TJ Mapes
Director of Technology
TJ is a jack of all trades when it comes to RIPT Apparel. His primary focuses are the continual development of the website and marketing. As well as about 1,000 other things. This summer he learned how to surf in Costa Rica and went sky diving. One of his goals this year is to learn how to screen print!
Follow him: Twitter | Instagram
He writes here: diggingmyowngrave.com
Matt Ingleby
Managing Partner
Matt loves RIPT Apparel. It's his passion. He started out as the numbers guy and has now taken over all slew of roles including everything from HR to Logistics. If there is a process that can be improved, you better believe he is already thinking about it. Matt loves Music, Movies, Sports, and the city of Chicago.
Paul Friemel
Director of Design
Paul has worked in print, web, and video production for over 10 years and been drawing and creating things since before he can remember. He has lent his talents to numerous recording artists including Between the Buried and Me, The Smashing Pumpkins, Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights. Along with his friends Matt and TJ, Paul has used his experience to help artists around the globe transfer their ideas into the real world one tee shirt at a time.
Follow him: Twitter | Instagram | Deviant Art | Linked In
Eric Fisher
Operations Manager
Most people call him Fisher, so you can call him Fisher too! He likes typewriters, slow music, mircon pens, architecture scales and StarCraft. He's worked in the Screen Printing Industry since 2007 and has been print making since the late 90's. At RIPT he makes sure that everyone is doing their job correctly, and if they're not - he starts throwing clipboards.
Follow him: Starcraft 2
Whitney Zech
Production Manager
Whitney's love for printmaking started in the summer of 2004 with purchasing a Speedball Screen Printing Starter Kit. After graduating with a BFA from Pratt Art Institute her major in printmaking, it flourished into a full time career. Along with her intense love for all the screen printing stuff she is a closet otaku, video game addict and zombie apocalypse enthusiast.
Follow her: DeviantArt | Twitter | Instagram
MARCO RAYOS
Printer
Marco Cholo Rayos is a proud Chicagoland native. With experience in screen printing since 2008, he is sure in assisting and helping our shop to run smooth. He loves riding his bike, going to coffee shops, going to shows and Jesus. On his spare time he runs marathons and volunteers with non-profits. He is a local Ripster for sure.
Follow him on his bike around the city!
Dave
Printshop Assistant
Dave Losso is a genius that lives in Chicago with his girlfriend and a full head of beautiful hair. He is the creator/writer/artist of irreverent children’s comic series The Great Sandwich Detective, the creator/writer of the decidedly not children’s series Kill The Wonderhawks (Paper + Plastick Records) and the writer of the upcoming Story/Song: Flatfoot 56 (also for Paper + Plastick Records). He has done artwork for musical acts such as The Number 12 Looks Like You and Cochise Soulstar, publications such as Time Out Chicago and companies such as Image Comics and Cryptozoic Trading Card Company. His work has also appeared in various national art galleries and is archived in the Brooklyn Art Library.
Red Eye Chicago named him one of the Hottest Geeks Of 2012.
One time he got Lou Diamond Phillips to call his mom for her birthday.
He also enjoys food, fireworks and Huey Lewis & The News. Ok, bye.
Ashlee
Printshop Assistant
Ashlee sells trinkets she makes by hand and spends a fair amount of time teaching herself skills like wood-burning and how to escape kidnapping situations.
When she’s not busy crafting or learning, you can usually find her covered in cats or rolling out pie crust. She enjoys machines that fold tee shirts, trimming her fingernails, and the Oxford comma.
Paul
Printer
Originally from California, Paul Ortiz has been involved in screen printing since 2003. Outside of screen printing, he also enjoys creating his own prints out of woodblock carvings. Along with his wife Korry, he is the proud parent of a kick-ass toddler named Magdalene. When Paul is not printing or spending quality time with his family, he can also be found interning as a student pastor at Urban Village Church.
Tim
Printshop Assistant
Race: Ginger - Class: 18 lv. Barbarian/ 2 lv. Druid / 1 lv. Bard. HP: 1337 AC:23. Tim was born in the mountains of Pennsylvania, where he gained the power to manipulate all elements with his mind, except for Noble Gases. He studied acting at Penn State for 4 years, burying himself in debt in exchange for an intangible skill set. He moved to Chicago to do improvisational theatre and sing depressing folk songs. He love puppies more than any other creature. You can see him at open mic nights around the city if you ever go to those. When he's not doing that, he enjoys practicing Ni Ten Ichi Ryu and generally following the way of the samurai. His hair is naturally that color and he would like to thank his mother for passing it down to him. He would like very much to be best friends with you.
The Grim RIPTer
Undertaker
The Grim RIPTer has been with us all along, tending to his flock of deceased t-shirts. He oversees the daily passing of each design, tirelessly directing the drifting souls to their final resting place within the RIPT graveyard. He is a creature of few needs, and even fewer words. He has a tendency to hang out with sludge bands after hours. Don't stare him directly in the eye socket though, or you too may find yourself resting amongst the dead!
Visit the graveyard or see some of his "Near Death Experiences" blog posts.
Nellie
Watch Dog
Nellie spends her days hanging out in the offices of RIPT HQ chasing her tail, playing fetch, and keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings. She's been with the team a few months now and has proven to be a great addition. Paul says "She has really made a huge difference around here in the protection department. She does a great job keeping away solicitors and vagrants that stop by the office unannounced."
You can't follow her through social media, but she is following you! Better watch it.