The GAUGE Speaker Series brings design industry professionals to campus to stimulate discussion, inspire excellence and build community among the design students, alumni, faculty and staff of California State University Los Angeles.Established in the 2006-2007 academic year, GAUGE has brought one speaker each quarter to campus. Past speakers have included: Deborah Sussman, Agustin Garza, Stefan Bucher, Kim Baer, Ricardo Cardeñas, Michael Hodgson, Noreen Morioka, Yu Tsai, Petrula Vrontikis, Cynthia Murnane, David Lai, Ismael Obregon and Lorraine Wild.

GAUGE is the AIGA student group, at Cal State L.A. AIGA, the professional association for design. AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.

For the Fall 2011 quarter, GAUGE is honored to present Jose Caballer.

Jose has a passion for education, and has recently begun his own education company, known appropriately as Groop Skool. He teaches teamwork and has a process for collaboration between business, creative and technical people that is unmatched. He is known for his positive approach to education.

In addition to examples of some inspiring design work, what you’ll get from Jose is a unique perspective on the business side of design. A creative business presents many different challenges from other businesses. Jose knows them well, and is very willing to share his experiences.

The following bio is taken from AIGA-LA, of which Jose is a board member:

Jose is CEO & Chief Digital Educator of The Groop, a Digital Agency. Growing up in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, Jose developed his visual acumen at an early age (he handcrafted a race track and cars out of river clay and cardboard shoe boxes). He quickly developed an appetite for entrepreneurism as well, selling Star-Wars replica space ships made out of chipboard, foam and paper to his 6th and 7th grade classmates (Darth Vader’s Imperial Transport was his top seller). He figures that’s why he gravitated to a career in digital media because of the blinking lights, sounds and visuals that it combines.

Throughout his career he’s had the opportunity to collaborate with clients such as Sega, Microsoft, Wieden + Kennedy, WK Tokyo Lab, Sony Music, Warner Music, Art Center College of Design, Nike and Live Earth. While Jose is much more driven by results than awards, he’s taken home his share of hardware too, including Art Directors Club Young Guns 2004; HOW Magazine’s, Interactive Best of Show 2003; American Center for Design Web 100. In 2009 The Groop was #204 in the INC 500 and one of the Top Latino run companies. http://www.inc.com/ss/2009-inc-500-top-10-latino-and-hispanic-run-companies#5

When he’s not producing results for clients or helping run an alternative contemporary art space called LMProjects that he co-owns, he spends his time dropping knowledge on his weekly LIVE web show and iTunes podcast “This Week in Web Design” which reaches over thousands of viewers every month. http://thisweekin.com/thisweekin-web/

Location

Cal State L.A. – Music Hall

5151 State University Drive

Los Angeles, CA

Time 7:00 P.M.