In Memoriam: John Brady

John Brady, an influential designer and icon in the Pittsburgh design community, passed away on February 4. He was 57 years old.

John was a founding member of the Pittsburgh Graphic Design Society, our chapter's predecessor. He joined AIGA in 1984, served on the board of directors in the chapter’s infancy, and remained active in support of our programs and initiatives until his death. His most recent contribution was restoring our Designer Dialogues series.

John graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in design in 1975. His career began with an internship at KDKA-TV that became a full time job after graduation. While at KDKA, John created on-air graphics for the prime time news programs.

He went on to work with several other Pittsburgh firms including Creative Productions, Creamer Advertising, and Adam, Filippo and Moran. These positions gave him a wide range of knowledge and experience in advertising, exhibit design, corporate identity and packaging.

This broad design experience enabled him to start his own firm and in 1981, he founded John Brady Design Consultants (now Brady Communications). Over the years, the firm grew a long and diverse client list whose members include American Eagle Outfitters, Carnegie Mellon University, Del Monte, Hedstrom, Mylan, Pittsburgh Paints and Royal Caribbean. Countless designers have sharpened their creative teeth at Brady Communications and several have gone on to start their own firms.

Throughout his career John embraced technology, from early adoption of computer production to developing new media solutions for clients. Today, Brady Communications is noted for its interactive systems and web development as well as for print communications.

John’s work has been honored by organizations, publications, and competitions that recognize the highest standards of communication design in the United States including AIGA Design Journal, Communication Arts, Creativity Annual, American Corporate Identity, and AR100. His award winning reports for the Greater Pittsburgh Council of the Boy Scouts of America have been added to the permanent collection of The James Lemont Fogg Memorial Library at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

John served on the board of directors of The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh for more than ten years and provided creative services – most notably their ‘hi’ identity – to the North Side institution pro bono.

John was a steadfast supporter of the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon, and in 2006 he endowed the John J. Brady Scholarship. Those who would like to make memorial gifts to the Scholarship can do so online at: https://www.cmu.edu/campaign/ways/online.html or by mail to: Carnegie Mellon University, PO Box 371525, Pittsburgh, PA 15251-7525.

AIGA Pittsburgh will mount a special exhibit of John’s work at this year’s Context Show, opening on March 17 at 937 Liberty Avenue.