Benoit Design, Inc.

From our founding in 1977, Benoit Design has grown in experience, capabilities and reputation to become a brand marketing communications and design resource of substantial scope – with the substantial projects and clients to support that claim.
   While our firm is small (by design) we don’t think small, nor are we that limited in the size and complexity of projects we can handle. Click on Portfolio, Clients and Capabilities to see just what we do, who we do it for and how we do it.
   Meanwhile meet the principals and staffers of Benoit Design. Note their tenure and their comments on what they believe makes us special – those qualities that make Benoit Design not only rewarding to work with but fun.
   Click here to see awards we’ve received and where our work has been exhibited.

The Group. The “Us” in About Us:

“We spend a great deal of time trying to learn what a client’s needs are. We design to the individual client. We don’t have a single style or look. We have proven processes in place that have been tested over time, that we know work. We have so many checkpoints within our group, by the time it gets to the client, the project has been well thought out, checked for accuracy, proofed. We’re not just coming up with a great idea but showing how it will be executed in its entirety.”

Dennis Benoit – Principal and Creative Director,
is a graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a BFA in Advertising Design. He has taught advertising and design at TCU and is a member and past board member of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications (DSVC). He was a judge for the National Restaurant Association Menu design show in 1994 and 1995 and was a speaker at an American Association of Museum’s conference on the process of creating brand identity systems. He is a trained adult leader for the Boy Scouts of America and is an Eagle Scout. He founded Benoit Design in 1977.

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“My experience with the procedures and deadlines of a medical lab was great training for marketing communications and design projects, which are also driven by details, deadlines and results. But when I joined the company after raising three boys to school age, I had to work my way up. While I was learning the basics of paper, print production, and the processes unique to this business, I was lugging our portfolio around, so I’d get a taste of new business development and, you know, bring in some clients! Today I’m involved in general administration as well as client service.”

Alma Benoit – Principal and Senior Account Manager,
has been associated with Benoit Design since its inception. Alma earned a degree in microbiology from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and is a board-certified ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathologists) Clinical Laboratory Scientist. Before joining Benoit Design full time in 1990, she worked six years in the medical technology field – with time out to raise three sons. She is a current member of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI). She is also a past board member of the Dallas IABC chapter and co-chaired its 1992 Spring Conference.

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“We’re a small firm but with high profile clients and creatively challenging projects. Being small, each of us has to wear many hats: client contact, art director and designer, production, post-production. We’re also set up to share ideas and workload. It’s an unselfish environment. At the end of each day, for instance, we ask each other if there’s anything we can do to help. Or say we’re brainstorming and one idea just jumps out. We’ll all go, ‘that’s it!’”

Jay Guiles – Senior Designer,
joined Benoit Design in June 1997. Before moving to the Dallas area, Jay owned Guiles Design in Oklahoma City. Before that, he was a senior designer for Oak Tree Communications in Carmel, CA, and in its Oklahoma City in-house studio, and worked eight years with Rick McIntosh Design in Oklahoma City. Jay holds an advertising art degree from Oklahoma State Tech. He has won awards in the Dallas IABC Bronze Quill design competition, The Dalton Pen Awards and the Dallas DSVC design show. He is also a member of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications.

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“Everyone’s pretty much in the loop at all times. When a client calls with a question, if it’s my project I usually have the answer. If it’s someone else’s and they aren’t available, Dennis or Alma will be on top of the job and can respond promptly. For the most part if you win the project you’re on the photo shoot, the press check – all of it start to finish. But if you’re not available at the moment, someone else jumps in. The project and the client are always being taken care of.”

Chuck Hodges – Senior Designer,

joined Benoit Design in 1999. Prior to that he was a senior designer at Hallmark, Levy, Smith Marketing and Creative. While a student at the University of North Texas, Chuck served a design internship at Woodrow Advertising. He earned a BFA in graphic design as well as an associate degree in business. He is a member of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, where he was on the DSVC Art Auction and Dallas Show committees in 2000 and designed the Art Auction Issue of its Rough magazine. He has won awards in the Dallas DSVC design show, The Dallas IABC Bronze Quill design, MerComm International Annual Report, and the National Association of Investors Corporation competitions.

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“I like the feel and the attitude of an office this size: the teamwork, the camaraderie, how we work with each other and help each other to get things done. There’s never been a time since I’ve been here that we haven’t operated like that. And I love what I do: talking to clients, being involved in their projects, caring about them.”

Terri Broughton – Office Manager/Administrator,

joined Benoit Design in 1996. She serves as assistant to Dennis and Alma Benoit for marketing and special projects along with responsibilities in client services, accounting and various administrative duties. She also functions in day-to-day office management, as well as project management assistance and trafficking. Terri has more than 25 years experience in administrative and managerial and secretarial support.

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“We have the capability to translate anything we’ve done in print to the web. Or we can design or redesign a website from scratch. As far as creating websites with complex dynamic content that may involve advanced programming techniques, of course we bring in outside web development experts, just as we bring in other outside talent like photography, illustration, copywriting and print production specialists.”

Nicholas Benoit – IT and Account Manager,
the oldest of Dennis and Alma’s three sons, has worked part time and seasonally for Benoit Design since 1995. He joined the firm in 2004 as a full-time staffer with a variety of responsibilities. He assists Dennis and Alma with new business development and client contact, as well as with research and production on projects. Nick graduated cum laude with a BA in Art and Performance from the
University of Texas at Dallas. As an Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist and an Apple Certified Desktop Technician, he also serves as Benoit Design’s resident IT manager, Mac guru and website designer. He is a member of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications.

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“I enjoy working here for many reasons, not the least of which is simply liking and respecting each other. The hallmark here is loyalty; you’re not just hired help, you’re family, free to speak your mind and explore ideas without limitations. From a client’s perspective, this firm is well-run and caters to their needs. They never feel neglected.

“My teaching experience informs my professional work at many levels, too, including communicating and interacting with colleagues and clients at Benoit Design.”

Karen Dorff – Adjunct Senior Designer,
joined Benoit Design in 1993. (She currently works for us on a contract, “as needed” basis.) Karen has over 15 years’ design experience in both corporate and design studio environments. Prior to joining Benoit she worked for Dr Pepper/7-Up as a designer in their in-house advertising group, as well as HyperGraphics, a computer-based training company. She taught for three years at the University of North Texas in the School of Visual Arts and holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of North Texas. She is a member of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications and has won design awards in PRINT magazine, Neenah Paper Promotions, AR100, Dallas IABC Bronze Quill design and the Dallas Tops Awards competitions.

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After years of renting space, we decided to design and build a place of our own. The location we chose is in the heart of Old Plano, surrounded by single-family residences, many of them restored period houses. We elected to make our place of business architecturally compatible with the neighborhood, but thoroughly contemporary in its airy interiors, lighting, furnishings and color scheme. We also planned it to the needs of a brand marketing and communications firm, including spacious meeting areas, big kitchen and outdoor patio, and plenty of parking for our visitors.

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