Get involved! This is your association, and we value your input. Following are descriptions of current A.R.E. committees and other volunteer groups. The investment of your time and expertise in participation not only determines the direction of your industry association, but can develop into long-term, mutually beneficial business relationships and opportunities with other industry professionals like yourself.
ASSOCIATE MEMBER
The committee's goal is to demonstrate how associate members create value for manufacturers and designers, as well as their clients (retailers), promote the value of associate membership to current and prospective members, and make sure member benefits meet member needs. The committee should also promote to associate members the value of networking and visibility at A.R.E. events and within the industry, particularly Convention.
Chair: Donald Bloom, CEO, Prime Retail Services Inc.
Staff Liaison: Susan Kimelman
Committee Members:
Terra Berry, Director, Business Development, Pro Image Installers Inc.
Robert Brown, National Sales Manager, Panel Processing Inc.
Greg Carpenter, Vice President and General Manager, Specialty Lighting
Robert DeGroff, VP Design Development, Miller Zell
Tom DeMain, Business Manager, Sheet Division, Altuglas International
Rich Eidman, President, Seymour & Associates
Roelena Manning, Vice President, Sales, Retail Marketing Services East
Richard Musel, Marketing Director, The Sherwin-Williams Co.
Mark Sesti, Senior Account Executive, Titan Global Distribution, Inc.
Bob Thomas, President, Suddath Transportation Services Inc.
John Wilkins, VP Strategic Client Development, Miller Zell
COSTING & ESTIMATING
Responsible for the development and execution of the Costing & Estimating Seminar and developing other programs to meet members’ costing and estimating-related needs.
Chair: Paul Pinkus, National Director, In-Store Marketing and Store Design Industry Group, RSM McGladrey Inc.
Staff Liaison: Catharine Scott
Committee Members:
John Blattel, Vice President, Senior Operations Officer, EMI Industries
Dave Mueller, Chief Operating Officer, Hamilton Fixture
Joe Stipati, Crown Metal Manufacturing Co.
DESIGN AWARDS
Responsible for the development and execution of the annual A.R.E. Design Competition and Awards Program.
Chair: Jim Wiemer, Vice President and Creative Director, DCI Marketing
Staff Liaison: Karen Doodeman
Committee Members:
Darcy DiFazio, Vice President, Administration, Allegheny Store Fixtures Inc.
Tim Fearney, Show Director, Nielsen Business Media/GlobalShop
Jackie Glanz, MG Concepts
Jonathan Irick, Environment Design Director, Ziba Design Inc.
Anne Johnson, Director, Marketing, Bergmeyer Associates Inc.
Tom Maglio, Executive Vice President, TDC INSTORE
Roelena Manning, Vice President, Sales, Retail Marketing Services East
Scott Monico, Vice President, Operations Presentations Plus of America
Blake Nielsen, Account Director Strategic Partnerships, The Carlson Group Inc.
Richard Stolls, Chairman, Trimco Display LLC
Designers of Retail Environments and Merchandising Team (DREAM Team), a member think tank focused on retail design issues. For a list of the entire DREAM Team, visit the DREAM Team page.
Chair: David Milne, Principal and Creative Director, DMD Retail Design Ltd.
Staff Liaison: Jo Rossman
GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND SUMMIT
Responsible for developing programs and
services that address members’ general management needs, including
finance, accounting, law, insurance, human resources, and strategic
planning. Additionally responsible for the development of the program
for the A.R.E. Summit and working closely with the A.R.E.
staff to assist in its execution.
Chair: Alan Harvill, President and CEO, EMI Industries
Staff Liaison: Leslie Melvin
Committee Members:
Donald Bloom, CEO, Prime Retail Services Inc.
Chris Carlson, President, Carlson Co. Inc. of Madison
Robert Reeve Frackelton, Vice President, Reeve Store Equipment Co.
