Way back in 1994 I was working for a startup database publishing company producing their corporate ID and marketing materials. We purchased a tiny interactive design group led by an inspiring, enthusiastic young man named Ron Jones. I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to join his team. I am saddened to say that we lost a good friend and a great man over the weekend. Ron Jones passed away Sunday morning after a courageous battle with cancer. He was a savvy business man, a motivational leader and a loving father and will be sorely missed.
Ron’s leadership and vision was a vital catalyst to the formation of the Iconfactory. His desire to create a dynamic talented group of people led him to hire Gedeon and Talos, two graduate students fresh from the Rochester Institute of Technology computer graphic design program. Over the next two to three years we hired several more designers and programmers including Cheryl Culling who is currently one of our project managers. Paradigm Interactive was a fun, creative group who became fast friends and produced two educational CD-ROM titles along with countless interactive demos and promotional materials.
Corporate restructuring sent us all our separate ways in late 1997 but Gedeon, Talos and I continued to work on icons in our spare time until we were busy enough to leave our jobs and incorporate the Iconfactory in January of 2000.
We thank Ron for giving us the chance to meet lifelong friends, the opportunity to do what we love, and the devotion to make a difference in the world. We will miss you.
~ Corey Marion, Iconfactory Founder
