Principals

K. Michael Ruehle

K. Michael Ruehle is the President of Arrow-wood Homes LLC and also serves as VP for Sales and Marketing. He has eight years experience in the timber frame industry, trained in the US and Germany in traditional timber framing, and is a member of the Timber Framers Guild. Michael has also worked in conventional residential construction. He has lived and traveled extensively in Asia and in Europe, and studied anthropology, zoology and architectural design at the University of Toronto.

"My family's roots are in a cabinet-making and timber-framing part of Germany. Our village of 500 people had 3 custom sawmills and the local craftsmen were friends of the family. As a teen I spent many summers in Germany at my great-uncle's cabinet shop where he used traditional methods, and I am proud to have inherited his tools and shop equipment. After college, I worked as a framing carpenter in Toronto building houses. My career aspirations led me into the IT sector, but I continued to build in my free time. I also developed a love for Japanese timber work and joinery during the time I lived there as a software developer. I enjoyed renting old traditional farmhouses called 'minka' and living outside the big cities. About 8 years ago I decided to leave software development to pursue something more tangible and lasting. A series of events led me to join the Timber Framer's Guild and to learn about timber framing as it is practised in the US, and then I returned to Germany to study and learned about the more modern traditions that have evolved there. After a period of working for others to gain hands-on experience, in 2006 I established Arrow-wood Homes to bring my own thinking and approach to the US market. I hope to be able to help you realize your own timber dream home."
Michael Ruehle

Martin I. Ellner

Martin I. Ellner is the Treasurer of Arrow-wood Homes LLC and also serves as VP for Production & Operations. Marty is based at our head office in Hiawatha, Kansas. He has well over 30 years experience in the wood products manufacturing industry, has been a general contractor and owned a high-end custom cabinet business in Florida.

"My family's business of making custom and high-quality production doors took me from Brooklyn to Kansas where I set up and expanded the family's manufacturing facility. The company was acquired, but I stayed on with primary responsibility for making sure the products were produced with the expected quality. When the parent company decided it could no longer compete with off-shore manufacturing, I decide to relocate to Florida. Not being the retiring type, I got involved in home construction, and in the manufacture and installation of high-end custom kitchens. After I sold this business, I was contacted by Michael to help him develop a plan to create a new kind of timber frame company. I had never seen this kind of home before, and the quality and comfort blew me away. When Michael decided to start this business, I was glad to be able to join him to contribute my production and installation expertise and ensure that we have the best possible product for our clients. My years of experience are at your service."
Marty Ellner