David R. Beittel

David R. Beittel, the eldest son of Alice and Donald Rettew Beittel, was born December 30, 1947 in New Jersey. He graduated in 1966 from Moorestown Friends School and received B.A.'s in English and Art at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In his freshman year, he won the Hobart College Art Prize for his painting "Errata". This encouraged him later to pursue a career in art. During his time at Hobart, David was profoundly influenced by his mentor, Marjorie Hall Cloutier, Instructor in Art and Assistant Dean and later Dean of William Smith, the coordinate college to Hobart.
In addition to his undergraduate work, David received a New York State Teaching Certificate in 1970. He taught High School at Midlakes High School, Phelps, New York for one year before pursuing his M.F.A. David received his M.F.A. in Theatre Administration from the University of Georgia in 1973 and studied under Dr. Leighton M. Ballew, then head of the Department of Drama and Theatre. During his stay at UGA he was a full-time employee of the State of Georgia and worked as Dr. Ballew's administrative assistant.
David served as Assistant Director of Missouri Repertory Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri and Assistant Professor of Theatre before being named Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri. While at Missouri Repertory Theatre he worked with Dr. Patricia McIlrath, Director of the Theatre and theatre department at the time of the greatest expansion of the Missouri Repertory Theatre to its new facilities.
In 1978 David joined Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri and worked there for fourteen years rising from entry level artist to Design Director. During his tenure at Hallmark Cards he had the pleasure to work with its founder, J. C. Hall and the Sr. Vice President of Creative, George Parker. These two men had a significant influence on his career. In 1992 he joined a small company in Seattle, Washington called "The Paper Company". There, he took the company from #4 to #1 in wholesale sales of imprintable stationery.
In the fall of 1993 David was recruited by Ed Fruchtenbaum, the President and Irving Stone, the Founder, of American Greetings, in Cleveland, Ohio. Serving initially as Vice President of Creative Retail he worked in various positions in Product Management and Creative and finished his 12-year career as the first Senior Vice President of Creative of the largest publicly owned greeting card company.
David retired to Palm Springs, California in 2005.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu