Our History

McRae Anderson is the Founder and Principal Designer of McCaren Designs. He was born in Westbrook, Minnesota on May 8, 1951 the oldest son and second of the four children of Robert and Dorothy Anderson. One of the most frequent questions McRae answers is how he got his unusual first name, is it a family name? No, McRae’s name did not come from family origins, rather it was his fathers idea his son should have a unique name so as not to be confused with all the other Andersons living in Minnesota. The name was that of one of his father’s college friends. McRae has always appreciated his father’s foresight and has always strived to give the name a distinctive quality in all that he does.

McRae’s early life, work and entrepreneurial experience came growing up on the family’s dairy farm. At the age of six his first grade teacher reprimanded him for disrupting the class because he was selling his crop of Indian corn to his classmates.

During his high school years he was active in 4H and FFA during which time he grew his own small herd of 24 purebred Holstein-Friesian dairy animals. Even today you will find “true-type” Holstein statues in his office — prizes won showing his championship animals. In 1968 McRae was on the national championship FFA dairy judging team and was also a member of the National FFA Choir.