coordination
- Spanish Translation
- Project Management
- Copywriting
- Copyediting
- Printing
- Graphic Design
- Photo Retouching and Compositing
- Proofreading
- Illustration
- Photography
- Web Site Development
- Promotional Campaigns
- Large Format Printing
- Premium Item Development
- Vehicle Wraps
Products offered:
- Advertisements
- Annual Reports
- Banners
- Billboards
- Book Layouts
- Brochures and Collaterals
- Corporate Reports
- Corporate Identity Systems
- Display Exhibits
- E-Newsletters
- E-blasts
- Financial Report Designs
- Flash animations
- Fliers
- Interactive Slide Shows
- Logos and Branding
- Maps
- Marketing Plans
- Newsletters
- Posters
- Promotional Items
- Spot Illustrations
- Transportation Plans
- Vehicle Wraps
- Web Sites
Our Philosophy
Successful design requires the combination of three elements. The first is consistency. The second is creative imagination and conceptual development. The third is responsive service and follow-up. We integrate all three to give impeccable results, unmatched quality and superior customer service to provide you with an innovative campaign or marketing effort that produces results.
Why We Are the Best Choice for Your Communication Needs
- HWDS has a proven track record serving large corporations, government agencies and municipalities throughout Southern California and the nation.
- HWDS has received many awards from advertising, public relations, printing and transportation associations for excellence in design and communication.
(Please see the awards section.) - HWDS provides exceptional service. Just ask our clients and they will tell you that we deliver all projects on time and within budget. We often work evenings and weekends to meet critical deadlines.
- HWDS holds a Small Business Certification with the State of California.
- We foster long-term relationships with our clients. Several of our clients have chosen to work with us for 15 years or more. We value this long-term relationship and our dedication to quality and service keeps our clients coming back. You too can count on us to be here to serve you.
- HWDS maintains a library of more than 7 million files and client projects dating back to 1991. Clients often ask us to search our archives for files dating back many years.
- We use state-of-the-art technology. We regularly upgrade and maintain our Macintosh workstations and maintain only the latest software including Adobe Creative Suite 5 and Office 2011 for the Mac. We also regularly update our skills by attending training seminars and classes.
- We work closely with our clients and print vendors to seek innovative and cost-effective methods for producing and/or printing the materials we design. We design materials with common elements and ink colors to take advantage of "gang" printing. We provide designs that economize on the size and use of paper stocks to keep the print budget in check. We also work closely with the printer to manage the process and to select papers and inks that are environmentally-friendly.
- We bring fresh, innovative design to every publication we produce. We view each publication as a new and exciting challenge. We make the end product fresh, inviting, exciting, easy to read, and user-friendly. We have three skilled designers ready to assist. This allows our designs and publications to remain contemporary and "fresh."
- We provide exemplary service and responsiveness. Our clients depend on us to deliver projects in a very timely manner. In fact we often return edited drafts by the next morning.
Our Proven Track Record
Our firm has been in business since 1991. During this time we have created materials for clients including municipalities, government agencies, health-care facilities, elected officials, private corporations, and small businesses. We are highly regarded in the public sector and consist of a stable company with a solid financial backing. You can count on us to deliver your project on time, in budget and with the highest quality.
Serving Southern California and the Nation
We design communications and Web Sites for corporations, large institutions, municipalities and government agencies located in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Norwalk, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Woodland Hills, San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Irvine, Santa Clarita, Bellflower, Baldwin Park, Torrance, South Bay, El Segundo, West Los Angeles, Fontana, San Bernardino, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Encino, Tarzana, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Westlake Village, the San Fernando Valley, Conejo Valley, and Moreno Valley.
We design billboards, annual reports, Power Point shows, trade show displays, logos, corporate identity systems, branding, brand standards guides, magazines, posters, banners, premium items, advertisements, collaterals, magazines, presentation folders, marketing kits, Web sites, e-newsletters, e-blasts, interactive CD-ROMs, event promotions, invitations, brochures, press kits, newsletters, logos, letterhead, bus wraps, signage and editorial illustrations.
Our clients consist largely of government agencies, municipalities, healthcare organizations, financial institutions, public relations firms, marketing firms and public transit agencies. These include the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro); the Ventura County Transportation Authority (VCTC); Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink); San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG); City of Santa Monica; Kaiser Permanente and Countrywide. Pathways Strategic Communications hired our firm to design projects for Norwalk Transit, Long Beach Transit, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Tashman & Associates, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project (Washington, D.C.), Clean Air Partners, the D.C. Recycling Program, Montgomery County Commuter Services (MD), Stanford University Commuter Services, Cherriots Rideshare (Salem, OR), MetroWest/Pulte Homes, Strategic Transportation Initiatives and Women and Words.
