Jason Gerry Joins Paulsen As Graphic Designer

Recent SDSU graduate Jason Gerry joined the creative team at Paulsen last month, entering the role of Graphic Designer. Jason is a talented artist with a passion for illustrating. "I really enjoy what I do. I liked to draw when I was growing up," he said. "I'd have ideas in my head and I couldn't wait to put them on paper."

"Jason is a great addition to our team, and we're excited to have another gifted designer at Paulsen to help execute creative concepts for our clients," said Paulsen President & CEO Marcus Squier. "He has jumped right in and showed an ability to succeed in this sort of environment."

Jason's path to where he is now was anything but conventional, but it also helped shape him. "I was really interested in the arts when I was in high school, but I shifted over toward the sciences in college," he said. When it became apparent a career in his chosen field of study at the time, dentistry, wasn't what he wanted for a vocation, Jason took a break from school and enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard.

His experiences in the National Guard shaped him in significant ways. "There's not a whole lot of things that can stress me out anymore," he explained. "The National Guard has given me a good foundation for being in stressful situations but still getting things done. It has taught me a lot of lessons like discipline, adapting to new situations and being able to handle a lot of different things at once."

Jason is still part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a 12C bridge crew member and reports to the Mobridge office regularly as part of his ongoing training and duties.

Having grown up in Mobridge, Jason feels a strong connection with the land. He participated in Intertribal Agriculture Council activities while in high school and recalls helping his uncle with ranching responsibilities and spending time with friends whose families had deep ties to agriculture. Starting his new role at Paulsen has also brought that part of his formation back into focus. "It's good to see that there's a bigger world out there than whatever you're doing on a daily basis," he said.

Beyond his passion for design and creating things, Jason enjoys playing guitar and golfing in his spare time. He is also an avid collector of baseball cards, memorabilia and other unique items.

Jason is excited to settle into his new role. "Originally I was just looking for internships in Sioux Falls, but I saw that Paulsen had a design opening," he said, adding that he was inspired by some of the design projects he ran across on the Paulsen website. "I was excited for the opportunity. So far, everything has been really great."