Norman Ulrich :::
Norman Ulrich
Graduted in 1938
Inducted in 2009
Upon graduation from LT in 1938, Norman Ulrich's passion for art continued as he attended the Chicago Professional School of Art, having received one of only two national full scholarships. After studying under nationally renowned artists, Ulrich's art career was delayed with the onset of World War II. Ulrich, who was trained as a pilot, was commissioned as an Air Force officer and stationed in England. His B17 was shot down during his fifth mission over Germany, and he spent 11 months in the Stalag Luft III prison camp. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his contributions during the war and later received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Air Force JROTC. After the war, Ulrich's art career flourished. He began work as an illustrator and commercial artist with R.R. Donnelly and was later named Designer and Creative Director. Some of the decisions he made at that time are still apparent in currently published phone books. Ulrich went on to work for a commercial art firm and then opened his own commercial art studio in 1952. Some of his clients included Armour, Dial Soap, Jim Beam and Mars Candy Company. He served two terms as president of the Art Directors Club of Chicago and was later elected president of the National Society of Art Directors. In 1966 during his term as president of the National Society, he represented the U.S. at an International Art Congress, which resulted in word-free symbols that are still used today, including the warning sign of a circle with a slash across it. Following retirement, he was hired as a European representative for a defense- and safety-related company. He was also employed for 10 years by the Wheatridge Foundation, where he designed church banners and set a national standard for his Christmas seal designs. Ulrich's personal life speaks volumes about his character. He shares his wartime experiences, helps in the rehabilitation of returning combat soldiers, and is very active in the national Stalag Luft III Former Prisoners of War organization. He has also donated his time and talents, designing logos and banners for various churches and charities.