Donnie Bell

Having your name on the sign outside the building lends itself to a lot of pressure and expectations. Donnie Bell strives to exceed those expectations with his design firm. Hailing from the deceptively quiet town of Ruston, LA with a bachelors of fine art from Louisiana Tech University, Donnie left the south behind for the...um...southeast...to begin his design career at Oden Marketing and Design in Memphis, TN. Deciding that he didn't like country music that much after all, Donnie returned to his roots as Creative Services Manager in the Marketing Department at Louisiana Tech University.

During this time, Donnie leveled up with a Masters of Fine Art graduate degree in 2005. In 2004, Bell drove the 60-mile round trip each day to work at Architecture Plus in Monroe, LA where he was introduced to the world of environmental graphics. Bell then worked as a freelance designer and helped shape young minds by teaching at Southern Arkansas University. His years of freelancing in and around Ruston, efforts to grow his client list and establish his name paid off with the opening of Donnie Bell Design in 2009.

Taking time away from baby sitting his coworkers — and vice-versa — Donnie loves spending time with his wife Sarah and two boys Jack and Brett, eating out at the many fine eateries offered by Ruston (you're welcome chamber of commerce), basketball, golf and woodworking.

Donnie's commitment to his art and business is evident in his attitude that it's not work, saying he would do it for free...if not for that whole bills thing. He wants to make quality, creative work in a flexible, spontaneous and fun environment with service that is second to none. "If we say we're going to provide quality, then we need to back it up." And you can trust that from a guy with his name plastered on the studio walls.

Stuart Clason

With more than a decade of experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, Stuart brings the dual skill set of knowing which button to push and how it needs to be pushed. Stuart is adept in public/media relations, market identification & positioning, corporate social responsibility, crisis communication, project management, strategic planning, legislative & regulatory affairs, environmental justice, economics, and governmental relations. His primary area of expertise is research methods, marketing, economic geography, development, environmental economics and governmental relations.

Stuart has worked as a strategic consultant for several years now assisting clients in overcoming perceived and real obstacles to project objectives. He approaches a task from a business perspective striving to achieve the most beneficial result combing theoretical and practical knowledge together into a final solution. Stuart has participated on several major projects providing strategic insight and asset coordination.

He attended Louisiana State University for undergraduate studies, and then London School of Economic and Political Science where he received an MSc in Economic Development. His professional career has included legislative and executive positions in federal, state and local government as well as key management roles in several business ventures.

Whether you need a whitepaper drafted, market research conducted, or a cup of coffee made; Stuart is the man for the job. As he runs the roads meeting the complex needs of our clients, he is available by phone (hands free of course) to discuss your specific needs or schedule a meeting.

John Grindley

With his home grown talent beginning in filmmaking and television in Shreveport-Bossier, John began cutting his teeth in the entertainment industry biz on both coasts. First, working in the research department of the Late Show with David Letterman in New York and then off to Los Angeles working production on commercials and music videos. In 2005, John took this experience and boomeranged back to North where he has been a central figure of many local success stories.

John designed, planned, & coordinated the construction/renovation of the $4.5M Robinson Film Center building in the West Edge Arts District of Downtown Shreveport where he oversaw & executed the film center’s mission of creating the 1st non-profit (501c3) film center of the south exhibiting the best in international, independent, & classic film while serving as a resource to film education & to film production.

After the RFC’s completion, John transitioned into the emerging technology sector of North Louisiana’s Silicon Bayou working and growing internet startups where he met Coaxial Studios future partner, Stuart Clason. Both Stuart and John were influential in changing Louisiana’s Digital Media Tax Credit Program in 2008 from being a video only tax credit to all software developed in the state of Louisiana qualifying changing the landscape for Louisiana to lead a new digital landscape.

Additionally, John established one of the country's 1st Non Profit shared workspace community for growing the creative economy of Shreveport-Bossier. He worked with staff & community partners to develop over 80 new member businesses; leading & raising awareness of CoHabitat’s mission in the Shreveport-Bossier area. He serves as a liaison for the foundation to government officials, donors, & the Shreveport-Bossier community. He manages day-to-day operations & directs all marketing & advertising initiatives for CoHabitat while developing diverse strategies for funding including grant management, donor contributions, & other fundraising efforts.

John is now using all of his experience in marketing, production, and non-profit and governmental affairs to help other organizations grow their operations in a positive and productive fashion.

Daniel Hudgens

Daniel "Hudgie" Hudgens may have the appearance of a mild-mannered graphic designer, but lurking underneath the surface there lies a beast of creativity waiting to be released. As a child, the Magnolia, AR native could often be found at a table in the corner of his family's seafood restaurant keeping himself occupied by creating new, exciting characters and worlds on his sketchbook. The source of his inspiration? Classic comic books. The world of Spiderman and the X-Men, as well as extended periods of time alone, let Daniel lose himself in his imagination and hone his skills as an artist. His art becoming a second nature, he eventually grew powerful enough to obtain an art department scholarship from Southern Arkansas University.

