Damian M. Ferek

President, The STICK Co. and STICK Tattoo Company

Instagram: @damian.ferek, @westickanything, @sticktattooco
Facebook: damian.ferek, TheStickCo., STICKTattooCompany

Written by Maggie Matsko 

From a very young age, Damian Ferek had his eyes set on the advertising industry. “When I graduated high school, I was handed an envelope from my sixth grade teacher that contained an assignment I wrote in his class,” says Ferek. “In it, I had said I either wanted to be in the NBA or own my own advertising agency. Twenty years later, being vertically challenged has ended my NBA dreams, but it has also guided me toward my other childhood career goal.”

With his path chosen, Ferek embarked on his professional journey. His first stop was a graphic design position in 84 Lumber’s corporate office. While he was grateful for that first job and the fact that it set the tone for his whole career, the opportunity did not come without a setback. Ferek was fired because his employers felt the freelancing he did was a conflict of interest. It was his freelancing, however, that later led to his first contract and pushed him to start Asayo Creative.

“One of the biggest challenges of my career was when I was fired from that first job,” he remembers. “It was then that I was forced to decide if I was ready or even able to start my own company. This meant I had to ensure this direction was the best step from a financial and time standpoint while still being able to help my father, who has been suffering from multiple sclerosis. In the end, I made the decision to push forward and not look back. With the support of family and friends, amazing coworkers and countless late-night design sessions, I’ve been able to make things work both professionally and personally.”

Today, at the age of 32, Ferek is the owner of Asayo Creative and Stick, LLC, which were recently consolidated to form The STICK Co.; STICK Tattoo Company and The West Virginia Oil and Gas Expo, one of the state’s most successful trade shows. He is also responsible for the creation of TEAM STICK, which supports young, regional athletes competing in non-traditional sports. When he’s not starting a new company or initiative, he’s paying it all forward.

Ferek serves as the regional coordinator for the WalkMS Morgantown & RunMS Morgantown 5K for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is also a board member of the West Virginia University (WVU) Children’s Hospital Annual Gala as well as the 2015 co-chair. Last February, STICK Tattoo Company organized Tats for Tots, which raised $1,200 for WVU Children’s Hospital while showcasing how a tattoo shop can give back to its community. The shop then donated the event’s artwork to be hung in the hospital’s windows to make the space less scary for young patients.

Over the years, Ferek has volunteered for The Humane Society of Greene County, America’s 911 Foundation, WVU Veterans Affairs, United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties, the Michael Todd May Foundation and The Autism Open. Ferek serves on multiple boards such as the North Central West Virginia Home Builders Association and the Morgantown Home Show. He has also donated many websites over the years. The most recent was DeuceStrong.com, a site that helps raise awareness, funds and support for Devon “Deuce” Williams, a young man in need of a double lung transplant. The site received the Crystal Award in 2015 from the West Virginia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

“For many of us, growing up in a small town instills a lot of family, work and community values in our lives, and I feel West Virginia, our communities, our businesses and our culture share these same values,” says Ferek. “We support our communities through involvement, we support our local businesses through loyalty, and we support our state through growth.”

What is your favorite … ?
Color – Green
Food – Steak
Cartoon Character – Snoopy
Ice Cream – Mint MooseTracks
Animal – Lion
Book – “How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients” by Jeffrey J. Fox
App – MyFitnessPal
Midnight Snack – Oodles of Noodles
TV Show – “The Sopranos”
Movie – “Despicable Me”
Smell – Musk
Sport Team – Pittsburgh Steelers
Car – Batmobile
Pet – My dog, Abobe
Place – Las Vegas, NV
Season – Fall
Local Restaurant – Wonderbar Steakhouse
Era – 1950s