ALISON BAILEY VERCRUYSSE
Founder
From Dallas to Chicago to San Francisco, Alison, the Founder of 18 Rabbits, went from the world of banking to the world of baking.

Alison worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, but found her heart was in creating baked goods. In San Francisco, she delved into the pastry kitchen at the acclaimed Citizen Cake as an apprentice, and then learned hands-on production in the pastry kitchen at Taste Catering.

Since Alison found her passion, she is always creating new recipes and rarely makes the same one twice. She also loves to experiment with unique ingredients that she has found on her travels, in written literature or while conversing with people from around the world.

A couple times a year Alison travels to the French countryside where part of her family lives in a 2000-year-old farmhouse among vines, olive trees, a fruit orchard and vegetable garden. She enjoys immersing herself in learning century-old cooking techniques; plucking the fruit off the vines and watching her nephew devour whatever she makes.

Alison lives in a Victorian flat in San Francisco with her husband, Craig, a few blocks from Golden Gate Park where they take long strolls under the Redwoods and Cypress trees. They also both host a monthly cooking segment on ABC’s View from the Bay.

Alison holds an MBA from DePaul University and a BBA from Southern Methodist University.

CLAIRE STANLEY HERTEL
Director of Lifestyle Sales
Claire is the newest member of the 18 Rabbits team, bringing more than ten years of sales and marketing experience to our emerging brand. From 2003 to 2008, she worked for Glaceau Vitaminwater and Smartwater, where she succeeded in driving sales from 5000 cases/month to 1 million cases/month in Northern California. As a key account manager, Claire presented Vitaminwater as a healthy alternative to sodas at middle and high school districts throughout the Bay Area. After Glaceau was acquired by Coca Cola, she was one of ten employees chosen to help Coca Cola's international team launch Vitaminwater in the UK.

Claire's own personal passion for promoting good health, combined with her sales and marketing experience and her natural enthusiasm, are the perfect chemistry for growing a brand like 18 Rabbits. Her favorite granola bar remains the veritas Funky Figs and Cherries. Claire lives with her husband, Kiley, and their three-year-old yellow lab in San Francisco. She is avid about yoga, and is equally enthusiastic about skiing, surfing and running.

Claire holds a BA in Anthropology from The University of Colorado at Boulder.

PATRICK MCGUIGAN
Sales and Operations Manager
Patrick serves as the sales/operations manager for 18 Rabbits. This is his second year as part of the team and has experienced almost every aspect of the business already! He brings great knowledge of the sports segment marketplace having played college athletics and two years of professional baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Patrick enjoys running, softball, camping, and finding new places to eat in the city.

Patrick has a BS degree in Marketing from the University of San Francisco.
 
 
 
 

ZACK GAZZANIGA
Sales and Marketing Manager
Zack is a recent college graduate from Brown University where he was the captain of the Men’s Varsity Crew Team. In 2009 he helped lead the team to a sweep of the Eastern Sprints Regatta and a 3rd place finish at the IRA National Championships. His background in athletics has created a passion for healthy food and an active lifestyle.

He has five older sisters, two nieces, and one nephew. He enjoys hiking, running, burritos from San Francisco, movies, and dancing.

He holds an AB in Economics from Brown University.

THUMPER the MINI COOPER
18 Rabbits' Team Car
Thumper joined our team in December 2008 just in time to celebrate the Holidays. He went golfing at Olympic Club and made his inaugural tour of
San Francisco before taking up his duties as 18 Rabbits official car.

In 2009, Thumper started making deliveries and appearances at events.
He likes to turn heads and make people smile. Let us know if you see Thumper around town…