Industry players continue to make moves this summer in preparation for a busy fall. Read on for BOH’s monthly roundup of arrivals and departures in design, manufacturing, media and more.
To the Trade
Home furnishings brand Caracole appointed Alessandro Fabrini as president. With over 20 years of experience in global leadership roles at luxury fashion and jewelry companies including Bulgari, Gucci, Burberry and Aerin, Fabrini has a skill set ranging from general management to marketing and merchandising. In his new role, Fabrini will lead the executive team and build upon its foundation.
Luxury outdoor furniture brand Brown Jordan appointed industry veteran Jerome Griffith as president and chief executive officer. Most recently CEO of Lands’ End from 2017 to 2023, Griffith’s focus was the brand’s e-commerce growth modernization of its technology infrastructure. Prior to that, Griffith served as CEO of Tumi, where he transformed the company into a luxury lifestyle brand and built its international footprint, eventually taking Tumi public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012 and leading the company’s sale to Samsonite International in 2016.
Natural stone and surface manufacturer Cosentino named Patty Dominguez vice president of business development for Cosentino Americas. Dominguez has been with the company for nearly 17 years, serving as the vice president of architecture and design sales, and playing a key role in cultivating new business opportunities for the brand. In her new role, she will be responsible for generating business development in all commercial channels and helping spearhead Cosentino’s growth strategy.
Fabric wholesaler The House of Scalamandré announced Beth Greene as its chief marketing and business development officer. Greene worked at Kravet for more than 30 years, most recently as executive vice president of marketing and strategic branding. In her new role, Greene will manage the brand’s image, marketing and creative brand decisions, including Scalamandré’s new licensing collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New Jersey–based tile and stone producer Artistic Tile hired Jamie Ayers as national sales manager. Ayers brings over two decades of experience in natural stone, manufactured material and commercial and retail sales, most recently serving as regional manager at wholesale building material company Stone Source Midwest, where she worked for 19 years. In her new position, Ayers will work closely with the Artistic Tile’s showroom managers and design associates to implement sales strategies.
Media & PR
New York–based PR firm Dada Goldberg appointed Angelica Poprawa as an account director. With more than a decade of sales and public relations experience, Poprawa most recently served as an associate director at PR firm Head & Hand, where she worked for six years. In her new role, Poprawa will represent home brands, including Danish furniture manufacturer Carl Hansen & Søn and rug company Armadillo.
New York–based PR firm Jennifer Bett Communications announced Laura Maruszczak as director of lifestyle and design. With almost a decade of public relations experience, Maruszczak most recently served as an account supervisor at Nylon Consulting, where she worked for two years. In her new role, Maruszczak will represent bedding company Parachute, furniture brand Maiden Home and window treatment manufacturer Everhem.
Design & Architecture
Architecture and design firm Perkins&Will promoted Robert Clemens to managing director of the New York studio. Clemens has more than 25 years of architecture experience in mixed-use, residential and transit-oriented projects, most recently serving as the managing principal at Studios Architecture in New York. In his new role, Clemens will help lead Perkins&Will’s New York studio, continuing to build the company’s pipeline of projects across health care, commercial development and corporate workplaces, including Syracuse Hancock International Airport and the John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.
Architecture firm Olson Kundig announced Mark Ours as director of project delivery. Bringing more than 25 years of experience to the company, Ours’s multidisciplinary career has spanned architecture and construction management, most recently including a post as vice president of construction company Lehrer Cumming. In his new role, Ours will lead the advancement, implementation and optimization of processes with respect to the delivery of projects.
California-based Brandon Architects named Ryan McDaniel as the firm’s first official partner. McDaniel has been with the company since 2012 and has built a portfolio including single-family custom homes, mixed-use and multifamily projects. In his new role, McDaniel will work alongside the firm’s namesake architect Christopher Brandon.
Minneapolis architecture and design firm Nelson Worldwide welcomed Allan Taylor as national practice leader of asset strategy and David Shull as national practice leader of industrial. Taylor brings over a decade of sales and business development experience to Nelson, previously holding leadership roles at startups across multiple industries, building teams and implementing training and effective organizational processes and communications. In his new role, Taylor will drive revenue for the firm. Meanwhile, Shull joins Nelson with 35 years of experience, 11 of which he spent as principal and industrial practice leader at architecture and planning firm Progressive AE. In his new role, Shull will develop and implement the firm’s strategy for growth, foster client relationships and manage revenue generation.
