{Photoshoot} Introducing The Anders Ruff Custom Design Team

About Anders Ruff

Since we started Anders Ruff at the very beginning of February (2010!), it has been a whirlwind of growth, changes, inspirations, ideas and our business has taken off quicker than we could have ever expected! (Special thanks to YOU who have been super supporters!)

We decided to make time to capture some photos of us to share with our readers and clients. Since everything we do is online it seems, you all are probably wondering who we really are behind the name! We are also excited to introduce you to our 3 new additions to the team! Carrie (who you have seen us post about and heard from on blog posts), Becky and Caryn. Read on....

Becca Bond from Becca Bond Photography captured some really fun moments of us a couple weeks ago. Becca is a dream to work with. She has amazing composition skills and just an overall super talent with beautiful photography that really does reflect our true personalities!

We wrote up a bio on ourselves to give you a little background info, too!
We hope this helps you get to know us more! We love finding out about our clients and business friends through our work and are excited to share about us.


Anders Ruff

Maureen Anders

About Maureen
I was brought up in Novi, Michigan by 2 interior designer parents. I grew up surrounded by creativity and design and have always had a true passion for creating my own masterpieces. Drawing and sketching, painting and paper crafts, sewing and smocking,... the list goes on. Ever since I was a little girl, I had an obsession with paper and crafts. It was the only thing on my "wish list" to Santa every year!

Even with my art and design passion, I attended the University of Michigan College of Engineering to obtain a Bachelors in Industrial and Operations Engineering. I began my career with GE Healthcare as a Diagnostic Imaging Sales Account Manager. I met the love of my life during my sales training program, moved to North Carolina and haven't ever looked back!

Woven in between the mathematical equations and scientific principles came design inspiration and attention to detail. More than anything else, I have always been completely fulfilled by simply designing and creating from my random daily inspirations. After I had my first son, Jeffrey, I decided that the stressful and travel filled capital sales career was not going to work.

I love staying home with my boys (Jeffrey, 5, and Pierson, 2), but have always needed a creative outlet to keep me balanced. I started a business, Posh Papier, where I designed handmade invitations and also took on large scale art projects. I loved working for myself, but always missed having a partner to bounce ideas off of, inspire eachother, and collaborate on late night projects. My dream was to meet someone with the same goals, interests and vision. When I met Adria at a random preschool open house, it just clicked and I knew it was meant to be!
From there, Anders Ruff was created. I couldn't be more excited about what we are doing together as a team!
-Maureen


Adria Ruff

About Adria
I was born & raised in Lancaster, Ohio. I lived there until college - where I attended Auburn University, with a Bachelor's of Science and studied Fashion Merchandising, Design & Product Management (specializing in Design). I met my husband in my hometown while home during Christmas break in college. We have been married for 11 years and have two daughters, Brynne (8) & Grayce (5).

My first job out of college was as a Costume Technician for a Ballet Company in Columbus, Ohio (Ballet Met). Following that position, I jumped over to the corporate world in Fashion. I worked for Limited Too for 6 1/2 years (now known as Justice) - half of that time I worked in the Technical Design dept (clothing engineering), and the other half I was a Web PDM Administrator - implementing the product data management system that they now use.

Before I had my second daughter, Grayce, I quit the corporate life. While staying at home with my daughters, I created a small photography business in my hometown. A few years later I incorporated graphic design with my photography as well as custom invitations. (all self-taught) Once I realized what could be done with graphic design, I phased out photography and devoted my spare time to graphic work. I had finally found my true passion!!!

In December, 2009 my husband's job was uprooted, which brought us to Fort Mill, SC. The first two months we lived here, all I did was paint and decorate my house.... until one day I bumped into (and officially met) my business partner, Maureen. We hit it off immediately, and spontaneously decided to start selling graphic designs for invitations on etsy. We both had done it on our own, and knew partnering up, would be so much better!

Our design work started selling immediately, and in a blink of an eye we had created Anders Ruff Custom Designs. I still (8 months later) am like - Wow - did we really do this???

