Who are we?

Sumy Designs is a web design company that was founded by two sisters, Amy Masson and Susan Knoll. Susan resides in Argyle, Texas and Amy lives in Lafayette, Indiana. We work together virtually to create professional and functional websites. Susan does all the graphic and print design, and Amy is in charge of web design and coding. Sumy Designs also occasionally uses help from independent contractors when the need arises.

Amy Masson

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana where I graduated from Franklin Central High School in 1994. I then attended Indiana University in Bloomington and graduated in 1998 with a degree in Secondary English and Computer Education.

After college, I spent over five years teaching middle school. Four of those years were spent teaching computer classes to grades six through eight, with topics ranging from BASIC programming, to Desktop Publishing, to Business Applications, to HTML and web publishing. I loved working with the kids and the computers, and I really loved learning new things that I could incorporate into my classroom.

After my first child was born, I made the decision to become a stay-at-home mom, and was happy in this role for a long time. It didn't seem like very long, though, before web design projects just started faling into my lap, and it seemed like the right time to start my own business. With the help of my sister, Susan, we formed our small company and started accepting clients.

We founded our company in March of 2006, and have increased our projects tremendously since then. I spend a lot of time learning new things, keeping up to date on the newest techniques and software, and keeping busy with new clients.

I learn something new from every project I do, and enjoy being challenged by clients to do more than I think I can do.

Susan Knoll

My name is Susan Knoll and I represent the creative side of the Sumy team. This fact will impress you even more when you know I have a degree in English with a minor in Anthropology. (That would be the "art" in Liberal Arts). I graduated from Ball State University many years ago, but not many, many years ago, a distinction that grows more important with each passing year.

For several years I lived in Indiana and worked as a graphic designer for [Insert soulless corporation]. It was a living, but really, there was nothing more than corn in Indiana. Soon afterwards I made my way across the country to Dallas with my daughter for a job transfer. The bad news was I was fired shortly after the company was taken over. The good news is I eventually married the "executive bastard" who had taken over the company. I believe that's called poetic justice. It's also called good luck…the executive bastard is a wonderful man.

I spent the next 10 years in Advertising and Marketing for a large book distributor. I was fortunate enough to work with many well-known authors and top publishers. It was a job sent from heaven until the company was purchased by [Insert yet another soulless corporation]. Fortunately, marrying the executive bastard meant I was in a position to quit, and my sister and I started Sumy Designs shortly thereafter. It's been a wonderful experience, even if I do have to remind Amy that, as older sister, I am always right.

When I'm not designing pages, I spend a lot of time with my family (the aforementioned, lovely executive bastard and my daughter). I am also a runner, and that comprises a large part of how I see myself. I love to run, although I hate that my butt jiggles when I do so. I run to inspire my daughter and stay svelte for my husband – but mostly I run for myself. I blog about running, Runner Susan , and contribute articles with far too much detail about the disgusting side of running to the awesome Complete Running Network . I blog to keep myself on track physically, mentally, and to ensure I do not spend all my money on shoes. And I blog because, let's face it, I'm an attention whore.