Global design and engineering consultancy company Arcadis announced Elina Cardet as principal for the firm’s Miami office. With more than 30 years of architecture and design experience, Cardet most recently served as the design director of interiors and associate principal at Perkins&Will, and was also the principal of her own firm Cardet Associates for 16 years. In her new role, she will collaborate with team members to create solutions and functional spaces for clients.
Florida-based interior design firm V Starr announced promotions and appointments to its leadership team in the firm’s West Palm Beach studio. Jennifer Phillips relocated from Las Vegas to become senior project manager and has more than 25 years of experience in conceptual design, most recently as a senior project manager at ID & Design International. Senior designer Gaby Fiallos, who most recently served as an interior designer at local firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, brings a diverse range of experience that includes a collaboration with Delta Air Lines. Gracie Huden was promoted to interior designer after joining V Starr in 2020; a recent graduate of Alabama’s Auburn University, Huden’s experience includes a residential design background in her hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Connecticut architecture and interior design firm JCJ Architecture appointed Barry Goldstein as the new associate principal and managing director. Goldstein brings 38 years of architecture experience to his new role, previously serving as the senior architect at Oklahoma-based KKT Architects and building a portfolio spanning commercial office, retail, education and multifamily residential projects. In addition to holding the position of associate principal at JCJ, his new dual position will require him to guide project processes, direct resource allocation and manage project performance in the company’s regional offices. The firm also added staff to its Tulsa office, including Jim Healy as senior project manager and Sean Pendley as senior project architect, where they will both serve as studio leaders, promoting the firm’s culture, and managing staffing assignments and utilization.
Architecture and design firm Premier promoted Abby Shehan to senior design director. Shehan brings almost 20 years of senior-level interior design experience to the new role and has been with the company since 2015, leading interior design teams on new-build and renovation projects in the multifamily and hospitality sectors. In her new role, Shehan will lead her team through the design process of new-build and renovation projects, ensuring that work is delivered on time and on budget.
Retail & Manufacturing
Lifestyle and lighting company Schoolhouse announced Nathan Williams as the first creative director-in-residence. Williams brings years of experience in curated design aesthetics to Schoolhouse, and founded the lifestyle media brand Kinfolk and the apparel, homewares and accessories brand Ouur. He has been recognized as one of Elle Décor’s top 10 influencers in design, and on the Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Hypebeast100 lists. In his new role, Williams will work in partnership with the leadership team to accelerate the Schoolhouse brand, content and creative direction.
Target announced Andrés “Dru” Ortega as the director of brand management for the company’s home collections. Ortega brings 15 years of experience in creative and large-scale consumer campaigns and brand strategy to his new role, most recently serving as the senior vice president of brand and marketing at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and as West Elm’s director for communications and influencer marketing.
Online art gallery and artist network Saatchi Art announced Sarah Meller as CEO. Meller has led the brand and marketing strategy for Saatchi Art since 2018, growing the gallery’s online presence, expanding into new marketing channels and forging new brand partnerships. Prior to Saatchi, Meller worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art for nine years, serving as the assistant director of marketing. In her new role as CEO, Meller will continue to lead the growth of the global business, which includes the Saatchi Art marketplace, The Other Art Fair and the group’s Hospitality Art Advisory.
Wayfair appointed Jon Blotner as its incoming chief commercial officer, following the retirement of Steve Oblak. With over 20 years of experience growing retail businesses and managing teams, Blotner most recently oversaw Wayfair’s specialty retail brands, including AllModern, Joss & Main and Birch Lane. Before joining Wayfair, Blotner served as president of online jeweler Gemvara before it was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2016. Oblak will retire from Wayfair in January of 2024 after 14 years of leadership, and Blotner will serve as incoming CCO beginning July 2023, formally assuming the CCO role in October 2023.
Bedding company Boll & Branch welcomed Maria O’Brien as the senior vice president of design. O’Brien joins the company with previous experience as the vice president of Restoration Hardware and the design director of Pottery Barn Teen. In her new role, O’Brien will lead product design efforts during the brand’s next phase of growth.
