Grab tissues before reading this month’s roundup of Comings & Goings. Major shifts at Hearst, Meredith, Heritage Home Group and others have left us jarred. Not to fret—plenty of congratulations are in order as well, with a few designers and professionals starting their own businesses or growing their teams.
MEDIA & PR
In a recent move that left several industry insiders in tears during D&D’s fall market, Hearst Magazines restructured the editorial team of its design group. Though Elle Decor’s staff remains largely unchanged, the shake-up included the departure of 15 editors, including HDG’s Newell Turner, House Beautiful’s Sophie Donelson, Doretta Sperduto and Kathleen Renda, and market editors Sabine Rothman, Jennifer Jones Condon, Lucy Bamman, Hannah Lavine and Mary Carson Dobbs. Veranda’s operations will move to Birmingham, Alabama, where Steele Marcoux will replace Clinton Smith, who resigned last month as editor in chief. Carolyn Englefield and Mario López-Cordero were among the Veranda editors that were let go; Dayle Wood, Veranda’s only remaining editorial staff, will be the only New York editor for the brand.
Meredith Corporation, which owns Traditional Home, Better Homes and Gardens, and others, let go roughly 200 employees throughout the company in mid-September. It also reduced Coastal Living’s frequency to a newsstand-only quarterly.
Kara Marmion, who left HL Group in August, is now senior vice president of marketing and communications at The Shade Store. She joined in September, overseeing trade marketing, trade shows and events, designer collaborations, social and influencer strategy, and special projects.
Go Design Go, the D&D Building's blog, has named Isabelle Harrington as digital editor. She had previously interned for Miles Redd. In the new role, she aims to expand the blog’s inspirational content.
Allison Day was hired as account supervisor on the Home and Design PR team at Sharp Communications. She will work with brands Kohler, 1stdibs and Legrand, among others. Previously, she was at HL Group.
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Workshop/APD senior designer Michael Ellison has been promoted to design director. With a focus on residential interiors, he will oversee and manage the interior design group for the studio in his new role.
After nearly three years as a premier designer at Homepolish, Ariel Okin has opened her own firm, Ariel Okin Interiors. Christina Cattarini has also moved on from Homepolish.
The International Interior Design Association’s New York Chapter has named Amy Mays as chapter president for the 2018–2019 term.
Architecture firm Francis Cauffman has added two new staff to its growing team: Steven Stainbrook as principal and Jay Hallinan as senior lab planner.
Dallas-based interior design firm MatchLine Design Group has hired Joanna Jackson as senior designer. She will primarily work on hospitality projects. As she is LEED AP accredited, she will also focus on environmentally conscious projects, which is part of the firm’s strategy for growth.
Brandon Mitchell is the new director of digital marketing at the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. The organization hopes to attract younger audiences through its online outreach.
MANUFACTURING AND RETAIL
Chaddock Furniture has a new CEO in Andrew Crone, who has been promoted from his previous role as president. Kevin Ward will serve as president as well as chief operating officer.
Charley Holt, who was vice president of marketing at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams for over 17 years, has a new role as the SVP of marketing and brand experience at Caracole.
Adam Karp left 1stdibs after seven years to begin his own company.
Gillian Beck is now the vice president of marketing at Phillip Jeffries Ltd. Before that, she held senior roles at Kwiat, Tiffany & Co. and OgilvyOne.
Gina DeWitt was appointed president of Kneedler | Fauchère Group. She has been with the company for 15 years.
IMC has named Jennifer Muna as general manager of trade shows, a newly created position. She will focus on the Las Vegas exposition center, which is set to open in 2020. Muna attended this fall’s High Point Market, working back of house to see service operations in action.
Four Hands, an international furnishings importer, has appointed Josh Jarboe as vice president of sales. With 18 years of experience in the home furnishings industry, including mor than six years at Global Views, he will focus on growth with retailers and designers.
Scott Roy has been appointed as CEO of SieMatic North America. He will be based at the company’s headquarters in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and oversee new showroom openings, sales and marketing. He was previously president and CEO of Gilford-Johnson Flooring in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ligne Roset's new director of sales and retail for its U.S. operations is Christopher Philips. He previously held leadership roles at Natuzzi Italia, MissoniHome Americas and Kartell.
Forty One Madison has promoted Susana Caceres to brand marketing manager. She will oversee marketing communications and manage projects like the New York Tabletop Show and the new partnership with Holiday House. Caceres has been with the company for eight years.
Earlier this summer, Wayfair hired Ezra Englebardt as head of brand planning. He will use consumer knowledge and insight in developing a creative strategy for the company and its lifestyle brands, AllModern, Birch Lane, Joss and Main, and Perigold. Before Wayfair, Englebardt was at Bai Brands, serving as vice president of brand planning.
Purple Innovation appointed Joseph B. Megibow as its CEO. He was previously senior vice president and chief digital officer at American Eagle Outfitters and held multiple senior roles at Expedia.
Hanwha Surfaces has appointed Michael Talbot as product design manager. He hails from Beauflor, RH, and Shaw, and will oversee market trend analysis and recommendations for new product design and surfacing development.
Havwoods International has grown its team recently. Two new business development managers, Gary Falco and Philip Walker, will oversee the expansion of the company’s operations in New York City.
Reyna Moore is now president of Thomasville & Co., following the resignation of Regan Iglesia, who was the second executive to depart during Heritage Home Group’s restructuring. HHG CEO Pierre Villemejane had also stepped down.
Highland House Furniture has appointed Nicole Bailey to vice president of sales, a newly created position. She was previously executive vice president of administration at Cabot Wren, Rock House Farm’s contract brand.
Dallas Market Center has named Joan Ulrich as executive vice president of leasing. She has over two decades of experience in the trade show industry.
Foscarini has a new CEO of North and South America. Renato Delle Side, who was at Ligne Roset for over six years, will focus on retail, contract and e-commerce growth for the company.
Noah Pelletier, former national lighting coordinator and showroom director for Lladró USA, is now business development manager at Forbes and Lomax.
Jane Abernethy will serve as Humanscale’s first chief sustainability officer. She’s been with the company since 2007, when she was hired as product designer. Under her direction, the company’s factory has kept 84 percent of its waste out of landfills.
Chilewich has named Sandra Sill Ing as senior vice president of contract sales. Previously, she was at KnollTextiles.
