Shady Rays founder deepens IU Southeast ties with student mentorship and company tours

Chris Ratterman, an IU Southeast alumnus who founded lifestyle eyewear brand Shady Rays, welcomed a large group of university students and teaching staff to the company for a facility tour, a question-and-answer session and the opportunity to select a pair of sunglasses. The visit is part of Ratterman’s ongoing engagement with the IU Southeast community, which he supports through networking and mentorship initiatives.

Ratterman says Shady Rays traces its start to his time at IU Southeast, where he worked on a minimum-viable-product approach and a distinctive value proposition. The company developed a two-year replacement policy for lost or damaged sunglasses and grew from home-based order processing in 2013 to a 75,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Simpsonville, Ky., opened in 2018.

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