BROOKLYN, NY, January 06, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Maria Puntus has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Puntus has distinguished herself as a dynamic, creative professional, currently serving as a Lead Brand Designer at Speedchain, Inc. since 2025. In this capacity, she oversees the comprehensive design and supervision of the Speedchain platform, encompassing web, user interface and user experience design. Her responsibilities include hiring and managing a junior designer, delegating tasks, and guiding the company's overall creative execution. Ms. Puntus leads Marketing and Art Direction to strengthen Speedchain's brand presence across digital and physical environments, designs trade-show materials to enhance the company's visual impact at industry events, and collaborates with internal teams to develop investor and board presentations that clearly communicate the company's growth and value. As a 360-degree marketing designer, she supports company expansion, improves client satisfaction and helps new leads understand the platform's benefits and offerings.

Ms. Puntus's tenure at Speedchain began in 2024 when she joined as a Junior Graphic Designer. Initially assisting the Founding Designer with the Marketing collateral, she quickly assumed full responsibility for all design matters following the Founding Designer's departure. At that time, Speedchain was a small team of ten individuals with only a few active accounts. Over the next year, Ms. Puntus played a pivotal role in establishing a robust design system and foundation for the company. Her strategic efforts contributed to significant growth, expanding the client base to nearly 100 logos and supporting the company as it raised $111 million in investment capital in September 2025. She regards this period as her most notable professional achievement, emphasizing the collective effort of her team in achieving these milestones.

In 2024, Ms. Puntus served as a Digital Designer and Design Consultant for Pentagon Homes Mobile Home Communities. In this role, she provided creative direction and design solutions tailored to the needs of mobile home communities, further honing her expertise in Digital Branding.

From 2023 to 2024, Ms. Puntus worked as a freelance Graphic Designer for Red's Go, a boutique events agency, developing visual assets that enhanced the Brand Identity and Customer Engagement. Her freelance experience allowed her to explore diverse industries and adapt her skills to various client needs, which she successfully implements today. Today she runs her own networking events across New York City and bringing the most compelling industry leaders together.

In 2023, Ms. Maria completed an internship in Creative Marketing at Kate Spade New York, gaining valuable exposure to Brand Strategy within a leading fashion house.

Between 2022 and 2023, Ms. Puntus held the position of Fashion Editor at Connector at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where she curated editorial content that bridged fashion trends with student interests.

Ms. Puntus began her professional journey as a Graphic Design intern at Romeo Hunte in 2022, supporting creative projects for an emerging fashion label, now well-recognized in the New York scene.

She is also an active member of AIGA, reflecting her commitment to professional development within the design community.

Ms. Puntus's academic background has been instrumental in shaping her career trajectory. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with a minor in User Experience design from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah in 2024, graduating Magna Cum Laude. During her studies, she actively participated in projects that deepened her expertise in Video Editing and User Experience; notably, one of her short videos won first place in a contest organized by Lafayette American for the best short video under thirty seconds.

Her educational foundation is further strengthened by several certifications: a certificate in Social Sciences from Columbia University, awarded in 2019; a Certificate in Psychology of Silicon Valley from Stanford University.

Ms. Puntus credits much of her success to her family's unwavering support—her parents' backgrounds in finance and science provided stability while encouraging her creative pursuits—and to friends who share her drive for innovation. She values continuous learning and self-improvement as core principles guiding her journey.

Her entry into the profession was shaped by internships with prominent fashion brands such as Romeo Hunte Couture and Kate Spade New York during her college years. These experiences provided visibility within the fashion industry while nurturing her passion for creativity across multiple sectors. After graduation, Ms. Puntus embraced an opportunity with Speedchain despite limited fintech experience; driven by curiosity about technology startups, she quickly adapted to managing large-scale projects within this fast-paced environment. Freelance event design work further broadened her understanding of how creative strategies can drive business success.

Beyond her professional commitments, Ms. Puntus is dedicated to civic engagement through volunteerism and philanthropy, supporting various charities via financial contributions or clothing donations.

Her achievements have been recognized through several prestigious awards: an honorable mention from International Design Awards in 2024 for her redesign proposal for DKNY; first place for best short video under thirty seconds from Lafayette American; and a European Product Design Award as both finalist and winner (Education Tools category) for "Pause," an innovative platform designed to foster LGBTQ+ conversations between parents and children through shared media experiences.

Ms. Puntus is also an author; her coffee table book, "Porsche: the Legacy," explores the history behind four iconic Porsche models, reflecting both a personal passion for automotive culture and a dedication to storytelling through design.

Born in Moscow, Ms. Puntus enjoys automotive sports and supercars, particularly watching Formula One, and practices painting supercars and racing cars as a creative outlet inspired by her admiration for Automotive Design.

Looking ahead, Ms. Puntus plans to establish her own business, a goal closely tied to her recent relocation to New York City, and is committed to developing unique concepts that help businesses grow through innovative branding strategies. She seeks opportunities for public speaking engagements and aims to organize more community events while sharing knowledge gained throughout her multifaceted career journey.

Ms. Puntus continues to integrate backgrounds spanning fashion, events and fintech into distinctive offerings that address market needs, demonstrating both versatility as a creative leader and dedication to fostering meaningful connections within her community.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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