DAN HART

 From an early age, Dan Hart’s talents were evident. Having been awarded the Bank of America Award for the Top Student Achievement in Art in High School, he then enrolled and excelled in the esteemed Design Program at Cal State University Long Beach where he received a BFA in Visual Communications.

 Dan’s first career was a 10 year journey in the Advertising business. As an Art Director with the world renowned Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Agency, he worked on such accounts as Crystal Cruises, Yamaha Motor Sports, & Toyota (Cars and Trucks). The agency environment proved to be a fertile ground of creative thinking– filled with talented, interesting and funny people. Dan honed his skills in the area of design, creative concepting, commercial film production and Brand Building. He thrived in the various visual mediums of advertising– Print, Outdoor and Television.

It was early on in Dan’s advertising stint that he developed his first candy concept, The Smelly Deli. Along with his like-minded new partner Gary Weiss, they pitched the idea to the Fleer Corp (Dubble Bubble) in Philadelphia. The deal was done and soon enough, many more candy products hit the market and Ripe Design became his full time gig. The ensuing years have been thoroughly satisfying, filled with many great experiences within the candy industry, both at home and abroad. While candy continues to be the driving pursuit for Ripe Design, the company has also done extensive work in other areas of Children’s Entertainment, such as Toy Design and Animation Treatments for Television.

Today, Dan lives the sweet life in Hermosa Beach, California with his beautiful wife Tracy and 3 awesome candy “taste testers” (all boys, all creative– Carson, Bridger & Finnley)