In recent weeks the design world has seen changes at the top and promotions across the board. Read on for BOH’s monthly roundup of arrivals and departures in design, manufacturing and media.
TO THE TRADE
Clayton, North Carolina–based contract furniture brand Studio TK hired Koorosh Sharghi as its new president. Sharghi will be responsible for expanding the company and broadening its reach within office, hospitality, residential and academic settings. He previously was executive vice president and then president of modern office furniture company Poppin, which is based in Jasper, Indiana.
Australia-based rug brand Armadillo appointed Mark Haysman as the brand’s new global CEO. Haysman most recently served as the chief executive and managing director of Mighty Craft Limited, an operator of Australian breweries and distilleries.
Dedon and Gloster appointed Patrick Troy as president and CEO of their American offices. The brands will continue to operate independently, with Dedon headquartered in North Carolina and Gloster in Virginia, but Troy will lead both, working closely with parent company Diethelm Keller Premium Brands. Prior to joining the company, he was the executive vice president of sales at Tuuci, the Miami-based luxury shade manufacturer.
Mosaic Companies, a tile and stone slab corporation, appointed Beth Cohn president of the showroom division. In the new role, she’ll lead two of Mosaic’s subsidiaries: Los Angeles–based Walker Zanger and South Florida–based Opustone. Cohn previously served as senior vice president of sales and showrooms for The Shade Store and vice president of buying for Kate Spade New York.
Textile company Maharam welcomes Caroline Ollivier as the new director of business development. Ollivier is a seasoned marketing and brand development executive who brings many years of experience at companies such as Knoll Textiles and Carnegie.
Los Angeles–based furniture company Homebody announced that Jessica Hann will join the company as chief marketing officer. Hann most recently served as senior vice president of marketing and sustainability at mattress, bedding and furniture brand Avocado.
Paula Daniels has been promoted to vice president of human resources at Sherrill Furniture, the Hickory, North Carolina–based furniture brand. Daniels joined the company in 2015 as director of human resources and benefits, and in this new role, she will continue to lead the company’s HR strategies.
Roya Gholizadeh is the new director of production and business development for the carpet division at New Jersey–based Jamie Stern. Prior to joining the team, Gholizadeh worked as a senior interior designer at SBA Workplace Studio, focusing on workplace and health care design.
Retail & Manufacturing
Material Bank, the online platform that provides designers with samples of architectural and design materials, welcomes Jan Heck as global president of kitchen and bath. Heck was previously the president and CEO of luxury appliance company Miele’s U.S. branch and has also served as the chair of the board of directors for the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
Amy Sullivan has been promoted to CEO of Kirkland’s Home, the Nashville-based home decor and furnishings retailer, marking the company’s first female CEO since its founding in 1966. Sullivan has been with Kirkland’s for more than a decade, most recently in the position of president and chief operating officer.
Rob Perri, the current president of Chicago-based acoustic solutions company Turf Design, has been promoted to vice president of brand companies at Turf’s parent company, Armstrong World Industries. He will continue his role as president while also leading the architectural specialty companies Armstrong has acquired.
California-based hardware brand Emtek announced promotions within the company. Steve Kamp, previously vice president of sales and marketing, is now vice president and general manager of luxury hardware and will be responsible for leading the North American business. Austin McCormick, previously Emtek’s director of sales, has been promoted to senior director of sales for the U.S. market, where he will focus on the brand’s independent dealer network.
Kendell Cronstrom has been named vice president of editorial marketing at F. Schumacher & Co., the design house known for fabrics, wallpaper and furniture. Cronstrom will be in charge of creating engaging content and educating design enthusiasts on the role of interior designers. Most recently, he was the editorial director of C&G Media Group, where he served as editor in chief of both Hamptons Cottages & Gardens and New York Cottages & Gardens.
Stickley, the manufacturer and retailer of solid-wood furniture and fine upholstery, has welcomed two new hires to its senior management team. John Batten joins the company in Manlius, New York, as vice president of sales and marketing. Batten’s most recent position was as chief marketing officer for American Freight Furniture. Jack Richardson is the new director of national sales. He previously worked in management for Broyhill Furniture and La-Z-Boy Casegoods.
