NEW YORK, September 2008 – Five renowned educators who have had immeasurable impact on generations of creatives will be honored as ADC Grandmasters by the Art Directors Club. 

Utilizing the theme “from one came many,” ADC Grandmasters honors current and retired US-based educators who taught for a minimum of 10 years, and whose students (past and present) are currently involved in the industry.

The first-annual ADC Grandmasters honors are:

• Sheila de Bretteville, Yale University
• Mark Fenske, VCU Brandcenter
• Carin Goldberg, School of Visual Arts
• Jeffrey Metzner, School of Visual Arts
• Ray Nichols, University of Delaware

The first-annual ADC Grandmasters awards reception will be held on Monday, October 6, 2008, 6:30-8:30 pm, at the ADC Gallery, 106 West 29th Street, New York.  An ADC Grandmasters exhibition, featuring work by both the honorees and a sampling of their students from over the years and an instructor-student family tree, will run at the gallery October 7-10. See Bustler Events for more info.

ADC Grandmasters is the brainchild of Bill Oberlander, executive vice president, executive creative director, McCann Worldgroup and an ADC past-president (1999-2001).  He chaired a nominating committee comprised of Rick Boyko, managing director, VCU Brandcenter; Janet Froelich, creative director, The New York Times; Ann Lemon, professor, University of Delaware; Gael Towey, chief creative officer, Martha Stewart Living; Richard Wilde, chairman, Advertising/Graphic Design Departments, School of Visual Arts and Ami Brophy, CEO, ADC. 

“Bill Oberlander’s concept of ADC Grandmasters is strongly aligned with part of the ADC’s mission to elevate the role of educators in the visual communications field,” said Brophy.  “Under his committee leadership, ADC has developed a way to both honor those who have mentored others to greatness, and give students the opportunity to see where their education can take them.”