Our Staff's Qualifications
Harlan West, President and Creative Director
For the past 25 years, Mr. West has been art-directing, designing and illustrating hundreds of publications and Web sites for government agencies and elected officials, public-transportation agencies, healthcare firms, and financial institutions. His award-winning designs and illustrations have been featured in annual reports, magazines and catalogs, as well as on billboards. His multimedia work includes the design of Web sites, interactive CD-ROMs, e-newsletters, animations and kiosks. Previous to becoming full-time creative director at HWDS and Associates, Inc., Mr. West served as the art director/graphics manager for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Commuter Transportation Services (CTS) for more than thirteen years. Here, he managed an in-house creative department and oversaw the development of hundreds of publications relating to public transit, regional planning, housing, and solid waste disposal. In 2003, he became the full-time Creative Director for our firm. Here, he has developed and managed projects for Norwalk Transit, Metrolink, Metro, MWCOG, Time Warner Cable and Kaiser Permanente, to name a few. He regularly advises public relations directors and senior management on the best solutions for achieving their communications and marketing strategic goals. He holds a bachelor of fine arts in design and illustration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a bachelor of arts in political science/public administration from the University of California at Santa Barbara. More recently, he has completed additional post-graduate coursework in digital animation, Web design, Flash and marketing principles at UCLA Extension and continually updates his skills by attending classes and seminars. Moreover, he is highly adept at project and print management, project budgeting, vendor coordination and client presentations.
Jessie McCann, Assistant Art Director
Ms. McCann is highly skilled in the design of new marketing materials and corporate identity. She is a true expert in print production and overseeing print quality and the integrity of design approach. She helps design monthly newsletters for Kaiser Permanente, and has contributed to the design of numerous event promotions as well as the design of various materials for Metrolink and Metro. Ms. McCann has a keen eye and is adept at compositing photographic imagery and is highly skilled in the creation of Web sites, Web pages, e-newsletters and e-blasts. Ms. Mcann has been a major part of the HWDS team since 2009.
Peter Williamson, Graphic Designer and Production Artist
Mr. Williamson assists in the execution of design elements, layout of text, design of logos and Web icons and creation of Photoshop collages. He helps with the design, layout and production of graphic elements and the execution of campaign graphics and advertisements, bus wraps, promotional materials, collaterals and newsletters. He has worked for HWDS for nearly nine years and has assisted with the design of many publications for governmental clients such as Metro, Norwalk Transit and the City of Santa Monica.
Brana West, Vice-President and Office Manager
Mrs. West has been instrumental in recruiting new talent for our firm and helping to manage the office. She interviews new employees and reviews portfolios. She often develops catchy headlines and slogans for client newspaper advertisements and promotions. She is also bilingual and can help translate publications into Spanish and proofread Spanish materials. Mrs. West has written a college textbook, Talk Your Head Off, which is published by Pearson Longman and distributed worldwide to facilitate English conversational skills. Mrs. West has worked for HWDS since 2002 and wrote the copy for the Norwalk Transit Coloring Book for Kids.
HWDS Consulting Partners
Jessica Hoffmann, Copywriter and Editing Services
Jessica Hoffmann has been providing copywriting and proofreading services to HWDS since November 2000. Ms. Hoffmann regularly provides copywriting, copyediting and proofreading services for many of our client projects including Metrolink Matters, a monthly newsletter of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. Ms. Hoffmann has also worked with us on projects for Pathways Strategic Communications. These projects include work for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Potomac Crossing Associates (Woodrow Wilson Bridge), Norwalk Transit and Tashman and Associates. Ms. Hoffmann's work is exemplary and has been praised by several of our regular clients. Indeed, clients repeatedly express their appreciation for Ms. Hoffmann's keen editing abilities, eagle eye and ability to meet tight deadlines without compromising editorial quality. We will use Ms. Hoffmann for copyediting and proofreading of materials that may be needed before a project goes to print. This helps avoid spelling, typographical and grammatical errors.
Brian Anderson, Web Developer
Brian Anderson is a skilled software engineer and Web programmer/developer. He assists HWDS in writing code/ XHTML conversion and developing java and action scripts. He was instrumental in building a test Web portal for the City of Orange that allows merchants to easily upload content and update information on a new Web site. He has worked with HWDS to program and deconstruct Web sites, e-cards, Flash action scripts and monthly e-newsletters. Mr. Anderson also assists our firm each month with advanced programming and testing for CommuteSmart News, the monthly rideshare newsletter funded by the five county transportation commissions—Metro, OCTA, RCTC, SanBag and VCTC.
Bilingual Publications
We Create Materials that Meet the Needs of the Community
We have the capability to translate any of the publications we create into Spanish. One of our staff members is bilingual and we have several sources for Spanish translation. Many of the transit schedules that we create for Norwalk Transit are translated into Spanish. We have also created bilingual publications for Metrolink and Washington Council of Governments. We have even produced trilingual materials for Kaiser Permanente that included English, Spanish and Chinese text.