Universal Furniture promoted Kayla Miller to director of marketing. Miller joined the company in 2019 as a creative marketing specialist before transitioning to a senior role two years later. Prior to joining the company, Miller was an interior designer and social media influencer.
Togeth3r, a digital media and e-commerce platform that features socially responsible brands, has named Rachel Kirkconnell its creative director. Known as the winning contestant on the 25th season of The Bachelor, Kirkconnell has since shifted her focus to conscious lifestyle content.
Media & PR
House Beautiful welcomes Jessica Teves as its new executive editor under editorial director Joanna Saltz. With over 10 years of publishing industry experience, Teves previously was editor in chief at the fashion, beauty and lifestyle publication Coveteur, editor in chief at StyleCaster, and site director at Style.com.
Bebe Howorth has been promoted to interiors director at Elle Decor three years after becoming senior interiors editor. She will continue to lead the publication’s home and interiors features and direct cover shoots for the magazine.
Luxe Interiors + Design has hired Sarah Smith as the national home and furnishings director. Smith spent more than a decade at Hearst, where she recently served as the executive sales director for Elle Decor, Veranda, House Beautiful and Town & Country.
Aspire Design and Home Magazine has two new publishers: Jill Carvajal and Jeff Barish of Front Row NYC, the communications and marketing firm dedicated to luxury, entertainment and style media companies. Front Row founder Carvajal also brings experience from her time at the New York Post, where she helped launch its digital platform. Barish held executive sales positions at Condé Nast and was previously the associate publisher and vice president at The Daily Beast.
Design & Architecture
Architectural firm Kai Enterprises promoted James Lawrence to architectural studio leader at its Dallas–Fort Worth area office. Lawrence joined Kai in 2022 as a senior project manager and brings more than 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held project management positions at architecture firms Mel/Arch and GFF.
Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, the firm that designed Little Island (the “floating park” on New York’s Hudson River), announced four new associate principals: Alexis Gagné, who started out at the firm in 2013 as an associate; Dan Yannaccone, who joined the firm as a senior associate in 2008; Johanna Phelps, who began her time at the company as a landscape designer that same year; and Martha Desbiens, who joined in 2016 as an associate landscape architect.
ZDS Architecture & Interior Design, a firm based in Providence, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C., announced that Jason Millhouse has joined the company as managing director of the D.C. office. Previously, he was the director of architecture and interior design management for IHG Hotels & Resorts’ lifestyle and luxury brands, including Regent, InterContinental and Hotel Indigo.
INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS
The Denver Architecture Foundation welcomed Meg Touborg as its president and CEO. The foundation’s goal is to inspire people to explore the city’s architecture and design, and in this position, Touborg will work closely with the board of directors, staff and volunteers for educational programs and tours. She previously served as the director of development at the University of Colorado, Denver, and is a co-founder of the Leaders of Design Council, a mentorship community for members of the design world.
The International Casual Furnishings Association announced that Siri Scott has joined as director of programs and engagement. The High Point, North Carolina–based association supports and promotes the outdoor and casual furnishing industry through education, programming and networking. Scott has a background in digital marketing and previously held marketing manager positions across industries such as automotive parts, medical equipment and home care.
Phillips, the global auction platform for 20th and 21st century works, announced a new executive leadership structure. Edward Dolman has been named executive chairman and CEO. Including his more than nine years at Phillips, he brings more than 30 years of art and auction experience, including as Acting CEO of the Qatar Museums and as board chairman of Christie’s International. Amanda Lo Iacono has been appointed deputy CEO after joining the company in 2016. Cheyenne Westphal will continue her role as global chairwoman, a position she has held since 2017.
Salon Art + Design, the collectible design and art fair produced by Sanford L. Smith & Associates, announced Nicky Dessources as its new executive director. Dessources will succeed Jill Bokor, chairwoman emeritus. Dessources has been with Sanford L. Smith for almost a decade and now serves as its director of operations. In this role, she will oversee all aspects of the event, which takes place at New York’s Park Avenue Armory each year.
Correction: February 6, 2024
An earlier version of this article misstated that Bebe Howorth had been with Elle Decor five years. She was the brand’s senior interiors editor for three years prior to her recent promotion.