Mike Haddon, Chief Operating Officer, American Installation Companies
Eric Jones, Vice President, J.R. Jones Fixture Company
Paul Pinkus, Managing Director, In-Store Marketing and Store Design Industry Group, RSM McGladrey Inc.
Bob Riley, CEO and President, DSA/Phototech
Dean Rubin, CEO, Rose Displays Ltd.
James Schubert, President, Showbest Fixture Corp.
Allison Short, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator, Chute Gerdeman
Richard Stolls, Chairman, Lifestyle/Trimco Inc.
Stephan W. Waltman, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Stiles Machinery Inc.
INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE
Responsible for achieving A.R.E.’s goal to become the resource to provide international business opportunities for our members.
Chair: Joel Katterhagen, Executive Vice President, Sales, Customer Service, and Project Management, Leggett & Platt Store Fixtures Group
Staff Liaison: Klein Merriman
Committee Members:
Carl (Chip) Aschinger III, Vice President, International Sales, CSC Worldwide
Brian Hahn, Account Manager, Retail Store Fixtures, Pacific Northern Inc.
Reggie Medford, Director of Sales, Grand + Benedicts Store Fixtures
Simon Ong, Group Managing Director, Kingsmen Projects Pte Ltd.
Rodger Piersant, President and Partner, Displaycraft Inc.
Paul Ryan, Vice President, Business Development, IGS Store Fixtures Inc.
John Schlegel, Chairman and CEO, Hamilton Fixture
Stanley Valiulis, President and CEO, Southern Imperial Inc.
Ute Wallner, Marketing Manager North America, TIGER Drylac U.S.A. Inc. Powder Coatings
MANUFACTURING
Responsible for the development and execution of the A.R.E. Manufacturing Seminar and for developing other programs and services to address members’ manufacturing-related needs.
Chair: Steve Varon, Director, Engineering, Crown Metal Manufacturing Co.
Staff Liaison: Catharine Scott
Committee Members:
Mark Bernhard, President, Bernhard Woodwork Ltd.
Doug Cook, Executive Vice President and Partner, Displaycraft Inc.
Richard Eidman, President, Seymour & Associates
L. Duane Griffiths, Manager, Educational Services, Stiles Machinery Inc.
William Hutson, Vice President and General Manager, Vulcan Industries
Sean Morris, Director, Operations, M&H Manufacturing
Dan Schmidt, President and CEO, The Combination Door Co.
Scott Schubert, Vice President, Manufacturing, Showbest Fixture Corp.
MARKETING
Responsible for developing and implementing programs to create a preference in the minds of buyers for products provided by A.R.E. members.
Chair: Kevin Hogan, VP Sales & Marketing, Stylmark Inc.
Staff Liaison: Karen Doodeman
Committee Members:
Chuck Bray, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Randal Displays Inc.
Norm Friedrich, President, OCTANORM USA Inc.
Marcy Goldstein, Marketing Director, JGA
Anne Johnson, Director, Marketing, Bergmeyer Associates Inc.
Roelena Manning, Vice President, Sales, Retail Marketing Services East
Blake Nielsen, Account Director Strategic Partnerships, The Carlson Group Inc.
Dean Rubin, CEO, Rose Displays Ltd.
Johnathan Sanders, Vice President, Luxury Brand Development/ Public Relations, Chippenhook
Carroll Shipman, President, Presentations Plus of America
Ken Stolls, President, Lifestyle-Trimco
Lizzy Xiang, XiaMen XJF Industrial and Trading Co. Ltd.
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
To make recommendations to the A.R.E. Board of Directors on membership policy, dues, membership retention, and new member solicitation.
Staff Liasion: Karen Doodeman
Committee Members:
David Allen, National Account Executive, Kenstan Lock Company
John Empfield, Director, Marketing, Panel Processing Inc.
James Smith, President and CEO, Vira Manufacturing Inc.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Responsible for the development and execution of the A.R.E. Project Management Seminar and for developing other programs to address members’ project management-related needs.
