I don't know too many designers who haven't felt the influence of Paul Rand, arguably America's greatest graphic designers of the 20th century. He revolutionized the advertising world with his simple communicative designs, and was among the first to embrace the international style of design that emerged in Europe during the 50s and 60s. His corporate identity work is most recognizable, and he is largely credited with convincing businesses of the importance of design.

I was glad to learn about the launch of Paul-Rand.com, a work-in-progress, detailing his life and work.

Equally famous for his bullish personality, Rand did not suffer fools gladly. Here's an interview from 1993 with Steve Jobs discussing his experience working with Rand on the mostly-forgotten NEXT project...