Creative Director for NRA Magazines Retires

Harry L. Jaecks, Creative Director for the NRA Publications Division, will retire in January after producing nearly four decades’ worth of art for a variety of NRA publications and special projects.

Jaecks, who started his career at NRA Publications as Design Chief for American Hunter in 1978 and later worked for our sister publication, American Rifleman, became Art Director in 1983. Three decades later, he became Creative Director. Over the course of his career, Jaecks saw the magazine business advance from linotype machines to desktop computers to an all-digital, network-based workflow. Thinking back, Jaecks said, “In a way, my 38 years with NRA have spanned the entire history of publishing in the 20th century.”

In that timeframe, Jaecks was voted NRA Publications’ Employee of the Year in 1997 and earned the NRA Executive Vice President’s Excellence Award in 2000. He rendered 20 portraits of NRA officials, donors and historical figures, and prints of his paintings helped the NRA raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for various NRA programs. He helped the Publications Division produce 10 different print titles and branch out into websites, TV, digital magazines and e-newsletters, and worked on membership recruitment, advertising sales, museum exhibits, books, catalogs and fraternal items, too. Thanks to his work on the specialty publication, Remington: America’s Oldest Gunmaker Turns 200, which became a prestigious Folio: Ozzie Award Winner, NRA Publications was recently recognized for industry-leading excellence in magazine design.

“Harry’s professionalism leading his team of designers and photographers has favorably impacted our 5 million-plus members. On behalf of the NRA Publications staff and all NRA members, we wish Harry well in his retirement,” said Doug Hamlin, Executive Director for the Publications Division.