Dear Friends, 

Eighteen years ago, I started Ward Design Group with little more than a passion for design and a hope that a few people might trust me with their vision. You did; and some of you hired me 18 years ago and are still with me today. That kind of loyalty is rare, and I have never taken it for granted.

Thank you for trusting me with your websites, your brands, and often your businesses’ first impressions to the world. I want you to know that I’ve learned something from every one of you. Your ideas, your industries, your feedback, and your stories have shaped me as much as I’ve shaped any logo or homepage.

Today, I’m writing to share some big news: I have sold Ward Design Group, fully, to John Lane and Kelli Biller. Effective today, July 31, 2026, John and Kelli are running the show and all of the day-to-day operations. I am making myself available to them as a consultant to help ensure that things run better than ever. I know they are looking forward to meeting many of you soon!

This was not a decision I made lightly, and it’s not one I made with strangers. I’ve known John well for over 10 years. I mentored him a bit when he was getting started, and we’ve collaborated on many projects together over the years. I know his work, his character, and how he treats clients. So let me say this plainly: if you’ve trusted me all these years, I’m asking you to trust me one more time — enough to place that same trust in John and Kelli. Your websites and brands will be in excellent hands.

And here’s what should give you even more confidence: John and Kelli have every intention of keeping the Ward Design Group name and brand active. They’re taking great care to keep my wonderful staff in place, along with our beautiful office in Sea Grove, St. Augustine Beach. On top of that, they bring their own full support team!

So what does this mean for you? Same phone number. Same friendly Lynn on the other end of the line. Same excellent and creative work from Amy, Eric, and Anna. And now, with John and Kelli’s team joining ours, you’ll have double the support options you had before, many with fresh eyes and progressive ideas, including 24-hour support! In every way that matters to your day-to-day, things stay the same — they just get stronger!

As for me, I’m not disappearing — I’m following a passion. I’m launching Ward Communications, a new company built around what I’ve discovered are my greatest strengths: training others to work through issues and improve their communication skills, enhance sales techniques, craft effective visual presentations, and coach their public speaking skills. It’s a science I’ve studied for the past 10 years, and I find it absolutely fascinating. I can’t wait to share more with you soon. Prior to launching Ward Design Group, I was a Communications Director for a large organization for 20 years, so I’m going back to some of my roots, now better equipped than ever!

To every one of you, thank you for your loyalty, your referrals, your patience and grace, and most of all your friendship over these many years. It has been the honor of my professional life to serve you.

With deep gratitude,

Branan Ward