About Us
Builder Designs isn't just a website design company. We build website solutions. We provide a blueprint for creating a total digital marketing platform - one that is flexible, scalable, and that transcends a traditional Website and creates a hub for all future marketing initiatives for the Web, mobile and emerging technologies.
The digital world has transformed marketing. While it still maintains a critical element of nuance and creativity, it is much more a product of pragmatic thinking. As internet marketers, we are now able to measure and adjust variables that were never before under our control.
Builder Designs understands this new reality. Not only are we not just a traditional ad agency, we’re not even a traditional digital agency. We’re an internet marketing agency for the digital age - for Homebuilders.
Meet the Team
Chip Johnson became the president of Builder Designs in 2005 after spending five years as a web and multimedia programmer for eMark Interactive in Kansas City. Chip has developed several web and Cdrom projects for high-profile clients such as Coca Cola, Proctor & Gamble and Park University.
Prior to his years at eMark, Chip worked as a systems engineer for Apogee Network Consulting where he achieved his Microsoft MCSE certification. A graduate of Kansas State University, Chip is a life long Kansas City resident and is married with three children. Chip enjoys playing basketball on a 9' goal and riding motocross as much as possible.
For the last 5 years, Brian has headed up the creative and development of projects at BD. Working with a team of creatives, he has worked to push the boundries with what is possible in web design in the web 2.0 era. Implementing CSS, html, wordpress and jquery along with many hours pushing pixels around a PNG! Brian is also a social media junky. You'll find him tweeting seemingly useless info to anyone that is interested.
Brian graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.F.A in Graphic Design and is the lone Jayhawk in the Builder Designs family. Brian is married with two children.
In addition to designing and building websites during the day, Brian is an illustrator specializing in home rendererings for home builders, developers and real estate. Find his work at Home Rendering Design.
Scott Smith guides Builder Designs's desire to apply design process to clients’ advertising and marketing challenges. Using his vast assignment experience, Scott provides strategic creative direction for all client projects including brand development, Web site development, corporate identity, advertising and collateral materials. He joins Builder Designs team after a 10 year stint as Art Director at Kansas City advertising agency Sprenger McCullough & Co. His past client experience includes Hyatt Regency Crown Center, Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, U.S. Olympic Trials for Track & Field, Diagnostic Imaging Centers, Truman Presidential Museum & Library, Nextel and Sprint.
Scott is a Cum Laude graduate of the Honors College of Missouri State University with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. He is married with two children.
David is the resident search engine optimization expert in Builder Designs. David has over 12 years of experience with internet marketing where he was recently a marketing director at Cooper communities. His knowledge of optimizing websites for maximum traffic amazing, and David has been able to achieve dramatic results for our SEO customers.
Mike handles all facets of our programming and application development for Builder Designs. Mike is a certified Sun programmer for the Java 2 platform as well as a Zend certified PHP developer. Mike graduated from Brown University with a degree in Business Economics and International Relations.
Emilee joined Builder Designs in 2010. She manages the client’s needs and guides them through the building process of the website. She also assists with design. As a freelancer, she has created logos, print, identity and websites for a variety of clients, including O’Neill Honda, UMKC, Boondi’s Coffee and is currently branding Martin City Brew Co. She has also been a bartender for 7 years.
Emilee graduated from Avila University with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. She also likes to paint, garden, and has played violin/fiddle for 15 years. She is engaged to be married next year and resides in South KC.
Josh Lawson is the website integrator for Builder Designs. Before joining the team at Builder Designs, Josh attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he earned his degree in Financial Management. From 2006-07, Josh worked for Media Savvy in Charlotte, NC doing flash design and development. From 2007-10, Josh worked at RTM Productions in Nashville, TN doing website development for car shows on for Spike TV. After leaving Nashville, Josh moved to Kansas City where he worked as a police officer up until becoming a team member at Builder Designs in March 2011. Josh is a native of Charlotte, NC.
Kunal is a web designer at Builder Designs. Before joining the team at Builder Designs, Kunal worked for Pixel Graphics in India as a web designer. He then taught as an adjunct professor at Johnson County Community College. He continued to work as a web designer for KCWebSpecialist.com, as well as working as a freelance web designer. Kunal earned his Associate of Applied Science in Interactive Media from Johnson County Community College and studied Business Commerce at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, India.
Amber Merrifield is the Client Services contact and Content Loader for Builder Designs. Before joining the team at Builder Designs, Amber attended MidAmerica Nazarene University where she earned her degree in Mass Communication. While at MNU, Amber worked with The Trailblazer Times newspaper as the Sports Editor. She is also the sports reporter for the MNU Athletics website. Prior to and during her time at MNU, Amber interned with Metro Sports, Fox 4, 810 radio, 610 radio and Victory Sports Network. Amber is an Overland Park native.
Micah is a programmer at Builder Designs. He has worked in web programming for the last seven years, working as a freelance programmer before joining the Builder Designs team. Micah has lived in Hawaii, Maryland, and England before moving to Kansas City. He attended Shawnee Mission South High School and is currently attending Johnson County Community College.
