Crew / Matthew Connar

Matthew C. Connar, BFA

Matthew C. Connar was born in Towson, MD, on May 20th, 1975, to a schoolteacher
and minister. Early in his life Matt was identified as gifted in the visual arts. His
adolescence was filled with extra curricular art classes and programs, as well participation
in community and school sports teams. These creative and physical influences helped to
mold Matt into a competitive and creative thinking teenager.

During Matt’s junior year in high school, he was accepted into the Frederick County (MD)
Board of Education’s top Visual & Performing Arts Program (VPA), qualifying with the
highest scores in the local school system. Matt’s senior year was focused in the gifted,
fine arts curriculum.

Matthew was accepted at West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, surrounded by
the Appalachian Mountains. Matt was one of a few who were chosen for acceptance into
the WVU Creative Arts Center’s Graphic Arts Program, a centerpiece of the WVU Visual
Arts Department. The graphic art program, unlike most university design programs, is
equally balanced in the mediums of traditional art, art history, photography, and graphic
art. Matthew graduated in the top fifteen percent of his class, with minors in photography
and psychology.

A week before graduation, Matthew was flown to Miami, FL, to meet with executives of
MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, to be interviewed and hired for a position as an in-house art
director within a twenty-five member marketing department. At the time MeriStar owned
and managed over 256 resorts & hotels internationally.

Two weeks after graduation Matthew began working for MeriStar. He enjoyed the diversity
of the work, from designing for small boutique hotels in South Beach, to large full service
properties, such as South Seas Resort on Captiva Island. Matt was also responsible for the
creative marketing of MeriStar’s Food & Beverage venues, as well as creative promotion for
many special events.

After a couple years in the hospitality industry, Matthew left MeriStar in 2001 in search of
another industry to sharpen his talents. Matt took the opportunity to expand his creative
range by becoming an in-house art director for Chico’s FAS, an international retail company
which operates 796 women’s specialty stores. At Chico’s he played an integral part in
national ad campaigns and was responsible for point-of-purchase creative for all stores
and outlets.

In early 2002 Matthew took a leap in faith, from the security of a salaried position
with benefits, to venture forth on his own. Thus, Boost Creative, LLC, was
successfully born!

The ensuing years have revealed a thriving company that welcomes a diversity of new
clients, while continuing to maintain quality attention and care to current clients. The fact
that Boost now generates over seventy percent of its work from returning clients, or from
client referrals, is a true testimony to client satisfaction with Matt’s company.

Not only has Matt proudly seen the expansion of Boost Creative’s employee base, business
associations, and client growth, Matt has also proudly witnessed a boost in his personal life.
During the time Matt was nurturing Boost’s roots, Matt was married to his wife Kelly. Today,
Matt and Kelly have grown their family, with the additions of their daughters Alexandra and
Samantha. Matt says that his wife and children provide him boundless motivation. Matthew,
Kelly, and their family reside in Cape Coral, FL.

Keeping true to his roots and values, Matthew is active in the art community and plays
on amateur soccer, softball and paintball teams. Giving back to the community is very
important to Matt. He and Kelly support several charities and non-profit organizations.
Additionally, Matt welcomes the opportunity to speak to budding young artists on a broad
range of subjects. Currently focusing on a Master’s degree, Matthew hopes to have an
opportunity to serve on the academic staff of a university in the future.

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