Testimonials

“If you are looking for a person who is competent, inner directed, focused, talented in graphic arts and design, and self motivated, Janet Pahlau is the woman you should work with. She has a wide range of creative abilities including marketing and fundraising, and is always open to new challenges.

I have had significant experience with Janet’s creative skill and her willingness to put her whole heart into the work that is before her. I was first introduced to Janet through her former co-worker from the Akron Beacon Journal. The Sisters at Sancta Clara Monastery were looking for assistance in designing and marketing a program for our benefit concert in October 2009. Janet not only produced a professional-looking program but also took the initiative to market and promote our fundraising concert among schools, churches and other local venues, as well as in newspapers and other media. The response to the concert was overwhelming!

Recently Janet designed the Sisters’ Christmas card and produced it with professional efficiency. The finished product caught the essence of our spirit in word and design. Janet worked with our web designer suggesting some unique eye-catching ideas for our web page. She designed a twitter page for the sale of our Soup and Bread and organized the sale of poinsettias for a holiday fundraiser. Our sales went over-the-top because of the effort Janet did with the marketing.

Janet has the unique ability to work well with all types of people and in various situations. She is comfortably confident to share her own ideas yet has a humble willingness to take into account what others have to say.”

Mother Marion Zeltmann
PCPA Abbess

"Janet Pahlau designed our 50th Anniversary logo for St. Basil the Great Catholic Church in Brecksville, Ohio. Janet's design is being used on our liturgical banners, stationary and many promotional items.The design beautifully reflects our Church's architecture, while proclaiming our 50th celebration! I would not hesitate to work with Janet on upcoming design projects."

Robin Youngs
Parish Life Activities Coordinator

"I have worked closely with Janet Pahlau for about five years, usually under tight deadlines. Whenever I have the option to choose a specific artist to work with, I ask for Janet. In addition to being a superb designer, she is the epitome of grace under pressure in our fast-paced environment.

Designing under pressure is no easy task. We seldom get much time for thinking. Janet delivers a beautiful product every time. Recently, we went into a project hoping the page count would be increased. When we were turned down due to the associated costs, I despaired of producing a visually appealing section. Janet pulled it off beautifully. We have had nothing but good comments about it from advertisers, readers and colleagues at the newspaper.

On a more personal note, I especially appreciate Janet's pleasant disposition. By the time a project gets to the design stage, deadlines loom perilously close. Last-minute copy changes are par for the course. Photos come in right up until press time. Other times, photos that were promised never arrive and the design must be changed to accommodate that "hole." I've worked with enough artists to know that such frantic, last-minute activity can turn the nicest person into a snarling beast. That never happens when I work with Janet. Her calm, professional demeanor helps me maintain mine. I highly recommend her for any position that interests her. She will exceed expectations every time."

Kathleen Kochanski
Advertising and Marketing Editor/Writer

"As epitome magazine’s website designer and master, Janet Pahlau's ideas, design execution and timing are impressive. Instead of simply posting articles the way they appear in epitome, Janet is able to “interpret” the print version and create a unique version of the magazine for our website, tailored to Internet viewing.

Janet has not only redesigned our site, she updates and maintains it on a regular basis, implementing new elements that make it interesting, easy to read and simple to navigate. She also makes sure our search engine data is current. Her efforts have had tremendous results. We receive many compliments on our site and the site visits have more than quadrupled since she took over as web master.

But more than that, Janet is professional yet friendly, and easy to communicate with. The directions she’s given for projects are not always clear, yet she is able to “decipher” the objectives and create well designed web pages that exceed expectations. Plus, she takes the initiative to introduce new elements to our site that add to the depth of our presence and broaden our appeal to readers.

Janet’s enthusiasm for learning, friendly professionalism and dedication raise her above the crowd. Her impressive talent and strong work ethic make her a perfect candidate for any position she seeks."

Maureen Londergan
Founder and Editor in chief
epitome magazine

"Janet Pahlau's dedication to the arts is evident in the manner in which she has incorporated the visual arts into her career and daily life. Beyond working in the graphic design field, Janet is a docent tour guide at the Akron Art Museum.

As the museum prepared to reopen its expanded building to the public, museum education staff sought to recruit a new diverse and expanded docent core. Janet was among the new recruits in the docent training course this past fall.

Few busy young professionals have dedicated their time to the museum, and it's very exciting and refreshing to work with someone as talented and enthusiastic as Janet. Janet was able to balance her work and volunteer obligations, coming to class straight from work. After completing major projects and meeting challenging deadlines, she still participated in docent training enthusiastically. She debuted her docenting skills, acting as a tour guide during the museum's Sneak Peek Public preview day, where over 2000 people toured the museum's new galleries. In her short time as a docent, Janet has been a great asset to the Akron Art Museum and I know she will continue to contribute her talents in the future."

Alison Caplan
Associate Educator Akron Art Museum