Hua M. Conry has a collective 15+ years in design, art direction and management experience focused on team growth, strategic content creation and delivery. Driven by curiosity and her obsession with the customer’s experience (no matter the industry or discipline), she has managed and developed integrated omni-channel brands and marketing campaigns, as lead and as part of a team for billion dollar Fortune 500 companies and global brands like Kohl's, Gildan, American Apparel, and now Ace Hardware.
Hua currently resides in the greater Chicago area as the Associate Creative Director/Creative Manager for Concept and Print at Ace Hardware corporation. Before that, Hua was recently overseas as the Director of Creative Services for the Canadian wholesale company, Gildan Activewear, but in their Barbados location. There, Hua oversaw creative production for all six global wholesale brands - Gildan, Anvil, Comfort Colors, AlStyle, American Apparel and PRIM + PREUX in multiple markets - North American, Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America. Her focus was on mentoring and leading her team to produce high quality imagery and creative to meet strategic needs for all platforms (print, digital, eCommerce and social) along with finding efficiencies in processes and workflow management.
Previously, Hua was an Art Director for Kohl's Department Stores at their corporate headquarters in Menomonee Falls, WI. At Kohl's, Hua created the vision for elevated catalogs and promotional event campaigns by telling compelling visual and emotional stories. She led different teams to carry out these ideas from concept to completion. This involved concept pitches, graphic designing, planning and running photoshoots, overseeing production in preparation for print and partnering with digital and social partners for a more robust omni-channel experience.
Hua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
Beyond her profession, Hua travels often to Madison, Wisconsin where she enjoys being a part of her family's farm with her hands deep in the earth planting, growing, and picking beautiful flowers, fruits and vegetables. Follow her family farm's journey on Facebook @MouaFamilyFarm.
Hua also has an Etsy shop selling Hmong folktales that she has modernized and made available in English through illustrated children’s books, plush, and poster art. The idea of keeping the Hmong culture alive and educating others about Hmong people through folklore is what motivates her. What a great way to introduce Hmong folktales to children! Check out Hua’s Etsy shop @doorinthemountain. You can also purchase these folklore books on lulu.com.