January was a big month for new hires in the home industry—in home magazines, trade brands and top retailers alike, there were big changes at the top. Read on for Business of Home’s monthly roundup of arrivals and departures in design, manufacturing, media and more.

To the Trade

Fabricut has welcomed Ashlie Dickey as its new national sales manager for luxury brands, where she will be responsible for developing and growing the company’s sales nationally across the Vervain, Stroheim, S. Harris and all European distributed brands. Dickey joins the company after sales and leadership experience at Danao and Perennials and Sutherland.

F. Schumacher & Co. has promoted Pamela Marshall to creative director of Patterson Flynn, from a previous role as vice president of design and development at Schumacher. In the new role, she will be tasked with overseeing product design and development along with marketing and visual merchandising for the brand’s floorcoverings, fabrics and wallcoverings.

Michael Rull has joined Sagebrook Home as the company’s new director of marketing. With more than 15 years of experience in marketing, trade show operations, and creative experience in the field of interior design and home furnishing manufacturing, Rull has previously served brands such as Made Goods, Feizy Rugs and Classic Home; in his new role, he will lead marketing strategy and creative initiatives for Sagebrook Home.

Pollack Weitzner welcomes Rheta Shockley as its national sales manager. Since 2016, Shockley has served as the company’s sales representative in the New England region, building on previous experience as the outside seller for Donghia in the same territory. In her new role, Shockley steps into the position most recently held by Barbara Ariss, who retired at the end of 2021 after serving the company for eight years.

North Carolina–based Phillips Collection has hired Serena Martin as the company’s new director of marketing. Martin’s experience includes managing the marketing departments of home decor and furnishings brands for Houzz, Zuo Modern, Sagebrook Home and Robin Baron Design before launching her own marketing consulting business, 24/7 Creative Agency, in 2019.

Alyssa Abrams has joined European trade brand Eichholtz B.V. as marketing director for the U.S. market. Abrams most recently worked as director of brand development for StyleRow, and held previous positions as senior marketing manager for the Decoration and Design Building in New York and marketing manager for the Retail Group of America.

Design & Architecture

Architecture, interior design, procurement and project management firm Premier has appointed chief executive officer Hector Sanchez to head of hotel development for the firm’s parent company Ashford, Inc. Sanchez’s background includes executive positions with Rubicon Oilfield International and National Oilwell Varco. In his new position, he’ll oversee the development process from land acquisition all the way through to a hotel’s completion and opening. In other company news, the firm also brought on several new additions to the team, including Ovi Meret and Richard Strock as directors of corporate engineering, and Sean Segerblom as business analyst.

Montgomery Sisam Architects has announced the appointment of three new principals: Neda Basharat, Shannon Wiley and Enda McDonagh. Basharat is a founding member of the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee, and has made key contributions to projects serving vulnerable populations over the last six years. Wiley has served the firm for more than 10 years, during which time she was central to the success of the multi-award-winning University of Toronto Center for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship. McDonagh also joined the firm more than a decade ago, and has been instrumental in leading the first-ever modular supportive housing projects for the city of Toronto as a certified passive house consultant.

Washington, D.C.–based multidisciplinary architecture and design firm //3877 has expanded its team with the addition of interior designer Jeffrey White. White holds degrees in both historic preservation and interior design, and will work within the firm’s interiors department to further establish its footprint in the residential sector while also branching into commercial design.

Multidisciplinary design and architecture firm Workshop/APD has announced the promotion of three longtime leaders within the company. Former design director Andrew Kline has been appointed the first associate principal with the firm, building on five years of experience at the company. Zachary Helmers has stepped into the role of managing director following 17 years spent working on residential and development projects for the firm out of its Minneapolis office. Finally, Michael Luft-Weissberg, formerly senior project manager, has been named managing director, and will be responsible for facilitating team performance and overseeing project design, development and management along with business development.

Phillips, a global platform for buying and selling 20th- and 21st-century art and design, has announced the appointment of Jean-Paul Engelen to the newly created role of president for the Americas. In the new position, Engelen will oversee client and business activities and strategic plans across the region, along with continuing on as a worldwide co-head of 20th-century and contemporary art.