Chair: Mike Rotolo, President and CEO, E-B Display Co. Inc.
Staff Liaison: Catharine Scott
Committee Members:
David Allen, National Account Executive, Kenstan Lock Company
Isaac Bindert, President, Installation Solutions Inc.
Matthew Field, Vice President, Field Services, Goebel Fixture Co.
Jonathan Heinze, Director Of Operations, Prime Retail Services Inc.
SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL
Responsible for directing and executing A.R.E.’s sustainable initiatives.
Chair: Lisa A. Thompson, LEED AP BD+C, EDAC, CEO, EcoScapes Sustainability Solutions LLC
Staff Liaison: Jo Rossman, LEED AP ID+C, GPAP
Committee Members:
John Blattel, LEED AP, Vice President, EMI Industries
Bob DeGroff, LEED Green Associate, Vice President, Design Development, Miller Zell Inc.
Nancy Everhart, AIA, CDT, NCARB, LEED AP, Studio Principal, Banks, Little
Michael Payne, AIA, NCARB, CSBA, Associate - Project Architect, Callison
Jeff Remtema, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability, Architect, Progressive AE
Bob Riley, CEO/President, DSA/Phototech
Richard Shelley, LEED AP, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork
Rick Troxel, CSI, Product Manager, Roseburg
Wesley Woelfel, Design Director, Greneker
Complementing the work of the council is the A.R.E. Sustainability Forum, a network focused on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable retail environments. Join the Forum on LinkedIn.
TRADE SHOWS
To act as a proactive coordinating body between A.R.E. members and Nielsen Business Media, representing members’ interests at GlobalShop inThe Store Fixturing, Digital, and Visual Merchandising Shows, and to maximize the effectiveness of trade shows for A.R.E. members and their customers.
Chair: Norm Friedrich, President, OCTANORM USA Inc.
Staff Liaison: Karen Doodeman
Committee Members:
John Clontz, Director, Marketing, Madix Store Fixtures
Tom DeMain, Business Manager, Sheet Division, Altuglas International
Andy Edelman, Chief Experiential Officer, Trimco Display LLC
Tim Fearney, Show Director, Nielsen Business Media/GlobalShop
Jay Hogfeldt, CEO and Chairman, Wind Mill Slatwall Products
Doug Hope, Vice President/Publisher, Nielsen Business Media, A Division of the Nielsen Company
Roelena Manning, Vice President, Sales, Retail Marketing Services East
Melissa Santos, Director of Marketing, Rose Displays Ltd.
Brad Stewart, Director, Sales, Hera Lighting LP
Tom Valiulis, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Southern Imperial Inc.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Responsible for advancing the growth and development of the Visual Merchandising members of A.R.E.
Chair: William (Bill) McHenry, President and CEO, Elevations, Inc.
Staff Liaison: Karen Schaffner
Committee Members:
Bill Conklin, Director of Sales, NYC, Universal Display & Design Inc.
James Damian, Senior Vice President, EDG, Best Buy Co. Inc.
Dan Evans, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Goldsmith Studio 350
Nicola Evoli, CIO-Strategy-International Sales, Grottini
Ignaz Gorischek, Vice President Stores, Visual, Planning, and Design, The Neiman Marcus Group Inc.
Nancy Jackson, President, Architectural Systems Inc.
Linda Lombardi, Vice President, Store Design and Visual Presentation, Godiva Chocolatier
William McHenry, President, Elevations, Inc.
Richard Rollison, Vice President, Business Development, Megavision Inc.
Brad Somberg, President, B&N Industries Inc.
Jeffrey A Spizale, National Director of Sales & Marketing, Presentations Plus of America
Michael Steward, Executive Vice President, Adel Rootstein USA, Inc.
Ken Stolls, Executive Vice President, Trimco
Richard Stolls, Chairman, Trimco Display LLC