From industry organization board announcements to architecture firm promotions, read on for BOH’s monthly roundup of arrivals and departures in design, manufacturing, media and more.
To the Trade
Materio, a project operating system for interior designers, hired Jaime Brown as its head of sales and partnerships. Brown was previously the director of strategic partnerships at Studio Designer.
Fabric and wallpaper brand Schumacher elevated sales manager Nicole Krieger to tristate managing director. Krieger is based out of the brand’s showrooms at the D&D Building and the New York Design Center. The brand also announced that Jane Cumming has been promoted to head of brand engagement.
Retail & Manufacturing
The Rug Company welcomed back James Seuss as its CEO. Seuss, who replaced Jan Vingerhoets, held the same position from 2015 to 2024, and recently served as vice chairman of the board.
Herning, Denmark–based Ege Carpets has appointed Claus Beier as its new group CEO. Beier was previously group CEO at the Danish foundry company Vald. Birn. He succeeds Rune Stephansen, who resigned last summer.
Tréca Paris, the French luxury bed brand, appointed Isabelle Durand as CEO. Durand brings three decades of fashion world experience, most recently serving as global chief client officer for Christian Louboutin.
Quince has hired Dakota Kate Isaacs as the direct-to-consumer brand’s first head of brand strategy and narrative. She was previously the senior director of new global ventures at the beauty brand Deciem.
Shiir, the custom rug brand founded by Shea Soucie and Martin Horner of Chicago-based Soucie Horner Design Collective, has hired Matthew Pober as director of sales. Pober was most recently senior VP of American sales at The Rug Company.
Plunge pool manufacturer Soake Pools announced four new hires: West Coast territory manager Stephen Rivard; New York and Fairfield County territory manager Heather Kimball; content creator and social media manager Chelsea Owen; and warehouse associate Brendan Russell.
Furniture and interiors brand Empire & Co. hired Hayley Pernsteiner as director of the brand’s newly established hospitality division. She was previously director of design and procurement for Collective by DRG, the FF&E studio she co-founded in 2019; before that, she was an interior designer at Cortland Partners.
Hudson Valley Lighting Group welcomed Nicolas Neubeck as the conglomerate’s senior art director. Neubeck was previously at Hearst Magazines for more than 11 years, serving as creative director since 2019.
Design & Architecture
MBH Architects announced the promotion of Joe Irwin and Hillary Thompson to principal. Irwin, who works out of the Denver office, served as the studio director and Denver office director, and Thompson, who is based out of the firm’s Alameda headquarters, was director of brand communications.
HKS hired Scott Nelson as principal and health studio practice leader for the Mountain West region. Nelson was previously system vice president of planning, design and construction at Advocate Aurora Health, and is a founding member of the American College of Healthcare Architects.
Global design firm Hart Howerton announced a flurry of promotions. Jessica Sager and Nicholas Monroe are now principals; Nicholas Baran is associate principal; Miranda Boshoff is senior director; Nicholas Crump, Junie Delgado, David Louie, Damon Pearson, Stefani Santeramo and Zach Poole are senior associates; and Taylor Brophy, Hiro Hayakawa, Tyler Many, Nicole Ratajczak, Evan Sale and Yuni Wong are associates.
New York–based firm TPG Architecture announced the promotion of Emma Lazarus, Jeffrey Mitcheltree and Jennifer O’Meara to managing associate. All three were previously senior associates at the firm.
San Francisco–based Butler Armsden Architects announced the promotion of Sunwoo Kim to director of design and Mallory Bridle to director of operations. Kim joined the firm in 2018 and was most recently project manager, while Bridle has been with the company for 12 years and was recently senior project manager.
Sustainable home building company Carbon Custom Builders welcomed Luke Delaney as director of construction. Delaney was previously senior site manager for Brooklyn-based Passive House–certified general contractor R. Sutton.
Media & PR
Jennifer Levene Bruno has founded a new consultancy called JLB Collective, which focuses on helping luxury and lifestyle companies home in on brand narrative, storytelling and growth. Bruno, who serves as the firm’s CEO, was previously with Hearst for 19 years, recently serving as senior vice president and head of industry, home and design.
Design News Now welcomed Rachel Fasciani as its new editor in chief. Fasciani was previously wholesale brand marketing director for Stark, and is principal storyteller and strategist for the consultancy She Runs in Heels.
New York–based Andrew Joseph PR has promoted Matthew Bobbins to managing director. Bobbins has been with the firm since 2020.
Industry Organizations
The board of directors of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation Inc. appointed new officers and board members for 2026. Former board president Satya Tiwari, the president of Surya Inc., now serves as board chairman; Jeremy Hoff, the CEO of Hooker Furnishings Corporation, has been elected board president; Gat Caperton, the CEO of Gat Creek, is first vice president; John Schultz, co-CEO of John V. Schultz Furniture and Levin Furniture & Mattress, is second vice president; and Greg Avitabile, the president of operations at Andmore, is secretary-treasurer. New directors include Crypton president and CEO Lance Keziah and Stefani Norton, the senior vice president of U.S. sales for Tempur Sealy International. Board members re-elected to another three-year term are Hunt Broyhill, the chairman of the board of Aria Designs; Karen McNeill, the CEO of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame; Michael Faus, the senior vice president of Carpenter Co.; Neil Goldberg, the chairman and CEO of Raymour & Flanigan Furniture; Richard Weeks, the vice president of global sales for Leggett & Platt; and Melinda Whittington, the president and CEO of La-Z-Boy Inc.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association introduced its 2026 Design Council: New York–based designer Nathan Orsman and Los Angeles–based designers Bobby Berk and Mandy Cheng. The trio will serve as global ambassadors for the NKBA.
Phoebe Yee has been appointed board chair of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. Yee, who serves as the executive vice president of design at the development firm Related California, has been on the board for five years. She replaces former board chair Angelica Baccon, the principal at SHoP Architects. The foundation also announced Jhaelen Herdandez-Eli and Lissa So have joined the board, and Anazette Ray is the new general counsel.
