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"Pushing the envelope is innate in Bret. No matter how big or small the project, he takes it to a new level with strategic thinking, conceptual freshness, contagious enthusiasm, a collaborative spirit and exceptional design talent. He’s always eager to learn and grow with an authenticity and positivity that is magnetic."
-Darcy Clemenson, Creative Director, OLSON

"Bret is like the unicorn of art directors. He has that rare combination of being a fantastic designer, a visionary art director, an impressive lead with clients and a solution-oriented team player. Most importantly, he's just a super fun dude to work with. He's quick with a laugh and always up for helping out a colleague or client. I would hire him or work with him any day of the week."
-Colby Johnson, Editorial Director, MSP-C

"Bret is one of the best designers I work with. He is receptive to feedback but also never afraid to share his expert opinion. He is an extremely dedicated worker but also knows how to make the everyday fun. He’s willing to jump into any project and he delivers every time. I would highly recommend Bret to anyone."
-Jenna Erickson, Senior Account Manager, OLSON

“Bret is, in short, fantastic. Bret was the art director on two publications and assorted collateral projects at Tiger Oak Media during my tenure as Project Director and Director of Custom Publishing. I would hire Bret in a heartbeat! He’s creatively talented, insightful, technically skilled and quick to understand the target audience. He is extremely conscientious, professional and dependable. His positive, upbeat personality also made him a pleasure to work with. I would recommend Bret, with absolute confidence, to anyone looking for a great person with plenty to offer.”
-Marylou Hay, Project Director, Tiger Oak Media

"As a photographer, I love working with Bret. He brings an energy to the set that is unlike any other art director. He is always on board to conceptualize, explore and create innovative imagery for whatever project he is working on. He understands collaboration and doing what it takes be remarkable!"
-Eliesa Johnson, Owner/Lead Photographer, Photogen Inc.

"Shooting for Bret at METRO Magazine was a wonderful experience. Bret always knew what he wanted and was amazing at articulating his creative vision. Bret is approachable, easy to work with, thoughtful, quick thinking, and talented. Anybody who gets to work with him is lucky!"
-Sara Rubinstein, Owner, Rubinstein Photo

"It was a tremendous pleasure working with Bret. He is a first-class artist and I truly admire his work."
-Louis Henry Mitchell, Creative Director of Character Design, Sesame Street Workshop

"As a designer, Bret has upscale taste and talent. As a business person, he is consistently professional and passionate about the work. And as a person, Bret is extremely intelligent with a high level of integrity. When I worked with him, the results were always outstanding and the process was enjoyable!"
-Kimberly Kaufman, Creative Director, Minnesota Premier Publications and Production Director, Tiger Oak Media

"I worked closely with Bret for several years to produce Woodbury Magazine, a monthly community lifestyle magazine. Bret's artistic vision resulted in creative designs and outstanding photography which are the hallmarks of the magazine. In addition to these talents, Bret brought enthusiasm and energy to the process, was excellent in communications and follow-through, served as a wonderful team player and was a true joy to work with."
-Debbie Musser, Editor, Woodbury Magazine

"I worked with Bret monthly on METRO Magazine's food section. We'd bounce ideas off each other as they took shape and he'd always have a way of taking an idea to a new level creatively. Bret is great to work with in the studio too, really making it easy to understand his vision for a concept. Even my wife Michelle loves him."
-JD Havens, Photographer, JD Havens Photography

How can I begin to describe Bret? In short, he is a visionary. Bret and I were Art Directors at Tiger Oak Media together. He was always incredibly welcoming, kind-hearted, communicative, and don't forget, hilarious. Bret was a true design inspiration. He always made time for impromptu critiques supplying me with ample feedback to push my designs to the next level. Bret always brought fresh ideas to the table; whether it be for photo direction or graphic design. He wasn't discouraged by ideas that would be more work or too out-of-the-box or had a higher possibility of failure. Everyone from editors to photographers to production would agree that Bret has a one-of-a-kind creative eye and the heart and mind to back it up. Bret would be a valuable asset to any team and I hope that our career paths cross again in the future!
-Danielle Biers, Art Director, Tiger Oak Media

“Bret is a talented graphic designer and art director who worked on several magazines with me over eight years. He is not only creative and reliable in his design work, but takes the initiative to support his colleagues in photography, editorial, production and even ad sales on occasion - which I always greatly appreciated and admired. He'a a natural collaborator and approaches everything with a positive attitude and tons of energy. I always enjoyed working with Bret and highly recommend him!”
-Dena Alspach, Group Publisher, Tiger Oak Media

“I enjoyed working with Bret during my time at METRO Magazine. Bret is a dedicated worker with creativity and wit unlike anyone else I know. It was a pleasure working with him (and others) to create METRO Magazine and determine what would be most appealing to the target audience. Bret is able to understand and not lose sight of a target audience. I confidently recommend Bret to anyone looking for a creative genius.”
-Corey Falls, Account Executive, METRO Magazine

"Bret was a great art director to work with. He brought positive energy and creative force to every photo shoot and layout, and always went the extra mile to make the story great."
-Stephanie Davila, Fashion Editor, METRO Magazine

“Bret was an amazing person to work with. He really appreciates photographers and the work that we do and does a great job of motivating you to do great work. I would recommend him for a variety of leadership position as he made my experience with Tiger Oak Media, as a freelance contributer, extremely pleasant.”
-Nicole Drennan, Owner/Lead Photographer, Nicole Drennan Photography

“Bret Ryan is a true professional. I had the pleasure of sharing an office with him for several years and in our time spent together I always relied on Bret to provide honest feedback and helpful design critiques. He is a highly motivated individual whose passion and eye for design, art direction and photography is inspiring. As a former colleague and personal friend, I would highly recommend him for any design project.” 
-Marie Boshoff, Associate Art Director, Tiger Oak Media

"Working with Bret was a breeze! Never before has one person been able to manage and produce an entire shoot with such ease. His positivity and genuinely calm attitude helped make everyone involved comfortable, and his ability to think outside the box regardless of the situation is second to none. As an artist, I am continually impressed with his attention to detail and professionalism. I highly recommend Bret for all of your design and print needs, and I am lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him!"
-Elle Lemler, Model, Ignite Models

"As the editor of Edina Magazine, I found working with Bret to be a pleasure. He was flexible and easy to work with and he always went the extra mile to make sure we produced a beautiful product. His creativity was always an endless asset to our production process."
-Sarah Baumann, Editor, Edina Magazine

“Bret is a very talented designer with a great collaborative attitude. He always aimed to create the best work possible given the perimeters given. He is able to balance confidence with an attitude that is easy to work with; always able to hear feedback without letting ego get in the way. Bret is a real asset to any creative print project!"
-Jennifer Guarino, General Manager, Minnesota Premier Publications