Committees

Get involved! This is your association, and we value your input. Following are descriptions of current A.R.E. committees. The investment of your time and expertise in committee 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
Tom DeMain, Business Manager, Sheet Division, Altuglas International  
John Empfield, Director, Marketing, Panel Processing Inc.
Roelena Manning, Director, New Business Development, SummitGroup 
Richard Musel, Marketing Director, The Sherwin-Williams Co.  
Dave Quackenbush, Sales Manager, ARPA USA Inc.  
Mark Sesti, Senior Account Executive, Titan Global Distribution, Inc.
Paul Schwarz, CEO, ARPA USA Inc.  
Bob Thomas, President, Suddath Transportation Services Inc.

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 
John Popa, President and CEO, Marlite 

DESIGN AWARDS

Responsible for the development and execution of the annual A.R.E. Design Competition and Awards Program.

Chair: Mike Haddon, Vice President, Sales, 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 Roelena Manning, Director, New Business Development, SummitGroup 
Richard Stolls, Chairman, Trimco Display LLC

DREAM TEAM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Responsible for developing and executing programs and services to address the needs of retail designers.

Chair: David Milne, President, DMD Retail Design Ltd.
Staff Liaison: Jo Rossman

Committee Members :
Dennis Gerdeman, Principal, Chute Gerdeman Retail 
Joseph Nevin Jr., Senior Principal, Bergmeyer Associates Inc. 
Ken Nisch, Chairman, JGA
Steve Starr, Partner, TobinDudleyStarr 

The Executive Committee is part of A.R.E.'s Designers of Retail Environments and Merchandising Team (DREAM Team), a member focus group dedicated to the needs of the retail design community. For a list of the entire DREAM Team, visit the DREAM Team page.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND CONVENTION

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. Annual Convention and working closely with the A.R.E. staff to assist in its execution.

Chair: James Schubert, President, Showbest Fixture Corp.
Staff Liaison: Leslie Melvin

Committee Members:  
Donald Bloom, CEO, Prime Retail Services Inc. 
Chris Carlson, President, Carlson Co. Inc. of Madison 
Alan Harvill, President and CEO, EMI Industries 
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 Smith, President and CEO, Vira Manufacturing Inc.
Mark Waldron, COO, Colony Display 

INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE

Responsible for achieving A.R.E.’s goal to become the resource to provide international business opportunities for our members.

Chair: John Schlegel, Chairman and CEO, Hamilton Fixture
Staff Liaison: Klein Merriman

Committee Members:
Carl (Chip) Aschinger III, Vice President, International Sales, CSC Worldwide 
Donald Depke, President, Midwest Woodworking & Fixture 
Brian Hahn, Account Manager, Retail Store Fixtures, Pacific Northern Inc. 
Simon Ong, Group Managing Director, Kingsmen Projects Pte Ltd. 
Rodger Piersant, President and Partner, Displaycraft Inc.
Randy Riley, President and Partner, TRINITY LLC 
Paul Ryan, Vice President, Business Development, IGS Store Fixtures Inc. 
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
Joan Gebhart, Vice President, Store Fixture Sales, Creative Surfaces Inc.
Sepp Gmeiner, Partner, Lignum Consulting Corp.
Jens Hoppe, Partner and Project Manager, M+M Wood Solutions
William Hutson, Vice President and General Manager, Vulcan Industries 
Sean Morris, Director, Operations, M&H Manufacturing

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: Dean Rubin, CEO, Rose Displays Ltd.
Staff Liaison: Karen Doodeman

Committee Members:  
Chuck Bray, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Randal Displays Inc. 
Norm Friedrich, President, OCTANORM USA Inc. 
Kevin Hogan, VP Sales & Marketing, Stylmark Inc. 
Roelena Manning, Director, New Business Development, SummitGroup 
Carolyn Peterson, Marketing Communications Manager, Boston Retail 
Neil Thomas, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Midwest Store Fixtures

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

To make recommendations to the A.R.E. Board of Directors on membership policy, dues, membership retention, and new member solicitation.

Chair: Richard Ernest, President, Crown Metal Manufacturing Co.
Staff Liasion: Karen Doodeman

Committee Members:  
Donald Depke, President, Midwest Woodworking & Fixture
John Empfield, Director, Marketing, Panel Processing Inc.
Hank Holland, The Royal Promotion Group Inc.
Nancy Holland, National Account Executive, DuraColor
Wayne Laube, Sales Manager, OCTANORM USA Inc. 
John Oliver, East Coast Sales, Brown Wood Products Co. 
Bob Riley, CEO and President, DSA/Phototech 
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:
Donald Depke, President, Midwest Woodworking & Fixture
David Allen, National Account Executive, Kenstan Lock Company
Isaac Bindert, President, Installation Solutions Inc.
Matthew Field, Vice President, Field Services, Goebel Fixture Co.
Zvi Hiesiger, Vice President, Operations, Lifestyle/Trimco Inc. 

SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL

Responsible for directing and executing A.R.E.’s sustainable initiatives.

Chair: Bob Riley, CEO/President, DSA/Phototech
Staff Liaison: Jo Rossman

Committee Members:
John Blattel, Vice President, EMI Industries
Nancy Everhart, AIA, CDT, NCARB, LEED AP, Studio Principal, Banks, Little 
Adrian Harvey, Marketing Manager, Storeimage
Bob Johnson, Director, Design, Harbor Industries 
John Naranjo, Creative Design Director, MRA Design
Michael Payne, AIA, NCARB, Designer, mikemade design 
Lisa Russell, LEED AP, President, Product and Material Innovations, Ecoxera
Richard Shelley, LEED AP, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork
Lisa Thompson, Director, Environmental Development, idX Corporation
Rick Troxel, Product Manager, Roseburg

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:
Tom DeMain, Business Manager, Sheet Division, Altuglas International 
Andy Edelman, Chief Experiential Officer, Trimco Display LLC 
Tim Fearney, Show Director, Nielsen Business Media/GlobalShop 
James Gassman, President, SummitGroup 
Jack Hale, Chairman, TJ Hale Co. 
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, Director, New Business Development, SummitGroup
Edward Parker, Director, Sales and Marketing, Design Services Group 
Boe Young, Vice President, Impressions Marketing Group

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Responsible for advancing the growth and development of the Visual Merchandising members of A.R.E. NADI was merged into A.R.E. in March 2006.

Chair: Brad Somberg, President, B&N Industries Inc.
Staff Liaison: Karen Schaffner

Committee Members:
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. 
Kurt Lemke, President, International Hanger
Salvatore Lenzo, President, Lifestyle/Trimco 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.
Jeff Sheets, Director, Marketing, Blackbox Productions Inc. 
Michael Steward, Executive Vice President, Adel Rootstein USA, Inc.
Ken Stolls, Executive Vice President, Trimco
Richard Stolls, Chairman, Trimco Display LLC 

4651 Sheridan St Suite 470, Hollywood FL 33021 USA, Tel: 954-893-7300, are@retailenvironments.org