GREAT RESULTS—Proof from Our Clients
"I have been working with HWDS and Associates, Inc., since 1995, when I first opened up shop as Pathways Strategic Communications. The work produced by Harlan on behalf of our clients—which include the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Strategic Transportation Initiatives, St. Louis RideFinders, Stan Tashman and Associates, Norwalk Transit, City of Cerritos, City of Carson, and Frederick Telework Resource Center—is a cut above anything else we have contracted from other designers. Harlan is not only creative, but well-organized, time-efficient, and budget-conscious. He is sensitive to the limitations present in working with government clients and small firms with limited budgets. Without a doubt, the work produced by HWDS and Associates, Inc., is indispensable to the success achieved by my company, Pathways Strategic Communications. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture!"
—Sheila Lewin, Principal, Pathways Strategic Communications, Los Angeles, CA
"If you are looking for high-quality, cost-effective design communications, HWDS and Associates, Inc., is the one I use every time. From Web site design to striking newsletters and print pieces, there’s no need to go anywhere else. His work has garnered national and regional awards for me."
—Peter Hidalgo, Director of Government Relations, Time Warner Cable, Ontario, CA
"I had the fortune to work with Harlan West for seven years while serving as the editor for Kaiser Permanente's employee newsletter in Los Angeles. There are not enough positive adjectives to describe the experience. Harlan was an integral member of my team and his award-winning talents contributed to the many recognitions the newsletter received. His creativity is superb and his professionalism remarkable. I continue to look for opportunities to work with him again.
Top qualities: Great Results, High Integrity, Creative"
—Kevin Dunegan, Former Public Affairs Representative, Kaiser Permanente
"I can always rely on Harlan West/HWDS to come through with quality designs that are on target...not to mention on schedule and within budget. After 19 years, which has added up to literally hundreds of brochures, handbooks, posters, Web sites, and newsletters—including the newsletter, Crossroads, which has won numerous design awards—their creative continues to raise the standard."
—Jill Smolinski, Renowned Author and Editor of CommuteSmart News
"I have had the fortunate privilege of working with Harlan West and HWDS for the past seven years. Harlan is well versed in his field and always providing files that are truly a printers dream! His professionalism, timeliness and thorough communication creates an ease for both myself and the customer. I always welcome the opportunity to partner with Harlan and would highly recommend his services to others."
—Darice Sebring, Sales Representative, James Litho, Ontario, CA
OUR MANY AWARDS
Beacon Award 1st Place Winner
Association of Cable Communicators
Category: Government Relations
Project: Time Warner Cable Legislative Guide
Client: Time Warner Cable, El Segundo, CA
2010
1st Place Polaris Award Winner
Inland Empire Public Relations Society of America
Category: Newsletter Category
Project: Inside Riverside Newsletter
Client: Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center
Clean Air Award Winner
Air Quality Management District (AQMD)
Category: Category of Public Education on Air Quality Issues
Project: Metro Rideshare PlanMaker CD-ROM
Client: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
California Strawberry Festival Poster
1st Place Winner
California Strawberry Festival
Category: Poster Contest
Project: 2009 California Strawberry Festival Poster
Client: California Strawberry Festival Board
PRism Award - 1st Place
Public Relations Society of America
Category: Annual Report - Government
Project: Metrolink 15th Anniversary Annual Report
Client: Metrolink
Davey Awards - Silver Award Winner
Davey Awards
Category: Public Company Annual Report
Project: Metrolink 15th Anniversary Annual Report
Client: Metrolink
14th Annual Communicator Award of Excellence
Communicator Awards
Category: Annual Report - Government
Project: Metrolink 15th Anniversary Annual Report
Client: Metrolink
American Advertising Federation
ADDY California Coastal Silver ADDY
Category: Annual Report
Project: Metrolink 15th Anniversary Annual Report
Client: Metrolink
American Advertising Federation
ADDY District 15 Finalist Award (2008)
Category: Collateral 4-color
Project: Metrolink 15th Anniversary Annual Report
Client: Metrolink
APTA AdWheel Award (2008)
Association for Commuter Transportation
Category: Print media
Project: Norwalk Transit News
Client: City of Norwalk & Pathways
Silver Award Winner
Davey Awards
Category: Collateral 4-color
Project: Metrolink Matters newsletter
Client: Metrolink
Graphic Design USA
American Graphic Design Awards
Category: Award winner for excellence in communication and design
Project: Norwalk Transit Coloring Book for Kids
Client: Norwalk Transit (HWDS client: Pathways)
Graphic Design USA
American Graphic Design Awards
Category: Award winner for excellence in communication and design
Project: Metrolink Matters (March 2007 issue)
Client: Metrolink
District 15 Finalist
American Advertising Association
Category: Public Service Brochure
Project: Ventura County Bikeways Map
Client: Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)
California Coastal Silver ADDY
American Advertising Association
Category: Public Service Brochure
Project: Ventura County Bikeways Map
Client: Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)
ADDY District 15 Finalist
American Advertising Association
Category: Mixed Media
Project: Cherriots Rideshare Marketing Package and Web Site
Client: Cherriots Rideshare (HWDS client: Pathways)
1st Place PRSA-LA Prism
Public Relations Society of Los Angeles (PRSA-LA)
Category: Public Service Brochure
Project: 2005 Ventura County Bikeways Map
Client: Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)
Excellence in Communication and Design
Graphic Design USA
Category: Public Service Brochure
Project: VCTC Bikeways Map
Client: Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of Los Angeles (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit/Foundation
Project: Metrolink Matters newsletter
Client: Metrolink
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of Los Angeles (PRSA-LA)
Category: Corporate Internal Newsletter
Project: "Rebuild LAMC Partnership" newsletter
Client: Kaiser Permanente
TRANNY Award
California Transportation Foundation
Category: Best Community Awareness publication
Project: "Running on Empty" report
Client: Metrolink
PRSA PRism Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Web Sites/New Media
Project: PRSA-LA Web site
Client: Public Relations Society of America, Los Angeles
PRSA PRism Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Annual Reports
Project: Inland Empire Utilities Agency Annual Report (IEUA)
Client: Cerrell and Associates, Inc.
