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Diana Augspurger, owner of Creative Storage Solutions, Buffalo, NY, says growing up in a family of interior designers that also ran a furniture store helped her “gain great insight into lighting, color and effect of more intangibles, such as acoustics and designing for personality.” She started Creative Storage Solutions in 1984; today the company operates out of a 10,000-square-foot facility. Augspurger will present “The Softer Side of Selling” at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Tom Barber and his wife Diane founded Closet Crafters & More Inc. of Albany, NY, in 1987 out of a two-car garage. Closet Crafters manufactures laminated wood systems, including closets, entertainment centers, library systems, home offices and custom wall units. The company has four divisions: retail sales for residential homes, new residential construction, commercial construction and Albany Shower Door. Barber will present “Expanding Beyond the Closet” at 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Tom Brandt, owner of The Garage Project, Middleton, WI, has 29 years of construction experience and a lifetime enthusiasm for cars and motorcycles. The company specializes in custom garages and prides itself on its ability to “design a garage for you like no one has seen before.” Brandt will present “Tuning Up Garage Organization” at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Wayne Clark is president of Closet Master Inc., a manufacturer of custom hardwood and melamine closet systems based in Orlando, FL. After serving for four years as the national sales training manager for a large manufacturer and distributor of solar energy equipment, Clark moved to Orlando in 1987 and helped start a closet design firm. He left that company in 1996 and established Closet Master in July 1997. Clark will present “Moving from Amateur to Expert” at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Larry Fox is president of Valet Organizers of Campbell, CA. The 17-year-old company designs, manufactures and installs custom organizational systems. The company operates four showrooms in the San Francisco Bay area. Its product range includes not only closets, but garages, home offices, pantries and wall beds. Fox will present “Designing a Winning Showroom” at 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Joe Galow founded The Closet Creator of Wheeling, IL, in 1987. He says he has personally greeted 98% of his clients and installed 90% of the jobs. A fitness buff and father of two, Galow is vice president of his condominium association and also heads its finance committee. Galow will present “Starting Your Own Business: So You Want to Be a Closet Organizer” at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Barry Izsak is president of Arranging It All of Austin, TX, and has been helping corporate and residential clients get organized since 1996. He is also is president of the National Association of Professional Organizers and author of the book, Organize Your Garage in No Time. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC and FOX and been quoted in hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles nationwide. Izsak will present “Creating Win-Win Alliances with Professional Organizers to Grow Your Business” at 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Jeff Klein taught home building courses from 1980-88, was a general contractor of custom homes from 1982-94 and has owned The Closet Specialist of Bluffton, SC, since 1984. Closet Specialist has showrooms in Bluffton and Savannah, GA. Klein is a founding member of the National Closet Group and was recently asked to serve on the board of directors of the new Association of Closet & Storage Professionals. The Closet Specialist was featured on the cover of the premiere issue of CLOSETS magazine in November 2003. Klein will present “Tips for Smoother Installations” at 4:30 pm. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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David Linda is a founder and CEO of SpaceMan Home & Office of Houston, TX. Established in 1999, SpaceMan was ranked as the 35th fastest-growing private company in 2001 by the Houston Business Journal. Linda received a degree in industrial engineering from Northwestern University and worked in manufacturing for several years before returning to earn his MBA at NU’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He started SpaceMan after working for three years with Deloitte Consulting. Linda will present “Managing for Growth” at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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David Loeb purchased Innerspace of Miami, FL, in 2002 and has since been joined in the high-end closet systems business by his brothers, Jason and Michael. Loeb is ironing out plans to move the 16-year-old company from its original location to a new 16,500-square-foot manufacturing/showroom facility. He has degrees in history and political science and spent 11 years working for his family’s trade publishing business before acquiring Innerspace. Loeb will present “Serving the High-End Market” at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Steven Mann and his partner Burt Galper have owned Crowne Closets & Cabinetry based in Las Vegas, NV, since 1992. The company has grown into the largest independent closet company in the country. Crowne Closets operates out of a 30,000-square-foot factory and has more than 110 employees, including more than 15 designers and 15 installation crews. The company’s 3,000-square-foot showroom was featured in the April 2004 issue of CLOSETS. Mann will present “Breaking Down the Sales Process to Maximize Profits” at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and repeated at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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Neal Zimmerman, AIA, is principal of Neal Zimmerman and Associates of West Hartford, CT. He is a nationally recognized architect, home office designer and author of numerous books and magazine articles on home workplace design. The payback of good home office design, he says, “is increased earnings and a better quality of life.” Zimmerman will present “Home Office: The Next Frontier of Profitability” at 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 2. |
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