Graphic design, product photography and original illustration. We focus on creating custom visual communications solutions for our customers combining graphic design, illustration and photography in effective ways. History Mankato State graduate Jeff Irish founded Concept & Design in 1979, in Nicollet, Minnesota after seeing the need for the area’s first full-service graphic design and advertising agency. Since its founding, Concept & Design has maintained its position as one of the area’s premier design studios. Concept & Design was the first in the area to fully employ computerization in the preparation of printed materials, and has continually embraced new technology as a means to higher quality, faster turnaround and lower production cost. Concept & Design continues this tradition with attention to new and emerging technologies in the 3D rendering and product photography fields. Jeff Irish retired in January 2015. At that time, Concept & Design formed a partnership between longtime employees Kris Kathmann, Jon Smith and Becky Wagner to take ownership of the firm. Product Photography View our product photography portfolio at mankatoproductphotography.com. Connect Business Magazine Concept & Design has published Connect Business Magazine since 1994. Learn more at connectbiz.com.