We are humbled daily by the support & encouragement we have gotten from friends, family, clients and new on-line business acquaintances!
-Adria


Anders Ruff
Established February 2010
Photoshoot with Becca Bond Photography







Anders Ruff - New Team Additions...
About a month ago we brought on Carrie Kane to help us keep up with social media and marketing of our company. We shared a little info with you back then, but we are excited to share Carrie's bio with you. Carrie has been a tremendous help to us in keeping us connected to the world and allowing us time to get involved in some really fun collaborations!

With our quick growth, we also recently hired on 2 very talented design editors! We wouldn't be able to create as many new collections and photo shoots if we didn't have the help of our design editors to help free up some time for us. We are so excited to introduce Caryn Johnson and Becky Jacob. They have been AMAZING to work with and we are so excited for our new team additions! (in alphabetical order, of course!)

Carrie Kane
About Carrie
I grew up in a suburb of Buffalo, New York, called Orchard Park (home of the Buffalo Bills). I attended Smith College for one year and then decided to move back to Buffalo to be closer to my family, finishing out my degree in Communication at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

I married fairly quickly and moved with my then husband to Charleston, South Carolina, where our son Bryce was born in 1999. Then, a move to Charlotte, North Carolina, followed in 2000, where I continued to stay at home with Bryce. Our second son, Simon came along in 2002, and I started to get the itch to go back to work shortly thereafter.

I have worked as an Executive Assistant for close to eight years and love what I do; however there has always been an entrepreneurial side of me that has remained unfulfilled. When I met Maureen and Adria, I knew that this was my chance to bring that entrepreneurial passion to fruition.

As the Director of Social Media and Marketing for Anders Ruff Custom Designs, I use social media and networking to try and grow our business and promote the Anders Ruff name. I remain employed full-time as an Executive Assistant; and my additional spare time is spent working the Twitterverse, so to speak, for Anders Ruff and reaching out to as many bloggers as I can to try and get our company the exposure and clout that it deserves.

I guess you could say that I wear three hats: Mother; Executive Assistant; and Director of Social Media and Marketing. There is not much time left over; however, I do love to exercise and am an avid runner.

I am really enjoying this phase of my life and look forward to growing with Anders Ruff Custom Designs!
-Carrie

Becky Jacob
About Becky
I was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado. While attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, I spent a semester in Australia, which is where I met my wonderful husband. I returned to Australia after finishing my degree in Business Administration. While living there, I worked as a Training Consultant for a corporate training company and later as a Sales & Research Analyst for Lend Lease.

A job transfer moved us to Charlotte, NC over 4 years ago. We have 3 children and I am fortunate to be able to stay home with them. I had been doing freelance website and graphic design and was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to work with Anders Ruff Custom Designs. I have really enjoyed working with Maureen and Adria as they have such creative designs and visions. I am excited to be a part of their growing business!
-Becky

Caryn Johnson
About Caryn
I’m a midwestern girl - born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin and I attended Miami of Ohio. After college, I moved to Chicago and joined the marketing team at Chicago Children’s Museum as the Corporate Events Manager. Working in events meant tons of late nights nearly every Friday and Saturday night. I worked on everything from corporate parties and fundraisers to events with Hilary Clinton and the Cartoon Network. Seeing all these fabulous events made up for the lack of sleep!

After deciding I was done trudging through the snow and shoveling out my car, I moved to Charlotte, jobless, to be closer to my now husband, Andy, who was at school in Virginia. I soon found a job working for a law firm, initially doing business development, but then was asked to head up the attorney recruitment effort - which meant planning nearly 40 events every summer to entertain the law students. I was in my element!

After having my first daughter, Elyse, almost 6, I began working from home. When I had my second daughter, Lauren, 3, I quit to be a full-time stay-at-home mom.

Elyse began kindergarten and Lauren finally started preschool and suddenly, for the first time in nearly 6 years, I had some free time. I had always been amazed by Maureen and Adria’s work and they were sweet enough to train me and bring me on board as a Design Editor for them. It was impeccable timing! I feel SO fortunate and love “meeting” every client by working on their invitations!
-Caryn

We LOVE the new additions to our team!

Some fun outtakes from our morning with Becca Bond...






A HUGE special thanks to Becca Bond Photography!
Check out Becca's beautiful photography at www.beccabondphotography.com
and find her on facebook, too!

We are so thankful for our clients and fans who have allowed us to grow and do what we love.

{Photoshoot} Introducing The Anders Ruff Custom Design Team