Media & PR

Hearst Magazines has announced the promotion of three key editors at House Beautiful. Carisha Swanson, former market director, will step into the newly formed role of director of editorial special projects, where she is tasked with creating new editorial initiatives in the digital, video and print spaces while driving brand development in new categories and platforms. Former style director Robert Rufino has been promoted to senior style director, with expanded duties that include creating editorial content under his The Rufino Report vertical, connecting with designers for editorial projects and fostering relationships with design trade companies through appointments, events and trade shows. Meanwhile, Nathalie Kirby has been promoted to senior editor of content strategy, where she’ll take full ownership over the brand’s social strategy and promotion of print, digital and special projects.

Curbed has announced the addition of two new hires to the editorial team, welcoming Clio Chang as news writer and Katie McDonough as senior editor. Chang will cover New York’s built environment, bringing experience from previous roles at Vice, Splinter, The New Republic and The Century Foundation. McDonough, meanwhile, will work across print and digital, editing news stories and features about architecture, design, New York real estate and urbanism, joining Curbed after holding previous positions as deputy editor for The New Republic and senior editor at Jezebel.

Furniture Today has named Jean Marie Layton as a senior editor covering the upholstery segment. Layton has previously worked as a writer and editor in the trade and nonprofit sector, and succeeds Powell Slaughter, who retired late last year.

At Nylon Consulting, Shannon Mulholland has joined the public relations team as account manager, bringing experience from prior roles in influencer marketing and events at agencies such as Estate Five Media, Sullivan and Hangar Four Creative. In other firm news, Lauren Marsala has been promoted to account manager after initially joining Nylon three years ago.

Chase Pardue has joined the team at Hello PR as an account director, working across accounts including The Rug Company, Marmol Radiner, L’Atelier Paris and more. Pardue’s experience includes a most recent position as account supervisor at Magrino Public Relations, along with previous roles at Black Frame and HL Group.

The Consultancy PR has welcomed two new arrivals: Jacob McLean as a public relations coordinator in its New York office, and Rebecca Goldman as a social media coordinator for its Los Angeles office. McLean joins the team from a previous role with Pitch Publicity, while Goldman most recently worked as digital marketing manager for a small sustainable swimwear brand called Banshee Swim.

Retail & Manufacturing

Wayfair has welcomed Fiona Tan as chief technology officer, succeeding Jim Miller as he transitions out of the role leading up to his retirement in June. Tan first joined the company in 2020 as global head of customer and supplier technology, and has worked alongside Miller in preparation for the new position. She brings more than 25 years of experience to the leadership role, including as senior vice president of U.S. technology at Walmart, where she oversaw the execution of expansions to the brand’s site, mobile app and merchant-facing technology across e-commerce and stores.

At Ikea, Johan Ejdemo has stepped into the new role of design manager, a role in which he’ll work alongside fellow design manager Eva Lija Löwenhielm to co-lead the retailer’s design team. Ejdemo started at Ikea in 1999 as a product engineer, and has since contributed to a number of notable projects ranging from product development to new platforms. In the new position, he’ll work to strengthen circular-design thinking to assist the company’s goal of becoming a circular business by 2030.

The Rug Company has announced the appointment of Andrew B. Cogan as chairman of the company’s board of directors. Prior to joining The Rug Company, Cogan served for more than 30 years as chairman and chief executive officer of Knoll Inc., where he drove organic sales growth, direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels, and design initiatives and acquisitions, along with helping to facilitate the sale of the business to Herman Miller in a $1.8 billion transaction. Cogan also currently serves as director of the American Woodmark Corporation.

Multi-category lifestyle brand Parachute has announced the appointment of retail industry veteran Meredith Lamont as the brand’s first chief merchandising officer. Lamont has spent more than two decades in the retail sphere—including 13 years spent in home furnishings specifically—and has served as a trend analyst and strategic advisor for companies such as Pottery Barn, Gap Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co. In her new role, Lamont will focus on driving growth strategies and leading the brand’s product development and category expansion.

Kelly Thomas has joined the team at Material Bank as a category manager for stone, tile and flooring. Most recently, Thomas served as vice president of marketing for Interior Design Magazine, along with previously holding leadership positions as director of marketing for both Stone Source and Designtex.

Home furnishings supplier AICO has announced the promotion of two executives within the company, as David Koehler steps into the role of executive vice president following the retirement of Chuck Reilly, while Jeff Santanello becomes vice president of sales to fill Kohler’s previous role. Santanello has served the company for more than two decades in a variety of executive positions in sales and customer service, supply chain management, and internal purchasing, while Koehler’s transition aligns with a long-term succession strategy by the company, and will place him in charge of strategic planning and business development for AICO in addition to day-to-day operations.