French bathroom fittings and accessories manufacturer THG Paris announced Alexandra Singer as creative director. With over 15 years of experience, Singer most recently served as THG’s managing director. In her new role, Singer will oversee creative strategy, website and design management, and lead the aesthetics of new showrooms, including the brand’s new openings in Milan and the redesign of its New York showroom.
Flooring manufacturer Lucida Surfaces hired Yehuda Fisch as regional sales manager in the Southeast. With more than 13 years of experience in the flooring industry, Fisch managed the company’s Florida sales division over the past six years, establishing strong relationships with architects, designers, developers, contractors and property managers. In his new role, he will expand sales beyond Florida and also target Georgia and South Carolina.
Ergonomic product manufacturer Humanscale appointed Todd Bracher as creative director. Principal of his own firm, Studio Bracher, and an industry veteran with over 22 years of experience, Bracher has more than 200 products in the market, two dozen patents and several global design awards. He has been a longtime collaborator of Humanscale for over 15 years, and will lead creative and strategic positioning across the company’s branding and product development.
Contemporary British tableware brand Richard Brendon welcomed Nell Dodge as commercial director. Dodge joins the company with over 15 years of experience in the design industry, previously working for Chilewich on the operations and sales teams, and Mud Australia as a consultant at their factory in Sydney. In her new role, Dodge will help drive business forward and bring energy and determination to the team.
Sherrill Furniture Company announced India Miller as vice president of creative for Hickory White, Sherrill Furniture and showroom design. Miller brings 28 years of managing her own design business and has led various aspects of Sherrill Furniture’s business over the past 10 years, including the transformation and launch of its new showroom. In this new role, Miller will report to the president of Sherrill Furniture, Thad Monroe, and help elevate the product design, merchandising and showroom experience of Hickory White and Sherrill Furniture.
Sustainable mattress manufacturer Avocado Green Brands hired mattress industry veteran Mark DesJardin as the director of business development. DesJardin spent the past 10 years leading business development at C3 Corporation, an equipment and automation supplier to the mattress industry, where he worked with mattress manufacturers all over the world. In his new role, DesJardin will focus on growing Avocado’s distribution partners.
Home solutions manufacturing company Leaf Home appointed Nina George as chief growth officer. Prior to joining Leaf Home, George served as chief growth and marketing officer at education technology company BrainPop and previously held key strategy, pricing and analytics leadership positions at Rent the Runway. In her new position, George will drive Leaf Home’s expansion efforts across North America, focusing on growth objectives and revenue targets, and collaborating with other members of the executive team to formulate strategic goals.
Industry Organizations
The Design Leadership Network hired Amanda Oppenheimer as membership coordinator and Zach Mauer as senior email and marketing manager. Most recently, Oppenheimer held a sales position at RH, where she focused on large-scale design projects and business development for RH Trade, after previously working for high-end residential interior design firms like Elias Associates. In her new role, she will oversee the DLN member application process, welcome new members and facilitate DLN connections and partnerships. Mauer joins the DLN team from Hearst, where he oversaw strategy and advised on content optimization for publications like Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. At the DLN, he will be leading strategy across email, social media and all other marketing.
Nonprofit organization NYCxDesign appointed Ilene Shaw as executive director. Since its inception in 2012, Shaw originally served on the NYCxDesign Steering Committee as a founding member, followed by a seat on the board of directors in 2020. Shaw is currently the CEO of Shaw & Co. Productions and was the founding producer of Design Pavilion, a cultural public activation, presenting a curated collection of displays and installations in New York during the annual NYCxDesign fair.
The American Society of Interior Designers announced the organization’s 2024 national board of directors, which includes two officers, seven at-large directors, an industry partner representative and an ex officio who will take office in October. The officers include chair of the board John Cialone and past-chair Toni Gocke Wyre. The directors at-large will be Margi Kaminski, Sarah Colandro, Denise Rush, Ken Wilson, Caroline Gama, Shundra Harris and Ruju Jasani. Teresa Humphrey will serve as the industry partner representative and Sheryl Connelly as the ex officio.
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