Dexter by Design

Grandview man uses graphic design skills for animals, charities

By Cara Laviola

With his kind voice and friendly persona, it’s no wonder animals tend to respond well to Mike Dexter.

Dedicated to the city of Grandview Heights, where he has resided for more than 20 years, Dexter – a graphic design er by trade – has devoted much of his time and talent to helping animals.

A 1978 graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Dexter is co-founder of local graphic design firm Iannarino Dexter Creative, along with Joe Iannarino. The Grandview-based firm’s work focuses primarily on corporate identity, but its clients range from Peoples Bank to Grandview’s Lazy Daze of Summer Festival, sponsored by the Grandview Heights/ Marble Cliff Arts Council.

Dexter has been an important part of many philanthropic projects over the years, notably with the creation of logos, banners and T-shirt designs for projects in the Grandview community – often for free. He also serves as a big brother with the Tri-Village Mentor League.

But there’s no question as to which cause he is most passionate about. “Definitely animals,” Dexter says. “My wife, Barb, and I are great animal lovers.”

Dexter’s love for animals mixes well with his love for graphic design. “I do design (work) for Friends of the Shelter,” Dexter says. “It’s a satellite organization that helps raise money for the Franklin County Dog Shelter.”

Every year, Iannarino Dexter Creative produces a calendar for Friends of the Shelter. “People submit small photos of their dogs, and I put them in (the calendar) for a small donation,” Dexter says.

“If you donate $300, a professional photographer takes photos of the dogs.

“I design the calendar, and the money raised from its sales goes toward the shelter,” Dexter says.

Their love for animals has taken the Dexters all the way to Utah, where they volunteered with the Best Friends Animal Society in Angel Canyon. “It’s an amazing animal shelter with thousands of animals, and people volunteer from all over the world,” he says.

And though volunteering has taken him across the country, Grandview still remains special to Dexter. “A lot of my design work is for the Grandview library. The people who work there are really terrific and do a lot to help me,” he says. cs