DSU alum designs county’s new logo
February 12, 2017
Eye-catching. That’s the description of Lake County’s new logo, according to Roger Hageman, Lake County Commission Chairman.
“This one caught my eye right away,” he said.
The “one” he is referring to is Jared Truman’s logo design, submitted to last fall’s contest sponsored by Intuvio Solutions, LLC. Intuvio is creating a new website for the county.
Truman, a Dakota State University graduate in graphic design, submitted two designs for the contest. Both were among the six final entries brought before the commission at their Dec. 6 meeting.
Hageman was impressed with the number of designs received, adding “There were quite a few good ones.”
In the end, though, the five commissioners chose Truman’s design, which features a line of trees along a lake. In the foreground are the words “Lake County,” and the state’s script “South Dakota” logo.
To begin his design process, Truman tried to figure out what represents the county. “The lakes, obviously,” he said, and trees.
While they seem small and simple, “There’s a lot to think about for logos,” he said, “such as what they want to do with it in the future,” and where it will be used.
For more versatility, he submitted the winning design in color and in black and white. Through his job as a designer at Power Promotions he has learned the usefulness of one- or two-color designs.
The color version has yellow and orange in the background. These colors fit a sunrise or sunset, but are also typical fall colors.
“Fall is the best time for [anyplace] in South Dakota,” said the Beresford native. “Fall is the most beautiful time in South Dakota.”
Besides creating versatile designs, Truman is working to blend versatility in his own life. He loves sports in addition to graphic design, so returned to DSU this spring to earn a certificate in coaching for cross country and track. He competed in those sports while getting his degree at Dakota State.
While he enjoys sports, there is a satisfaction that he gets from his graphics design work. He’s noticed people wearing shirts he has designed, and “it seems really cool knowing that you made that.’
“Designing something for anyone, it can make a difference,” Truman said.
As far as the county logo, “I’m glad they picked this one, because it’s my favorite one,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the first thing they put it on.”
The logo has made its online debut on the county’s new website at www.lake.sd.gov. Shelli Gust, Lake County’s commission administrative assistant, said she is continuing to build the site, so not all links are active yet. She added that many departments intend to add additional information and content in the coming weeks.