Creativity and causes are the key to Bonnie Schwartz’s professional satisfaction. (photo/lambertphoto.com)

Should Bonnie Schwartz ever feel the need to get a refresher course on the ability of teenagers to tackle difficult problems, she need only spend another three days in the mountains with 90 high school juniors. She did just that last month when she chaired Rotary Camp Enterprise, an annual competition at Julian’s Camp Cedar Glen, where student teams fought for prizes by developing mock businesses.

“It was amazing to watch these people — who didn’t know each other — bond and come together on a team to come up with some intriguing ideas,” says Schwartz. “This group was tremendously articulate. They were raring to go.”

Schwartz has found similar stimulation — and professional recognition — from many of the clients she does work for as founder (with husband Clem) of Schwartz Design Group, now in its 35th year. An invitation package her agency put together for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians’ 2004 grand opening of its $250 million casino near Banning won two international awards for creativity.

The project took a year to develop and, says Schwartz, required a tremendous amount of research. The agency also put together ads for the Sycuan Band before it opened its East County casino. “In working with Indian tribes, it’s not just a job. It’s a cause, a passion,” says Schwartz, a TWIN honoree in 1998. “The work goes a lot deeper than just being a project. It’s quite emotional, quite moving. I’m proud that we played a small part in helping them. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Schwartz and her husband (who retired three years ago) purchased a Craftsman house on Fourth Avenue in 1974 and renovated it for their business. The five-employee company covers a lot of territory. It can develop advertisements, create direct mail pieces, design Web pages and create long-term projects like the one for the Morongo Indians. Schwartz is not quite ready to join her husband in retirement. “I love what I do. I have a very balanced life,” she says. “I love my associations and giving back to the community. I am very engaged.”

Just like the high school juniors she accompanies to the mountains.

— Manny Cruz