This article originally appeared in the Allegan County News and has been republished with permission. If you are an Allegan Public Schools graduate and would like to be featured in an article, contact our Communications Director.
By LESLIE BALLARD
Allegan County News
Since 2009, the number of people who work remotely has risen by 159%, and 2003 Allegan High School grad Calvin Chopp is included in that number.
Calvin is the UX Design Lead at Blue Modus, a Colorado based technology company where he leads a team dedicated to website world-class digital products. UX refers to the entire interaction
people have with a product, including how people feel about the interaction.
As Calvin observes, “UX design combines human-centered design techniques, a bit of psychology and research, as well as an understanding of technology to create digital products people what to use.”
He works to help clients clarify the direction of their project, develop innovative solutions, create designs that strengthen the impact of the brand and solve business problems.
He is enthusiastic about working at Blue Modus, who has an impressive list of clients such as American Express, Bacardi, Bayer and Cisco. “I’m excited to apply my years of experience to help increase our company’s design offerings. I’m also proud to help build our design team. It’s an exciting time in the industry that I get to serve.”
While his work is fully remote, he does have the opportunity to meet in Denver at least once a year as well as to meet in regional teams and to have onsite work sessions with clients. “Keeping people engaged and working together in a remote setting can be a challenge, but Blue Modus has a work culture that is focused on keeping colleagues engaged. It works really well.”
Since college, he’s also had the opportunity to work independently with a variety of other companies and organizations in creative capacities. From web design and development to illustration and design work, his clients have included companies like Universal Music and Capital Records, doing work for artists like Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire. Other clients include Amway, GE Appliances as well as local organization Camp Beechpoint.
AHS art teacher Jason Eichbauer “was an encouragement to me. He encouraged me to pursue a creative career path – he helped validate the possibilities within the creative industries.” Calvin recalls touring Kendall College of Art and Design in downtown Grand Rapids with his art class. He went on to receive two associate degrees in Print and Digital Media Communications there while also earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Cornerstone University in 2007.
“I was interested in business but had a desire to do something in creative.” Calvin worked with Cornerstone and Kendall to put together a hybrid course in visual and digital communications.
During college he interned at his father’s company, Michfab Machinery Inc., and eventually worked there as a marketing manager after college. “It was a good experience that helped lay the foundation for my career path.”
During his junior year, he also married his childhood sweetheart Kensey (Emmons) whom he met at preschool and began dating in 9th grade. “We’ve been together since 14.”
Calvin then worked at Elexicon for 15 years.
During college, Calvin and Kensey lived in Grand Rapids but after graduation when they were ready to start a family, they wanted to be closer to their families who both live in Allegan so they came home. “We liked the small-town pace of life. Family has always been important to us, so we wanted our kids to be close to their grandparents.”
While in high school, Calvin participated in soccer, track and field, cross country and wrestling and cites Mike Chalupa and Tom Smythe both as positive influences. “Those coaches and the teams I was part of and the experiences I had with my teammates are a huge reason why I still run and choose also to coach. One of the reasons I coach is my coaches played sch a bit role in my sports experience.”
He and Kensey coach soccer in Allegan. Kensey is also on the board of the Tigershark’s Swim Club in which Calvin is actively involved.
He is still an avid runner, racing as he’s able in distances anywhere from 5K to marathons and beyond. “One of my favorite race memories was the Boston Marathon, which I ran in 2010 and 2013. It was a
great experience, and I met a lot of people.”
“It seems as if anywhere I race, I run into people from the area. Last spring I met a guy from Grand Rapids while racing a 10K at the Kennedy Space Center. The race was held on the shuttle landing strip. It was quite an experience.”
Calvin and Kensey’s children attend Allegan Public Schools where Corbin is in 6th grade and Tenley in 3rd. He believes that helping support the schools, teachers and administrators helps the schools and the community. “It’s part of what makes the community work.”
“My mom worked as the librarian at Dawson and later as a secretary at the high school. My family and friends volunteered at our schools and at different events. Having family and friends present and
actively supporting us growing up made a big difference, and my wife and I want to do that for our kids and their friends, too.”
The Chopps are happy to be in Allegan. “It’s great to see the revitalization downtown. There’s been a lot of effort in the last 5-7 years, especially to bring a variety of small businesses into the downtown area. His family enjoys Scoopt Ice Cream as he fondly remembers the Boardwalk Ice Cream Shop and the trips there with his Little League team after games.
“We like the riverfront area and the efforts the city has made to get people together.”