A  graduate of SAU, Daniel had used his creativity for the good of man by working as a production designer for the Banner-News and then three years at Southern Aluminum, growing from an intern to creative marketing manager and, finally, marketing director.
While at that highly influential period, Daniel made a friend in Donnie Bell at SAU, playing sidekick to his superhero by completing several freelance jobs.

Daniel eventually committed to the Donnie Bell Design team in August 2008 to work as a graphic designer.
While always maintaining a vigilance over all things graphic, Daniel does take time to practice martial arts, go fishing, delve into nature photography and spend time with his family and dog. A personal goal of Daniel's is to read the entire Bible every year. He also claims to have started "making noise" with his trusty guitar.

Citizens relying on the service of Donnie Bell Design can take solace in the fact that Daniel looks forward to opportunities where he can challenge himself creatively and produce eye catching imagery that demands attention as well as produces a return on investment.

Neal Breeding

Some guys only react and some make things happen. Neal Breeding is one of the latter.

The web puppet master's computer knowledge gives Donnie Bell Design a definite edge in web programming and hosting. We provide our clients with a simple, reliable web hosting solution and an interface that makes updating their websites straightforward and easy.

Neal's path to joining the DBD crew started when he began messing with computers in 8th grade. The Tech graduate's resume notes his first gig was service manager at Computer Solutions in Ruston, LA during a period now called the 90s (who remembers that?). He then started his own web service company Innovative Bits, LLC in 1999 while moonlighting as Coordinator of Information System for the Division of University Advancement at Louisiana Tech University. In 2002, Neal was promoted to Director of Information Systems for the Division.

When he's not bending web sites to his will like Neo in "The Matrix", Neal enjoys cooking and the subsequent fruits of that labor, everything Disney, working in the yard and shop, movies, music, and studying the Bible. The family man has the fortune of being married to his best friend, Jennifer, since 2000 and has 2 really cute boys, Caden and Caleb.

Neal does what he does because it is a problem solving, creative process that combines the graphical creative process with a programming creative process which brings new challenges every day.

His goal at Donnie Bell Design is simple: offering our clients a worry free experience when it comes to his website. "Web hosting is something that should just work. Our clients won't have to worry if their site is working or not."

Courtney Pugh

Courtney "The Goose" Pugh. Man about town, oil baron, member of the upper crust — none of these adjectives apply. However, despite his lack of blue blood, Courtney is a first-class graphic artist. From a young age, growing up in El Dorado, AR, Courtney had a passion to create and to be creative. No matter the task, Courtney's work is his way of expressing himself to others and he always aspires do it to the best of his ability.

His impressive pedigree includes a bachelors of fine arts with emphasis in graphic design from Southern Arkansas University. While still enrolled in classes at SAU, Courtney completed an internship at Southern Aluminum in Magnolia, AR eventually working his way up the corporate ladder one whole step to the lowly rung of employee. There Courtney honed his pixel wizardry over a one-year period, describing the experience as a good test of his multi-tasking and time management skills.

After learning how to not only adapt, but thrive in the world of graphic design, Courtney made the move to Donnie Bell Design in October 2008. The Goose feels the environment and atmosphere of his new nesting place to be more conducive to the creative process necessary for his growth as an artist.

While not glued to his computer screen, Courtney's hobbies include a robust love of all things football, especially the Universty of Arkansas Razorbacks (his blood runs cardinal red, everyone). He also spends weekends playing wildcard to a group of close friends and never misses an episode of "The Office" — often going so far as to compare his experiences to that of the FICTIONAL characters.

He envisions his role at Donnie Bell Design as playing an integral cog in helping establish Ruston as the creative nerve center for northwest Louisiana.

Jared Carpenter

From intern to staff member, Jared Carpenter has quickly reached the pinnacle of Donnie Bell Design.

The Crossville, TN native has spun a Union University education in digital media studies into gold at Pine Cove Christian Camps in Tyler, TX as a Program Videographer. He later worked for the Union University Art Department as a Videographer and a freelance designer/photographer.

In addition to contributing to the sterling graphic design and breathtaking photography of Donnie Bell Design, Jared hopes to issue in the dawn of a new age of video work with sharp imagery and visually mesmerizing motion graphics.

When he's not blowing clients minds, he likes to play boardgames, camp, enjoy nature's splendor — spelunking, climbing, and repelling back in his stomping grounds of East Tennessee — taking pictures of God's creation to share with others. He also loves chowing down on his wife's, Emily, cooking and thrift shopping.

Once the low man on the totem pole, Jared has proven himself through a baptism of fire not only to the DBD crew, but to our clients as well. We're happy to welcome him to our world.

Melissa Bradford

A Ruston lifer, Melissa Tolar Bradford is a 1997 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, earning bachelor of science in accounting. Melissa soon received her MBA from Louisiana Tech four-years later and eventually earned a CPA license in 2004.

In 2005, Melissa left the world of number crunching behind for a career in “Domestic Engineering” — a job that pays six figures in the form of memories, not dollars.

In October 2009, Melissa began taking a few seconds away from the full-time job that is "Mom" to act as bookkeeper for Donnie Bell Design. Melissa greatest pleasure is spending her days with her boys, but she also loves to read and hopes to reside by the sea.