PRSA PRism Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-External
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Metro
14 Years of Outstanding Design
Diamond Awards
Category: Newsletter
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Metro
PRSA PRism Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Non-profit, External Newsletter
Project: "Vision" newsletter
Client: Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Non-profit, External Newsletter
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Metro
1st Place ACT Award
The Association for Commuter Transportation
Category: Promotional Marketing Kit
Project: Commuter Club Promotion
Client: Pathways Strategic Communications
1st Place ADwheel Award
The American Public Transportation Association
Category: Print Media
Project: Metrolink Matters newsletter
Client: Metrolink
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Public Outreach Campaign
Project: "Know Before You Go" campaign
Client: City of Santa Monica
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Non-profit, External Newsletter
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Southern California Rideshare
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Corporate Internal Newsletter
Project: "Metropolitan Messenger" newsletter
Client: Kaiser Permanente
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Internal Newsletter, Budget over $30,000
Project: "The Line" newsletter
Client: Metrolink
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Internal Newsletter, Budget over $30,000
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Southern California Rideshare
PCLA PRO Award - 2nd Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Internal Newsletter, Budget over $30,000
Project: "Metropolitan Messenger" newsletter
Client: Kaiser Permanente
PCLA PRO Award - Honorable Mention
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Marketing Campaigns under $30,000
Project: "Goals 2000" Campaign
Client: Kaiser Permanente
PRSA PRism Award - 1st Place
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-Internal
Project: "The Line" newsletter
Client: Metrolink
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-External
Project: "Metropolitan Messenger" newsletter
Client: Kaiser Permanente
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-External
Project: "Vision" newsletter
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
PRSA PRism Award of Excellence
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Consumer Web site
Project: Mayoral Web site, City of Los Angeles
Client: Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Brochures
Project: "Rideshare 2000" Calendar
Client: Southern California Rideshare
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: New Media
Project: Community Link 21 Regional Transportation Plan CD-ROM
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
PRSA PRism Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Web sites
Project: Southern California Rideshare Web site
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
PRSA PRism Award - 1st Place
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-Internal
Project: "The Line" newsletter
Client: Metrolink
1st Place APA Award
American Planning Association (APA)
Category: Education Project
Project: "1999 State of the Region Report"
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
1st Place APA Award
American Planning Association (APA)
Category: Comprehensive Planning
Project: Regional Transportation Plan
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
PRSA PRism Merit Award
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA)
Category: Web sites
Project: Southern California Rideshare Web Site
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-External
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Southern California Rideshare
Honorable Mention
Digital Corporation
Category: Web Sites Worth Noting
Project: SCAG Web site
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
ACT Award
Association of Commuter Transportation (ACT)
Category: Outstanding Promotional Materials for Rideshare Week
Project: Rideshare Week 1996 Campaign
Client: Pathways Strategic Communications
1st Place
City of Thousand Oaks
Category: Conejo Valley Days
Project: Festival Logo Design
Client: Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce
PCLA PRO Award - 1st Place
Public Communicators of Los Angeles (PCLA)
Category: Newsletter - Non-Profit-External under $30,00 budget
Project: "Crossroads" newsletter
Client: Commuter Transportation Services, Inc. (CTS)
PAA Award
Printing Association of America (PAA)
Category: Annual Reports
Project: Annual Report for Commuter Transportation Services, Inc.
Client: Commuter Transportation Services, Inc. (CTS)
