Charles Apple

Here’s wishing the happiest of VizEds birthdays to Jonathon Berlin of the Chicago Tribune. Jonathon turns 32 today.

Jonathon at O’Connor’s pub in Boston
a couple weeks ago. This photo — and
all the others, too, come to think of
it — are by Mark Friesen.
—

Jonathon’s been a member of the World’s Greatest Newspaper for three whole days: He started work on Monday.

Previously, of course, he spent several years as senior editor for design and graphics of The San Jose Mercury News. Before that, Jonathan was assistant design director of The Rocky Mountain News. And before that, he was at the Merc.

Jonathon began his career at the Times of Northwest Indiana. He’s a 1998 graduate of the University of Illinois.

Ninja Jonathon opens a box of Saltine whoop-ass
during a late-Saturday-night event in Boston.
May all munchies be afraid. Be very afraid.
—

Many of you know Jonathon, however, as the long-suffering editor of SND’s quarterly Design magazine. I say ‘long-suffering’ because in the three years I’ve been contributing a column, I think I’ve made deadline maybe twice. Multiply that by 60 pages over 3 years and you’ll see: That’s a lot of cats Jonathan has been herding.

SND president Scott Goldman gave a special president’s award to Jonathon during the awards banquet in Boston a couple weeks ago:

For his many years of service to the Society and its membership, most recently as the tireless editor of Design magazine. His efforts have elevated the magazine’s impact, while all the while pushing SND to expand its areas of influence in the industry, in the face of overwhelming change.

Matt Mansfield, Jonathon’s former boss at the Merc says this about Jonathon:

Jonathon is truly one of a kind — and I mean that in the best way. JB has a creative spark that makes everyone around him better. He helps people reach in new, exciting directions. He has a breaking news metabolism that’s pretty unmatched in our biz. And he’s completely modest about his considerable talent.

I’m happy to have worked with Jonathon so often and on so many projects, even happier he showed up with a wacky sheep-laden resume the first time I met him way back when in his way back college days. I’m even happier he’s become one of my best friends over all those years.

Happy Birthday, JB! I hope you have the appropriately kooky costume and party planned!

Robb Montgomery — the creator of this very web site — writes:

I shot this Video of JB in February, at the Merc, where he and I were prototyping the redesign of the Business section.

He hired me help him shape the project. And this film was made on a break outside of his office. Apparently the dragonfly flew in the newsroom but by the time we got to try it - the batteries were spent.

I like it when he says “try something different.”

Click To Play

A few samples of Jonathon’s work:

Find some of Jonathon’s old Rocky work at NewsPageDesigner.

Friesen catches Jonathon in a pensive mood
during a break in Boston earlier this month.
Jon is probably wondering whether or not
he’ll still be in his probationary period at
the Tribune when the paper lays him off.
—

Jonathon shares a birthday with Mike Braun of the Fort Myers News-Press, Lord of the Rings trilogy director Peter Jackson, TV news personalities Jane Pauley and Dan Rather, the late John Candy and historical figure Chiang Kai-Shek.

In addition, today is Increase Your Psychic Powers Day. But I’m sure you knew I was going to say that.

Oh — And today is also Halloween. You knew I was going to say that, too.

See? You’ve increased your psychic powers, just by reading this post! Way to go!

Happy birthday, Jonathon! Best wishes for a happy birthday, my friend! And congrats again on the new gig!

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