Karl Paluka
My background spans 20+ years across digital operations, creative production, licensing, web technology, and workflow improvement. My work centers on digital asset management, process optimization, project coordination, vendor partnerships, testing, issue resolution, and measurable improvements in speed, accuracy, and asset reuse.
Web Image Workflow Automation
Helped architect a company-wide workflow connecting production data, creative assets, photography, repositories, outside production, customer delivery, and exception reporting. I translated production problems into business requirements, tested workflow logic, documented exceptions, and helped refine the system after launch.
Experience
Select any role to see the resume highlights plus additional website-only detail.
Web Image Specialist / Digital Image Operations
Branded Custom Sportswear • Apr 2023–Present
- Own and support high-volume digital image workflows spanning asset readiness, production art, photography, naming, repositories, vendor handoffs, customer requirements, and delivery.
- Partner with IT to define business requirements, test system behavior, troubleshoot defects, improve workflow logic, and implement automation and validation controls.
- Develop and maintain exception reporting that identifies requests blocked by missing data, artwork, photography, repository files, workflow completion, or customer-specific requirements.
- Coordinate issue resolution across Digital Imaging, Art Production, Licensing, Sales, Account Services, Photography, Production, IT, and external vendors.
- Translate operational problems into actionable technical requirements, document findings, coordinate ownership, test fixes, and confirm expected results.
I trace image requests from SAP order data through production art, photography, asset repositories, outsourcing, customer delivery, and exception handling to identify where a request is stalled and what needs to happen next.
I work closely with IT as the Web Image Tool continues to evolve from a largely manual, batch-oriented process into a daily operating workflow with automated request creation, validation rules, exception reporting, and reusable asset logic.
I investigate production issues including missing art boards, incomplete style data, duplicate art and placement combinations, missing repository files, customer naming requirements, jersey exceptions, workflow timing issues, and vendor holds. I document findings, identify ownership, test fixes, and confirm expected behavior in production.
I coordinate with outside production partners and internal teams when requests cannot move forward, keeping exceptions visible and reducing the risk of late customer deliveries.
Manager, Embroidery & Headwear Production ArtBranded Custom Sportswear • Nov 2010–Apr 2023
- Managed a six-person production art team supporting high-volume licensed collegiate apparel production.
- Directed workload, training, quality, troubleshooting, deadlines, seasonal planning, and cross-department coordination.
- Served as an escalation point for artwork, licensing, workflow, production, order, and system issues.
- Led a rapid transition from paper-based production processes to a digital workflow in approximately four days while production continued.
- Created procedures, standardized workflows, trained employees, identified bottlenecks, and partnered with IT on system and process improvements.
Balanced people leadership, production management, troubleshooting, and process design in a licensed production environment where artwork accuracy, brand standards, deadlines, and seasonal volume all had to be managed at the same time.
Built procedures, standardized workflows, trained employees, balanced priorities, and handled escalations when artwork, orders, licensing requirements, or production issues did not fit the normal process.
Over time, focused increasingly on removing unnecessary manual steps and improving how work moved between people and systems. That process-improvement work became the foundation for the move into a dedicated digital operations role in April 2023.
Web ConsultantSelf-Employed • Dec 2005–Nov 2010
- Provided website development, CMS administration, content organization, technical support, and digital consulting.
- Implemented and maintained PHP-based sites while independently managing client requirements, timelines, troubleshooting, and deliverables.
Worked directly with clients to turn business needs into usable websites and ongoing site improvements, then managed the work from requirements through delivery and support.
Handled content structure, site updates, CMS administration, PHP-based functionality, troubleshooting, and post-launch maintenance. The work built an early foundation in requirements gathering, client communication, and practical systems thinking.
Licensing AdministratorGear for Sports • Nov 2000–Dec 2005
- Supported licensing and merchandise operations including product and order data, vendor coordination, reporting, quality assurance, and web-based merchandise workflows.
- Worked with Oracle Retail and BIS reporting tools while coordinating information across internal teams, vendors, and licensing requirements.
Built a foundation in licensed sportswear operations by working across product information, brand and licensing requirements, reporting, vendors, and internal teams.
The role showed early on how data quality, accurate approvals, and process discipline affect downstream production and delivery—experience that carried directly into later production and digital asset work.
Digital Asset Management
I work across the asset lifecycle—from source files and metadata through workflow status, repositories, production, vendor delivery, and customer-facing output.
Asset Lifecycle
Production artwork, product photography, PDFs, web images, repositories, vendor handoffs, customer files, and downstream delivery.
Metadata & Naming
Naming standards, IDs, customer requirements, workflow status, data associations, repository availability, and validation.
Quality Control
Missing assets, duplicates, incorrect naming, invalid data, incomplete workflow states, exception analysis, and resolution.
Business Impact
Use asset reuse, automation, validation, vendor coordination, and exception management to control cost, improve consistency, and accelerate delivery.
Project Management
My project work usually lives where people, systems, business rules, vendors, and production deadlines all collide.
Requirements & Coordination
Translate operational problems into clear workflow needs while connecting IT, Creative, Licensing, Sales, Account Services, Photography, Production, and vendors.
Testing & QA
Test functionality, find edge cases, document defects, validate fixes, and confirm workflows work in real production.
Process Improvement
Identify bottlenecks, reduce manual work, improve visibility, simplify handoffs, and eliminate preventable errors.
Implementation & Resolution
Support rollout, documentation, training, adoption, and ongoing refinement while tracing complex issues across systems, data, and business rules.
Skills & Systems
Capabilities spanning digital assets, workflow improvement, project delivery, quality, leadership, and the systems that support the work.
Digital Asset & Creative Operations
Workflow & Process Improvement
Project, QA & Leadership
Systems & Tools
Education
Business, digital marketing, and cybersecurity training support the mix of management, systems thinking, and digital operations throughout my career.
University of Kansas
Bachelor of Business Administration
Graduated 2000
University of Kansas
Digital Marketing Boot Camp
2021–2022
Coding Dojo
Ethical Hacking Boot Camp
2023–2024
Let’s Talk
Interested in digital asset management, creative operations, project management, workflow, or process improvement opportunities.