Milliken’s Lee Blair retires, Eaton Fine Art and Armadillo welcome new team members, and more. Here is this month’s manufacturer news to know:
Industry veteran Lee Blair retires
Lee Blair—the current vice president and business manager for Milliken & Company’s floor covering business in the Americas—will be retiring next month. A 2023 NEWH ICON of Industry award recipient, Blair’s journey began at Milliken in 1983, marking the start of a tenure spanning more than four decades across leading hospitality flooring firms, including Mohawk. “Lee has had an esteemed career in our industry, and his dedication to Milliken has left an indelible mark on our team,” says Patrick Keese, president of Milliken’s floor covering business. “His leadership and passion over 24 years at Milliken has positioned us for a bright future, and his work with the flooring industry will continue to have an impact long after he retires.”
Armadillo appoints global CEO Mark Haysman
Australia-headquartered rug company Armadillo has appointed Mark Haysman to the newly created position of global chief executive officer. Haysman has amassed extensive experience in consumer goods, including roles at Mighty Craft Limited, Carlton & United Breweries, and Lion Nathan. “With his passion for nurturing and scaling Australian brands locally and internationally, and his reputation for being a dynamic, inspiring, and authentic leader, Mark is perfectly suited to steward Armadillo on a trajectory of continued growth,” says Armadillo cofounder Jodie Fried. Haysman officially commenced his new role with the company in January.
Niche Imports launches to introduce European brands to the U.S. market
Founded last year by Kyle Jones, Chad Smith, Haley Swank, and Jessica DelVirginia, Niche Imports represents and imports luxury European brands stateside. Niche Imports is currently the exclusive U.S. distributor of Autentic, a Belgium-based company offering luxury glamping tents for residential, hospitality, and events, and Spain-based Valiryo, which manufacturers an in-shower body dryer with 27 air diffusers to reduce towel laundering, electricity, and water usage. Niche Imports was developed from an idea that originated at HD Expo + Conference 2023, where the founders first connected with Autentic and Valiryo.
Marybeth Shaw receives the wallcovering industry’s highest honor
The Wallcoverings Association (WA) recently awarded Marybeth Shaw with the Allman Award, its highest honor. Named after WA’s founder, the award is presented each year to a leader who has made a long-lasting, positive contribution to the industry. Shaw, chief creative officer of Wolf-Gordon, has had more than two decades of success in building concept-driven brands, products, and environments in commercial design and green building. “I’m so honored to receive the Allman Award from an industry that has been a vitally important community for me over the years,” says Shaw. “The award motivates me to continue working to strengthen the WA and to ensure the relevance of our products into the future.”
Eaton Fine Art welcomes three new team members
Eaton Fine Art (EFA), an Austin-based full-service art consultancy firm, has recently welcomed Meghan Shay and Krista Birnbaum as project designers and Nick Chen-Cummins as creative service coordinator. Boasting diverse backgrounds, each new team member will contribute to the curation of art programs that cater to the varied needs and preferences of EFA’s clients. “Meghan, Krista, and Nick will further enhance Eaton Fine Art’s ability to curate engaging and memorable art collections for leading hotel properties across the country,” says Terry Eaton, president and chief curator of EFA. “They each bring a unique blend of creativity, expertise, and dedication that aligns seamlessly with our firm’s mission to curate extraordinary art collections.”
Jamie Stern names new director of carpet division
Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric has appointed Roya Gholizadeh as director of production and business development. In her new role, Gholizadeh will oversee the company’s carpet and rug division, including relationships with designers, clients, and manufacturers. She brings over more than decades of international interior design and product development experience across high-end residential, corporate, hospitality, product, and furniture sectors. Prior to joining Jamie Stern Furniture, Gholizadeh was a senior interior designer at SBA Workplace Studio, specializing in workplace and healthcare design. “Influenced by my upbringing and Persian heritage, I learned the art of crafting artisanal rugs and developed a profound appreciation for these exquisite handcrafts,” she says.
Stone Resource and Neil Allen Industries hire Jackqueline Tellekamp
Jackqueline Tellekamp is joining the Stone Resource and Neil Allen Industries as vice president of sales. Tellekamp brings forth more than 10 years of hospitality industry experience. Her began career in the textile sector—with roles at Integra Fabrics and Samelson Chatelane—and she most recently served as brand manager at furniture company JANUS et Cie.
