This Is Us

“Derek” and “Tessa” flank the ampersand in and out of the office. But frankly, the office is what matters to you.
Taking on distinct and complimentary roles allows us to bring more to our clients and do more for our clients. The idea behind Sussner Design Company is also the fact within Sussner Design Company — we are partners. First and foremost, we actively partner with our clients. And to make that first and foremost partnership the best it can be, we partner with a heroic collection of very talented people. No matter how a project is configured, we are the people responsible, accountable and always available. C’mon people, let’s do something great.

Derek Sussner

Proud Owner Guy

Sure, he’s a guy you’d like to have a brewed beverage with, but can he deliver the design, marketing, customer-compelling results you need? Unquestionably, “yes.” Underneath that tidy, easy-going exterior is a tidy, easy-going man of integrity and powerful talent. Derek believes (cheeky monkey that he is) that great things happen when people work with passion, purpose and the occasional punch line. The sweet mojo at SDCo is the direct and determined doing of The Sussner Himself. (Disclaimer: I write frequently for Derek and Company. I know stuff and it’s all good. Call Jeff at 612-823-6645 and I’ll happily elaborate.)

The Details

Works side-by-side with wife Tessa and they remain very happily married. Tessa is an absolutely indispensable (they know because they tried without her) part of the SDCo success.
Takes “Dad” job very seriously and it shows.
Has a peculiar fascination with golf.
Has a peculiar fascination with primates (especially golfing primates).

Tessa Sussner

Woman of the year, every year since 2002

It’s time to testify. Ms. Sussner is at various times a designer, an art director, a traffic/client/office manager, a production coordinator and apparently a superior life-form from a distant planet. T. Sussner brings a highly-machined order and inordinate amount of good-nature (and yes, some occasional sarcasm) to the SDCo operation. The lucky few have actually witnessed her move objects with her mind.

The Details

Works extremely well with others, including and improbably Mr. Sussner.
Possesses many “World’s Greatest Mom” coffee mugs, halter-top and finger paintings to prove her prowess in that realm also.
Her brothers call her “Ted” (of course they do).
Believes that fun is an excellent idea.

Ben Alpert

Guy without a fun description yet

Bio to come.

The Details

Designer.

Tanya Naylor

She doesn't get one either

Bio to come.

The Details

Designer.

Emily Brownson

Nope, no description here either

Bio to come.

The Details

Designer.

Clients

We are about handmade partnerships. Our business-first way of designing has greatly benefited our clients (really, we’re not making this up, they tell us). We challenge the notion of business-as-usual by constantly partnering with our clients to truly understand their needs, goals and advantages.

333 (formerly Accenture Tower)
A&M Business Interior Services
American Institute of Graphic Arts Minnesota (AIGA)
Animal Humane Society
Arizona Diamondbacks
Best Buy
Big Ink
Boom Lab
Bremer
Capella Tower
Carbone’s Pizzeria
Carmex (Bolin Marketing)
Catapult
Center for Energy & Environment (CEE)
Creative Water Solutions
EnerChange
Evel Knievel Leather USA
Fair Winds Press
Gassen
Hennepin County Bar Association
Houston Astros
International Wall Designs
InVision Distinctive Eyewear
Law of the Paw
Leadership Foundations

LifeSpan
Life Time Fitness
Linden Hills Co-op
Master Nursery
McDavidUSA
Medtronic
MinneapolisCondos.com
Minne’s Diner/Minneapple Pie
Now Boarding
Omni Workspace Company
Pardon My French Café
Park Nicollet
Red Wing Shoe Company
Rockler Woodworking
& Hardware
Rockport Publishers
Seiler & Associates
St. Bartholomew
Swing Science
Target Corporation
Target Commercial Interiors
Tom Selleck’s Moustache
Toro
University Bank
Voyageur Outward
Bound
ZeSa Fitness

Awards

When we make stuff that wins an award, we smile, shake hands, say “good game” and get back to work drawing attention to you (where it belongs). We sincerely thank all the companies, organizations and individuals who have handed us the greatest honor of working with them. The companies, publications and websites that have recognized SDCo’s work include:

Advertising Federation of Minnesota’s “The Show”, American Bankers Association (ABA) Marketing, American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Basheer+Working Title & Co (Singapore), cheezburger.com, Choi’s Gallery (Shanghai), Communication Arts, Goldstein Museum of Design, Graphis, HOW International Design Awards, HOW Promotion Design, HOW Books, International Book Publishing Center (China), lovelypackage.com, Madison Square Press, Maomao (Spain), MEAD 60, Minnesota Monthly, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Novum (Germany), Print Regional Design Annual, Printing Industries of America’s Premier Print Award, Printing Industry of Minnesota (PIM) Star of Excellence, Rockport Publishers, 10×10: 100 Specimens of Fine Paper, Target Partner Award of Excellence, thebestdesigns.com, thedieline.com, themplsegotist.com, tickld.com, TrademarksUSA 1, Type Directors Club, University of Minnesota (College of Human Ecology) Rising Star Award, Vita.mn, Victionary (Hong Kong)