STRAWBERRY STITCH.COM - Key Persons


Monica LaVanchy

Monica is a graphic designer. Monica received her B.S. in Communications with a concentration in Commercial Art, and her Masters of Fine Arts from Pensacola Christian College. Monica previously worked at CS Printing as graphic artist and customer service representative. Monica designs logos, T-shirts, signs, business cards and other promotional items. Her combination of Fine Art, Commercial Art and Graphic Design provides our design team with a wide range of graphic design talent.

Sandy Graefser

Sandy is a veteran embroidery designer. Sandy has a degree in graphic design and, prior to entering the embroidery profession, held positions as a graphic designer. Sandy obtained five years experience as an embroidery designer at St. Louis Embroidery prior to joining SSC. Sandy was schooled in the art of embroidery design under the direction of Thomas Moore and has become an accomplished embroidery designer in her own right. Sandy's water painting skills coupled with SSC's embroidery design skills received an Honorable Mention in Impression Magazines' 2000 design competition. Sandy was a member of the design team that created the piece "Strength Within" which won the EMB Honors Grand Champion Award in 2002.

Thomas L. Moore

Thomas Moore, Jr. had 20 years of computer and accredited teaching experience with the Federal Aviation Administration before founding SSC. His no-nonsense style of business and extraordinary computer skills positioned Thomas as a world wide leader in the embroidery industry. Thomas has been providing straightforward advice to the embroidery industry since 1994, is a popular international speaker and has been the host of numerous on-line forums for Printer's World and The Embroidery Mall. Thomas has contributed to magazines such as Printwear, Embroidery Monogram Business, Stitches, Impressions, Embroidery Business News and The High Volume Embroiderer. He currently holds a position on Impressions Magazine's advisory board as well as being a contributing writer. Thomas was an invited participant to the Embroidery Summit Meeting hosted in Denver Colorado in 1997 and subsequently again at the second Embroidery Summit Meeting hosted in Louisville Kentucky in 1999. Thomas is one of the most sought after speakers in the industry often speaking for the Imprinted Sportswear Shows, Decorated Apparel Expo, Promotional Products Association International, and the National Network of Embroidery Professionals shows. At the METS96 conference in Chicago, Illinois, Strawberry Stitch Co. was awarded first place in the field of embroidery digitizing. The award confirmed Strawberry Stitch Co. had achieved the high level of digitizing expertise it had set out to achieve. Thomas was chosen as a "Digitizer of Distinction" by Impressions Magazine in September 1999. This is an honor reserved for those who set the standard for excellence in the field of digitizing. From 1992 until 1999 Thomas focused on becoming a Master Designer studying design both in the United States, Asia and European styles. In 1999, Strawberry Stitch Co. published the book "Digitizing 101" based on the skills and techniques Thomas had obtained over his seven years of concentrated design studies. In 2000, SSC opened its Embroidery Design School in St. Louis, Missouri naming Thomas as the school's director. The school focuses on instructing computer graphics with a decorated apparel focus combined with digitizing theory which centers on the book "Digitizing 101" written by Thomas Moore and published by SSC. From 2002 through 2006 SSC exploded under the direction of Thomas Moore as more than a company who designs world class embroidery, but one which creates unique decorated apparel across many decoration processes. Strawberry Stitch Co. embraces the future technology will play in a global market and is a global leader in the push for innovation. While continuing his studies of embroidery design and moving all SSC curriculum to an internet based instructional platform, Thomas has evolved as a decorated apparel industry consultant working with such manufacturers as Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Chambers Bedding, Eddie Bauer, LandsEnd, Radio Cap, Staples-American Identity, Bic-Norword, Cabelas, Bass Pro,Vanity Fair, North Face, and Real Polo. After a decade of being a Wilcom Authorized Training Center, in 2007 SSC became a Wilcom dealer. Thomas's goal was to create a sales channel capable of providing the industry with the best software, advice, training and support. In 2008 SSC became the first and only Wilcom ATC to become a CorelDRAW Training Partner. This is a distinction that only SSC has been able to accomplish. In 2009 Thomas achieved his goal by being named Wilcom's Premier Dealer setting the standard for all other software dealers in the apparel design industry Thomas is a Master Embroidery Designer, writer, lecturer and educator specializing in embroidery design, decorated apparel, graphic design, and production management. Thomas manages the daily operation of SSC, one of the most awarded decorated apparel design companies across the globe. Thomas has direct oversight of the Embroidery Design School and creates the instructional material to meet SSC's design standards. Thomas prefers to spend his time creating exciting designs and is most often found working in the design room schooling his design staff. Thomas is the author of the book "Digitizing 101" and has written for Printwear magazine, Stitches magazine, EMB magazine, Impressions magazine, and High Volume Embroiderer magazine. Thomas is a faculty member of the Imprinted Sportswear Shows and is currently on Impressions Magazine's advisory board. Thomas is currently writing the book Digitizing 201 with great anticipation by the embroidery industry.