The holidays are almost here, and industry players are rounding out an eventful year with a number of promotions, fresh hires and newly created positions. Read on for Business of Home’s monthly roundup of arrivals and departures in design, manufacturing, media and more.
To the Trade
Kravet has tapped Kim Fasting Berg to join the brand’s executive team in the newly created role of chief marketing officer. Fasting Berg has more than two decades of experience in strategy, branding and marketing for publisher Condé Nast, where she served as head of marketing for Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair and Allure. In her new position, she’ll work to unite traditional and digital marketing to communicate with Kravet’s audience.
At Hooker Furnishings, Ken Donham has been appointed to the new position of senior vice president of international operations. He’ll be responsible for leading sourcing initiatives; shared services in Asia; supporting country managers; and overseeing global supply chain initiatives. Donham offers more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently as the vice president of supply chain at Riverside Furniture. Additionally, the company has named Minoo Hinman and Allison Eremita to executive roles. Hinman brings more than 25 years of industry experience to her new role as director of showroom design for Home Meridian International Group, while Eremita replaces Jordan Noe as vice president of product development and merchandising for Accentrics Home, arriving from her position as director of merchandising at Furniture Mart.
Juniper has welcomed Ray Shikatani as country manager for Canada—a new position in which he will grow Juniper software adoption, assist in product development for the country’s market, and communicate with regional industry leaders. Shikatani’s marketing and sales experience in the gift and home industry extends back 30 years, including his most recent role as president and partner of the David Youngson and Associates gift sales agency and importer. In other company news, Justin Jackson has been appointed as Juniper’s chief revenue officer, bringing experience from recent positions at Uber Eats and Amazon’s marketplace and services division.
Nawleen Kaur has joined the team at The Adelaide Project by TPL Lighting as creative lighting specialist. Kaur brings 15 years of experience to the new position, having most recently served as a design firm’s workplace studio lead before transitioning to consultative lighting sales in 2020.
Design & Architecture
Neka Highland has been promoted to partner at Marin Architects, marking the first time a woman has held the position in the company’s 35-year history. In her new role, Highland, who was previously senior project architect at Marin, will be based out of the firm’s Louisiana office.
At Lemay + Escobar, Marina Pulliam has been appointed as design director and will be based in the architecture and design firm’s New York studio. As a former senior designer for the Rockwell Group and Wimberly Interiors, Pulliam brings extensive experience to her new role, in which she will work alongside design principal Andres Escobar to lead the U.S. studio.
Nelson Worldwide has appointed Bevan Bloemendaal as new retail practice leader of the architecture, design and strategy firm. Most recently, Bloemendaal served as vice president of global retail experience and creative services at The Timberland Company, where he oversaw global store design, visual merchandising, art and copy, e-commerce and corporate events.
Design, procurement and project management services firm Premier has promoted two of its team members—Abby Shehan steps up as design director from a previous role as senior designer, and Leslie Wynne has been appointed design manager after serving as senior interior designer.
Aspen, Colorado–based CCY Architects has promoted Jenny Trumble to the associate level. Trumble first joined the firm in 2013 as a designer, and has contributed to several of the firm’s AIA award-winning projects, as well as Meadow House, for which CCY won a 2021 the International Architecture Award.
Media & PR
Luxe Interiors + Design has announced a new slate of editorial leadership. After joining the team in 2018, Kathryn Given has been promoted to style director, a role in which she’ll oversee all front-of-book content, including Radar, Market, Kitchen and Bath, and The Report. Colleen McTiernan has been promoted to senior managing editor after serving in various leadership roles—including managing editor, associate editor and editorial assistant—at the publication since 2018. New to the team, Kelly Velocci joins as managing editorial director, having previously served as managing editor for New York Cottages & Gardens and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, as well as associate digital production editor for hotel product brand Hotels at Home. New arrivals Clémence Sfadj and Krystal Racaniello have been named managing editors, with Sfadj departing a role as digital managing editor for quarterly academic journal Modernism/modernity, and Racaniello leaving an editor position with U.K. academic publisher Taylor & Francis Group.
Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles has appointed Lauren Iverson as the magazine’s new editor in chief. Iverson rose through the publication’s ranks, previously serving as managing editor and assistant editor, and succeeds former editor in chief Suzanna C. Hamilton.
At The Consultancy PR, new arrival Dani Shouhed has joined the team as an account executive. Shouhed comes to the role following a previous position as associate manager at Jennifer Bett Communications, where she worked within the firm’s lifestyle/home and decor division.
Andrew Joseph PR has welcomed video and filmmaker Mason Blake to the team alongside the firm’s launch of a new roster of services called AJPR 4D. Blake will assist in providing advanced film and montage services to create content for clients that can be shared across all platforms.
WorkTheBrand has brought on Grant Williams in the role of client services coordinator. Williams will work remotely from Brooklyn in the new position, and brings several years of experience in the hospitality and beauty sectors. Stephanie Adams, meanwhile, has departed the firm after serving as client services manager since 2017, and will begin a new chapter as her family relocates to Colombia.
Retail & Manufacturing
1stDibs has appointed Matthew Rubinger as the design marketplace’s chief commercial officer, tasked with overseeing growth strategies and new category expansion including NFT, auctions, international and supply growth. Rubinger joins the company from Christie’s, where he occupied several leadership roles based in Hong Kong, London and New York—including a most recent position as global head of corporate and digital marketing.
Weekends Only Furniture & Mattress has hired Robert Briggs as new vice president of retail operations and experience. Briggs steps into the newly created position with experience in the assisted sales process at Men’s Warehouse and Conn’s HomePlus, and will provide Weekends Only with a single point of leadership for supply chain and store operations.
Andersen Corporation has selected Chris Galvin to serve as president and chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2022. In the new role, Galvin builds on his nearly 20 years of experience with the company, where he’s currently president of the division for new residential, home improvement and light commercial market segments, and has held leadership roles in corporate finance, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain operations.
Windward Design Group has announced the addition of John Pinion and Justin Welsh to its sales team. As president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association, Pinion’s areas of focus include Texas and Oklahoma, and he brings more than two decades of experience in territory management for interior and exterior furnishings. Welsh, meanwhile, will represent Windward to dealers in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., bringing more than 17 years of experience in home furnishings industry territory management and service.
Liebherr has welcomed several new members to the team, hiring Jessie Escobar as regional sales manager for Western territory, Christian Lopez as e-commerce specialist for Liebherr Appliances North America, and Sarah Gambrell as a regional sales manager for scientific appliances.
Home furnishing company Four Hands has named Adam Dunn as new vice president of design. Dunn initially joined the company in 2013 as a product developer before being promoted to creative director just one year later. In other company news, Four Hands has hired Nina Venice in the role of associate design director, to which she also brings experience from within the company, most recently from developing the Big Idea Design Suites this past year.
Homepage image: Caroline Selfors; courtesy of Unsplash
