So it’s been a while since I’ve done a 5 Questions (although you can see some here, here, here, and here) but trust me folks, this was worth the wait.

Derek Prior is an HOK force to be reckoned with.  He’s been around here for about 13 years, each year becoming more and more of an institution.  A graphic designer, social chairman, and general great guy, if you’re around Derek there’s never a dull moment.  He’s a breath of fresh air around this office most days. Enjoy! 

Q-1.  Derek, What’s that on your face?

The thing that looks like a tumor growing out of my head?  my Ex-Carpool Partner, Kylie Roth, and I got into an argument about a typeface…man she can hit hard!

In all seriousness, a hit and run while I was riding my bike.  Car met face.  My face lost.  My 19th concussion. Fun. Bustaface is a newly appointed nickname…

Oh wait, did you mean the beard?

Q-2.  How did you come to HOK?

Met some losers, ha ha, at a portfolio review 13 years ago…they liked my book.  I had never heard of HOK…I took the job.  Yadda yadda yadda…and I’m still trying to figure that one out.

But I do know that Julie (Hick) Maggos and Kate Schmitz are the 2 coolest people in the ENTIRE WORLD to work with!  STL Graphic Group RULZ…ha ha ha.  I absolutely have no problem being cheesy.

Q-3.  What does great design mean to you?

Great design is multivalent.  It’s intelligent.  It reaches a broad audience on very different levels.  It has a component, a heirarchy, of discovery to it.  If it doesn’t have at least 3 levels of intelligence for why it is what it is…it ain’t worth diddly.  My old professor, Cedomir Kostovic, one of Eastern Europe’s greatest poster designers, taught me that…or beat it into my brain…huuuummmm.  Might have been one of my concussions.

Q-4.  What do you do when you’re not at HOK?

Enjoy life.  Have fun.  Think as little as possible…hang with friends and family, travel the country in my white van.  WANNA RIDE?

9 bicycles in my living room and 2 motorcycles in the garage.  I’ll ride anything on 2 wheels.  Sprinkle in some seasonal snowboarding…and that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.

Q-5.  You’ve been known to be a bit of an adventurer, how does your career parallel your desire to always be exploring?

There is so much inspiration, so many challenges, and so much to learn from in the natural world.  It’s really the counter-balance to sitting at my desk/computer all day.  I could analyze and metaphor this to death, but I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone.  It’s a state of mind.  Make the best of any situation.  I mean I could probably have fun in a morgue, never been in one, but I’m sure I could.

This literally synched up when I spent 8 years working on the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (aka The Wild Center).  The coolest client, an amazing HOK team, a mission of stewardship and one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Most people don’t realize how big the Adirondack Park really is: Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier National Park, the Smoky Mountains, and the Grand Canyon all could fit inside its boundaries with room to spare.  Land which was raped, pillaged, then reborn from ashes and now is one of the world’s best examples of how people and nature can live together, both benefitting.  Working with every type of scientist and naturalist in the book was like being in school all over again.  Winter months working in the Adirondacks were 12+ hour a day work sessions with some nature hikes…and the weekends were spent bombing the Olympic Slopes of Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid with my trusty board.  Summer months were the same but on my mountain bike.  I just kept thinking “I’m seriously getting paid for this!”  And to boot, Howard Fish, Lake Placid native, naturalist and writer, offered up his lean-to on the Ausable River to me whenever I wanted it.  Beats staying in a hotel any day.

I owe a great deal of thanks to HOK and retired HOK’er Chip Reay for getting me on this amazing project.

Q-5.5  What do co-workers say about you? (c’mon! answer this honestly!)

What they probably say: “How did shortbus ever get hired here!?”

What I wish they would say: “Short in stature, but big in heart…with a little bit of talent mixed in”

That’s exactly what we say, Derek! Thanks a bundle!