I’m Will Peden, founder of WR Designs and 849 Hat Co, a veteran-built, family-run studio based in Southeast Kansas. I started designing back in the early 2000s—Photoshop collages, logos, and anything creative I could get my hands on. Service has always been in my blood: I trained as a firefighter in high school, then served four years active duty in the United States Marine Corps as a 6531 Aviation Ordnanceman, working on EA-6B Prowlers and AV-8B Harriers and deploying to Al Asad, Iraq (OIF/OEF). I separated as a Lance Corporal, earning a Meritorious Mast and Letter of Appreciation along the way. Later, during two years in the Army National Guard (11B Infantry/Sapper unit), I received the Missouri Commendation Medal for lifesaving action after a serious accident. I’m a Disabled Marine Corps Veteran, and I carry that same discipline and resilience into every piece I make.

After the military, I built a career in design—first freelancing, then serving as Head Designer and Director of Media/Marketing for the National Wrestling Alliance, where I designed all six issues of Ringside Magazine (2014–2015). In 2008 I launched WR Designs, and over time added laser engraving and custom patch hats. 849 Hat Co—named after a sweet counting quirk from my daughter—became the hat arm of our brand in 2025. Today, I’m proud to be the Official Hat Maker for Midwest Tuff Trucks and to craft work that shows up on real heads, real shelves, and real memories.

By day I’m a Continuous Improvement Specialist, so Lean principles guide my shop: clean process, smart materials, fast turnarounds, and quality that lasts. By night and weekends, this is our second shift and our legacy. My wife Amanda—Co-Owner, Creative Support, and the Boss—brings heart and grit from 12+ years as an LPN, and she’s the reason “family first” isn’t just a slogan here. Our kids, sports, and community keep us grounded; I coach youth athletics and serve on the Pittsburg Wrestling Club board as tournament director because giving back matters.

Around here, every patch, hat, and engraved piece is a promise: made with veteran precision, family pride, and small-town honesty. And if you see a friendly sloth around the site—that’s Gizmo, our mascot and reminder to build things that last.

Where there’s a Will, there’s a way. Hi, my name is Will.