Karly Eretzian loved math and art growing up in Turner. She left for college in New York to study advertising design and knew she wanted to come back to Maine.

“I thought I’d have to go to Portland,” she said. “I didn’t know too many agencies in Lewiston-Auburn who were looking for designers.”

Then talent met timing.

Eretzian was the fourth hire at Rinck Advertising 13 years ago. The company’s up to 39 employees and she’s the vice president of creative services, “in charge of all things creative.”

“Throughout the years, I got to get my hands on so many different things, so many different clients,” said Eretzian. “It’s given me an experience I don’t think I could have gotten with another company.”

Eretzian, 36, lives in Auburn with her husband and young daughter. She got involved early with YPLAA, designing its logo 10 years ago. She’s also involved with a number of organizations and was a longtime ski coach, currently on hiatus.

She coached for Leavitt Area High School, her alma mater, while her sister coached for Edward Little.

“(It was) healthy competition, we’ll say,” Eretzian said. “We’d coach together at the top of the hill — she knew all my kids and I knew hers.”

She’s now trying to slowly coax 2-year-old Stella into getting comfortable on the slopes.

Eretzian had Stella in skis this winter on flat ground at Lost Valley. 

“She didn’t quite love it,” she said. Fortunately, winter’s over: “She’s a huge fan of the Lewiston-Auburn playgrounds.”

kskelton@sunjournal.com