Don Citarella

Creative Director

As an entrepreneur, Don Citarella has founded multiple successful businesses, and has been the driving vision behind numerous profitable products designed to make the client’s life easier such as Bulc Club, Lyrek CEMS, Musikal Chairs, and MediaPASS (Project Asset Sharing System). As a highly-awarded creative, he is a trusted source for both industry-specific publications like Communication Arts and mainstream media outlets like The New York Times.

He is currently the President and Creative Director of New York City-based, multi-disciplinary studio, ERA404 Creative Group, Inc., as well as the President of Bulc Club, a free social network geared toward blocking spam, protecting privacy, and helping Members achieve Inbox Zero. He oversees a network of 40+ designers, developers and artisans who cater to Fortune 1000 companies seeking a change from the factory-style design of large agencies.

In these roles he serves as the face of his companies, as well as the creative mind behind campaigns for clients such as NBC, Herb Ritts Foundation, Target, Big Beach, MoMA, Hello Kitty, Pantone, ASUS and Broadway Video. With a business degree in Visual Communication and a focus on user experience, typography and color theory, Don directs all aspects of ERA404’s print, identity, environmental and new media design.

In the last decade, Don has been recognized by numerous design organizations, including receiving the “Addy Award” Citation of Excellence, the AGC Showcase Award, Golden Web Award and DesignInteract “Site of the Week”. He has been featured in numerous publications, including Communication Arts’ “Insights” column, HOW Magazine’s “Behind the Design” column, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, AdRants, Gawker, MediaInspiration.com, and was a guest lecturer at The School of Visual Arts.

You can follow Don personally on his blog, [d]online, and download his fonts on MyFonts.

Mike Citarella

Technical Director

Mike Citarella began his design career working for an industrial engineering firm, rendering 3D conceptual models of proposed high-tolerance plastics molding devices. As graphic designer, he was quickly put in charge of product literature, trade ads, and trade show/event design and production.

His experiences in academia at Western Michigan University earned Mike a Bachelor of Science in Broadcact/Cable Production under the direction of Dr. Nancy Cornwall and secondary marks for Marketing and Graphic Design.

In New York City, Mike studied broadcast design working as a junior 3D artist/animator at several high-end post/design facilities, honing his craft and broadening his range of disciplines to include show packaging, commercial and corporate/mainstream promo design.

As Technical Director of ERA404, he is given a forum to fuse formal training with skills he acquired at established firms, thus equipping Mike for his role chairing ERA404’s 3D, motion and development network.

Mike is also an amateur illustrator, digital photographer and karaoke junkie.