Rick Willis
Rick Willis
Rick Willis
Creative Director
willis@808post.com
The United States Air Force brought Rick to Las Vegas in 1970, where he finished his military hitch, designing graphics for the Thunderbird precision flying team and various commanding officers at Nellis, AFB. He operated, Willis Consulting, an advertising & design firm from 1974 – 1984 where he preformed a wide range of design and broadcast production services for a variety of strip hotels, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Nevada Department of Tourism and numerous political campaigns, including U.S. Senator, Harry Reid and Governor’s Mike O’Callahan, Robert List and Richard Bryan.
Rick produced and hosted “National Fishhead Radio” a nationally syndicated radio program that aired in over 100 cities coast to coast. He appeared on Entertainment Tonight, ESPN, National Public Radio and was featured in Sports Illustrated, Field and Stream, Sports Afield and numerous other national magazines. Two hundred fifty shows were produced during the five-year run.
Rick’s work has been published in a wide range of graphics trade magazines. His logo designs have received international awards for design excellence and have been published in several showcase books including Creating Logos and Letterheads, Communication Arts and Print Magazines Design Annual.
How Magazine, awarded him winner of the “Self Promotion” competition and winner of the International Design Competition. Print Magazine awarded Best of Show billboard design, more than once. His work has also been displayed and used as classroom examples in art and design schools including the University of Weisbaden, Germany. The list of local, regional and national broadcast awards range from Best of Show Radio and Television, Most Creative Radio and Television, Best Copywriting Radio and Television, and Best Production, also for radio and Television work during the past forty plus years.
Rick, recently wrapped up production for season one for RatRodTV, an eleven episode series – created, written, produced, and directed by him, that aired recently on DirecTV and the TUFF TV networks. He is currently in the process of shooting an additional twelve episodes for season two.
During his long career in Las Vegas, Rick, has worked with many high profile people on various projects, some of which include, Mel Brooks, Tim Conway, Howell Raines, Al Unser, Jr., Frank Gorshin, Foster Brooks, Gary Owens, Baxter Black, Wayne Newton, Rodney Dangerfield, Oscar Goodman, Steve Wynn, Tony Marnell, Randy Black, Tom Selleck and many more.
Rick has acted as branding and creative consultant for RaceTrack Television, (Dish Network) Vegas PBS, Nevada Development Authority, Casino Express Airlines, Chrysler Corporation, Harrah’s, Jockey Club, World Oil, University of Nevada, Nevada Power, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Mesquite Gaming, Swiss Air and City Properties Group.
He has produced and directed over 750 radio and television commercials, specializing in leisure, hospitality, gaming and automotive genres. Areas of expertise are, copywriting, concept creative, brand design and consulting, photo and television editing direction, video presentations, outdoor communications, print design and web concept design. Radio Rick also provided over 120 radio personalities with weekly comedy material, some of which, landed on the Tonight Show.
When he is not working Rick, can be found at the ice arena chasing hockey pucks, pursuing trout with a fly rod, shooting competition archery, playing nine-ball, savoring a fine Romeo y Julieta, disintegrating sporting clays, tending to the needs of fourteen grand-children, or hunting marlin from his boat parked in Oceanside, California. He also flies airplanes.
Have you seen the movie Casino? That sums up Rick’s, Las Vegas advertising career better than any written biography.
