What does it take to become an Emmy Award-winning graphic design artist? For Jon Teschner, who was recently named executive vice president of Novocom, a Malibu company specializing in graphic design for broadcasting, it was a journey that took him to every state and 40 countries.

Art student, film editor, combat medic and health-store owner were just a few of the roles he played along the way.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Teschner studied at Bowling Green State University and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. While studying in New York, Teschner also worked in the sound design and editing department of Calliope Films. But it was 1967 and he was called up and sent to Vietnam as a combat medic.

Teschner returned to the states two years later and resumed work at Calliope, this time in the editing department, but after a few years he got restless and had a stint running a natural food grocery store in Rhode Island.

“I left and I was struggling to find out what was important it was the ’70s and what seemed important to me at the time was health,” Teschner said.

Another change of path occurred in 1974, when he signed up for the Atlanta College of Art where he studied painting and sculpture. “I found that I was a much better college student at 28 than at 18.”

The he joined Turner Broadcasting as an unpaid intern.

“The greatest decision of my life was to work for free and be in a place where I could make something of myself,” he said.

His internship quickly turned into a paid position. Teschner ended up spending three years at CNN in the graphics department. “It was all new and we were very excited,” he said. “It was a challenge. No one really thought we could pull off so it was very rewarding to be a part of a team that changed the face of news.”

With his credentials earned at CNN, he traveled to 140 stations, stretching from New York City to Fairbanks, Alaska, teaching newsroom graphic designers how to use design equipment. One of his favorite projects was creating the graphics for Monday Night Football. The project cost well over $1 million and involved everything from live shoots, costume design and three-dimensional model shoots.

His work on the 2006 Academy Awards earned an Emmy for “Outstanding Main Title Design.”

Teschner and three other artists won the Emmy (more than 30 others were involved with the project) for creating a three-dimensional, computer-animated city populated by 57 of history’s biggest movie stars.

“It was a magical thing we tried to create and it was a big success,” said Teschner.

Novocom’s clients have included American networks and TV shows. The company is also working on broadcast projects for clients in Europe, Asia and Australia.

Teschner is 59 and lives in Studio City with his wife, who is a real estate broker. His 27-year-old son is about to graduate from the Kitchen Academy. In his spare time he likes to play golf and can often be found showing open houses for his wife.