Technology-enabled interior design platform Modsy has expanded its team to include the brand’s first chief revenue officer, bringing on Veenu Taneja to serve in the role. Prior to joining Modsy, Veenu was general manager for Amazon’s e-commerce verticals, overseeing the company’s furniture category, Amazon registries and gifting, among other programs. At Modsy, he will work to bring new partners, retailers and categories to the company’s marketplace, reporting directly to CEO Shanna Tellerman.

New Zealand furniture brand Resident has tapped New York–based commercial director Alex Wisnioski to lead the company’s expansion in the Americas. With more than 17 years of industry experience, Wisnioski will oversee Resident’s plans to double wholesale distribution in established markets in the U.S. and European Union in 2022 with a focus on high profile brick-and-mortar and e-commerce partners, along with a return to the global trade fair circuit.

Furniture rental company Fernish has announced a slate of new hires among the company’s leadership—Evelyn Krasnow has been appointed CMO, bringing more than 25 years of experience at companies such as Bird, Seeding and Belkin; Sydni Gethner, who previously worked at Interior Define, steps into the role of head of sales; Jorge Montoya is the company’s new vice president of operations with more than 20 years of experience at Amazon and Target; Tessa Peshke will serve as the new head of multifamily, with 20 years experience at companies such as Apartments.com and Yardi; and John Praino will become the new vice president of partnerships, with more than 25 years experience, most recently at Oakwood.

Lauren Corbin has joined Benjamin Moore as senior manager of the architect and designer segment. The newly created role will see Corbin developing new programs within the A&D community and representing the company at industry events and organizations. Previously, Corbin served as associate director of brand partnerships and development for the Hearst Design Collection since 2016.

Arper Furniture has appointed Roberto Monti as the company’s new CEO. Monti’s experience includes more than 20 years spent working at Ikea, including serving as president of Ikea South East Europe, the company’s largest market. Since last year, Monti has served on Arper’s advisory board, and will work at the brand’s helm to further its competitiveness in international markets while strengthening its focus on sustainability.

Industry Organizations

The New School’s Parson School of Design has named Michele Gorman, currently an assistant professor of interiors, objects and technology at Parsons, as the new director of the Master of Fine Arts Interior Design program in the School of Constructed Environments. As a design activist and technologist, Gorman’s recent work includes the introduction of a new inclusive design pedagogy at Parsons over the last year, executed through the launch of the Radically Inclusive Studio. In the role of program director, Gorman will focus on a decarbonized and decolonized future for interior design, with plans to center graduate student voices and host design workshops beginning this spring in partnership with the MFA industrial design program and various student and community organizations.

The Interior Design Society has announced its 2022 board of directors, electing Mikala Moller of Rowley Company as president, Beth Clark of B. Clark Interior Design as vice president, Sarah Daniele of Mydoma Studio as secretary/treasurer, Joe Calise of Sights-N-Sounds as member at large, and Jason Clifton of Bauer/Clifton Interiors as past president. Four board members are continuing to serve their terms—including Michael Bauer of Dallas Market Center; Audrey Clawson of Audrey Clawson Interiors; Susan Jones of Furniture, Lighting and Decor; and Sasha Wallace of Jaipur Living—alongside the newly elected board members Elizabeth Scruggs for superior construction and design and Aleah Mazyck as student board member.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association has announced the 2022 Board of Directors, electing Basil E. Larkin, vice president of sales at Hestan Commercial Corp., as board chair, Randy Warner, vice president of sales for Signature Kitchen Suite and LG Builder as vice chair, and Kristen Elder, vice president of residential builder and showrooms at Ferguson Enterprises as secretary/treasurer. Other new board members include kitchen designer Jan Neiges, principal of Jan Neiges; Jan Heck, president and CEO of Miele USA; Mikael Akerberg, chairman and CEO of Nobilia North America; Louis M. Rohl, chair and founder of The House of Rohl; Ken Roberts, president of Delta Faucet Company; and Ken Williams, president of Caesarstone North America.

International Market Centers has hired Caroline Russell as its new design services manager, a role that will focus on driving Open Daily and at-market attendance of designers and home retailers to AmericasMart, along with providing on-site customer service upon arrival. Russell brings two year of prior experience as client services representative at Ferguson Enterprises.

Homepage image: ©Caroline Selfers/Unsplash