For more than 15 years, Blue Ox Timer Frames has earned a reputation for excellence and craftsmanship. This is a direct reflection of our amazing team and partners. Each team member is among the best in the industry and works tirelessly until your timber frame home is perfect. That’s our promise to you.
BRIANNE McGrane
Brianne is the rudder that keeps Blue Ox on course. At times this is quite the responsibility. Brianne has been the Controller at BOTF for over 10 years. She is responsible, organized, and diligent while somehow still remarkably kind and patient. Brianne ensures that daily tasks at Blue Ox are managed and accomplished at an exceptional level.
Brianne is the mother to two growing children and heavily involved in serving both her family and community through her church and local organizations. When she has the opportunity to relax you can find Brianne camping or on the water catching the largest walleyes in her group. Her favorite part about working at BOTF is seeing people’s timber frame dreams and ideas become a reality.
Eric Rieber
Many of our homeowners know Eric as a trusted and patient advocate who helps them through the planning, design, and construction of their home. Eric joined Blue Ox before most of us even knew what a global pandemic was. The skills Eric acquired with his experience in entrepreneurship, management, and timber framing all converge as a project manager. Eric’s passion for serving others and timber framing is obvious to anyone who has the privilege to work with him.
Away from Blue Ox you will find Eric putting out fires. Whether it is spending time with his wife and seven children (no, that is not a typo), serving as a fire chief and instructor, involvement at his church, or owning and operating the best diner in Garfield, MN, Eric is a man on the go. In the 9 hours of free time Eric has every year you will find him hunting, ice fishing, or happily wandering aimlessly.
OLAI “SILAS” NORBY
As part of the original Blue Ox team, Silas initially committed to move from North Carolina and help get the company started “for a couple of months.” Almost two decades later Silas is still on board and serves as our lead timber framer and CNC operator. Every timber that works its way through the Blue Ox shop is inspected and carefully located within the frame by Silas before he either runs it through the machine or lays it out by hand. We are routinely perplexed in trying to find new ways to challenge Silas and utilize his talents.
Silas and his three children can be found tending to their chickens, spending time on the lake, or making regular excursions to the North Shore. Although Silas is a “dance dad” it’s in everyone’s best interest not to ask him to show off the latest moves he has learned.
KIM GREEN
Kim is a co-owner and designer with Woodland Home Design and has been part of the Blue Ox team for over a decade. While Kim may be responsible for developing our residential plans and overseeing the design and approval of key components to our homes, her role is much greater. Kim, in many ways, is the face of Blue Ox and the trusted advisor for many of our homeowners as they work through the design and planning process of their homes. Her job is to work to strike that delicate balance in making visions, with all the influences of the internet, a reality.
When Kim is not designing you may find her with her husband and 2 grown children. In addition, she enjoys gardening, working on snowmobiles, or chasing powder out west on her next trip. Also, if you’re lucky, you might get to try her homemade salsa or Bloody Mary mix. Her favorite part of working with BOTF is the opportunity to be a part of making someone’s dream home become a reality through creativity and design.
RADEK RÁZL
With a degree in Wood Engineering and working from the Czech Republic, Radek is part of the original Blue Ox team. While working remotely, Radek is responsible for our timber frame designs, overseeing the engineering process, programming our Hundegger K2, and collaborating with the shop to ensure consistency and quality on each of our frames. We are beyond grateful for the technology that allows us to have someone halfway around the world be such an integral part of our company.
When not consumed with developing the next set of frame drawings Radek can be found spending time with his wife and two children helping on the family farm, fishing, running, cycling, hiking, or traveling Europe. Radek began his long-distance relationship with BOTF in 2005 with unknown expectations and an exciting challenge ahead. The experience has turned out to be the perfect passion and profession for him. His favorite aspect of working for BOTF is the everyday contact with American friends and colleagues as it helps him to stay in touch with the industry and English language.
BEN MILLER
Ben is the founder and creative vision behind Blue Ox. Ben is a passionate entrepreneur with an inspired mind that tends to lose track of time as he dives into a project, whether it be a client’s design or our next steps forward.
Away from work Ben values spending time with his family and tending to his inordinate number of hobbies and activities – none of which involve sitting still.
Ben values the opportunities and responsibilities that come with advancing an innovative and growing company. While he appreciates the challenges that come with leading the company he finds enhancing the lives of others an even greater purpose.
TABOR
Tabor is the big-hearted furry friend at Blue Ox Timber Frames. Tabor is known for laying next to the wood burning stove in the office and enthusiastically retrieving wood scraps from the shop.