Page 8 - voices-2021-11

COVER STORY

the 1920s-early 30s. was I thinking? I could have had the ultimate
My mother was very adamant that I learned experience—an education in an East Coast, high
stuff. And of course, I refused to read until I was ranking school—part of the Ivy League, no less
in 4th grade. It took a while but I caught on to than the University of Pennsylvania!” That’s the

the whole thing. In high school I concentrated kind of thing you look back and say, “Wow, that
mostly on graphic design and art. I was the art would have been interesting to see what would
hero in high school. I illustrated the yearbook have happened.” Yeah. But you know, I love what
and did things like that throughout my career. I’m doing. I love where I am. I like watching my

I went to the University of Minnesota looking grand kids grow up. And my kids blossom and
for someplace where I could utilize what I had bloom as they go into their 50s.
been taught. I was really fascinated with graphic
design and becoming an ad agency art director. Were you in television?

Well, there was no way to major in that except Well, the motion picture production house that
in art in college. And that seemed like just kind I worked for also developed a video company
of endless busy work. called Northwest Teleproductions. We were doing
So I took a Journalism degree with a freelance advertising work, much like a television

concentration in advertising. I made friends with station would do. They would go out and video
the people at the Minneapolis School of Art, things on site. There were portable television
and embarked on a secondary degree, Business stations and means of getting out and really
Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Minneapolis freeing up video from the studio setting. So the

School of Art. company did that. That was exciting. But I was
The one-year program that was cut short by pretty much hooked on traditional advertising. A
the Vietnam War draft. I wound up in the Army friend of mine from college started an operation
training with the Psychological Operations with a partner in Boulder, Colorado.

Battalion. While in the Army Reserve, I applied When I was 31 years old, and my family was
to the Annenberg School of Communication at already set, we moved to Boulder and were there
the University of Pennsylvania, to do a two-year for 25 years. We did advertising and had a small
Master’s degree. I was accepted. boutique agency, HXR Partnership, that three of

Foolish me! When I returned to Minneapolis, us founded. We worked primarily for technology,
I got lazy and said, “Oh, I’m working for a Motion financial, industrial, and recreational companies
Picture Company. As their art director I am doing headquartered in the area. Eventually I moved to
everything I thought I’d ever want to do. I’ve got the east coast and had my East Coast experience

everything. I’ve got it made here in Minneapolis.” in my 50s and 60s.
So I passed up the opportunity. Who knows So my Boulder experience was one of
what that would have brought. It’s one of those developing a company and running it. Creating
things I look back on and say, “Well, what my own little empire called Rydlun & Company.

8 ONE COMMUNITY