Conference Faculty

Diana Augspurger

Diana Augspurger, owner of Creative Storage Systems, 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 the 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.

Denise Butchko

Denise Butchko is a marketing and design consultant who’s been in and out of closets for more than ten years. In addition to designing custom storage solutions, she is passionate about teaching people not only the benefits, but the in’s and out’s of social media applications.

She is a former winner of the industry Top Shelf Design Awards and currently serves as a judge for this competition. She is also a regular contributor to CLOSETS magazine.

Laurel Didier

Laurel Didier is vice president and publishing director of Vance Publishing Corp.'s Interiors Media Network based in Lincolnshire, IL. In her 23-year career at Vance, Didier has handled sales, sales management, promotion, circulation and market research for CLOSETS, Wood & Wood Products and Custom Woodworking Business, as well as the publications' affiliated Web sites. She has spear-headed several groundbreaking research studies of the closet and home organization marketplace from both the perspective of industry trends and consumer preferences.

Steven Mann

Steven Mann is president of Crowne Closets & Cabinetry in Las Vegas, Nevada. Crowne is one of the premier closet companies in the country. Mann has owned Crowne for 16 years. Crowne recently merged with Closet Works of Elmhurst, IL, as part of a purchase by Pfingsten Partners LLC to form Closets Inc. The new company will be expanding nationally with Crowne Closets and Closet Works retaining their respective names.

Brice Cooper

With a strong background in fine art and raw determination, Brice’s interest in the field of design came naturally. At the age of 16 Brice joined the local painters union as an apprentice and soon found himself not only being relied upon for his opinion on colors, but his ability to help clients with more complex design questions. His mother the tailor and costume designer imparted Brice with the skill set to bring visions to life at an early age. It was in this creative environment that he developed an eye for style and attention to detail.

At the age of eighteen, Brice incorporated Kustom Craft Papers. The business combined Cooper’s talents as an artist and developed his ability as an entrepreneur by turning out a line of hand-crafted wall coverings for residential as well as commercial applications. Brice has also worked selling and designing office furniture. During this time he drew on his skills as a natural seller and artist to dive head first into the design industry, building strong alliances with architects and designers alike.

While attending the SOFA show in Chicago, Brice saw a need for innovation and design in the arena of water features. He immediately went to work drawing up plans for his new creative endeavor, Element Studios, Inc. He was able to place his creations in prestigious environments around the country. Yet again Brice found himself knee-deep in the design industry and continued to be looked to for his services as a style maker in the industry.

While attending NEOCON in 2003, Cooper was plucked out of an elevator and asked to audition for a new show on Fox dubbed “Design Invasion”. He recently finished his stint as the Lead designer of the Chicago-based team on HGTV’s hit design show “Design on a Dime” airing now. In addition to his duties as former host of DOD Brice has most recently been seen acting as pit reporter for SPEED TV’s coverage of AMA Superbike racing and is currently the face of GE Lighting as the "GE Lighting Guy". Visit www.whatsyourlightingstyle.com for more info.

Although free time is at a premium, he fills the remainder of it writing for décor magazines such as West Suburban Living, Home By Design, and SOAK where he contributes monthly articles on the subjects of Automotive and lifestyle review. In addition to his magazine writing, he is currently the main creative force behind his interiors company Brain Child Designs, Inc. serving the design industry with his unique eye for inspired environments.

Rob Meyers

Suzy Whatley

Suzy Whatley is the Director of Operations for Rev-A-Shelf LLC., where she oversees all operational activities of the company including production, quality, maintenance, inventory control, warehouse, shipping, receiving, and human resources.

Suzy has a Bachelors degree in Mathematics from Eastern Kentucky University and a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. She has been with the organization since 1995, starting out as a Corporate Quality Engineer for the parent company, Jones Plastics & Engineering, where she was involved in ISO 9000 certifications at each injection molding facility. While at Rev-A-Shelf, she held the Quality Manager’s position for 4 years before taking the Operations position in 2006. During this time, she has been involved in over a hundred kaizen events received Six Sigma Black Belt Certification and has completed an Executive Lean Certification class.

Wolf Nickel

Wolf Nickel, President of STOR-X ™ Organizing Systems has thirty years of experience in manufacturing and sales. Wolf started in the family kitchen cabinet shop and went out on his own to develop a successful storage organizing manufacturing plant and brand.

Kevin Jepson

Kevin Jepson was born the sixth of ten children and learned to fight for market share early in life. Kevin showed a flare for entrepreneurship as early as age 11 delivering papers, then mowing lawns and in high school he partnered with friends in a small landscaping business. Understanding the importance of service to others Kevin served in the Okalahoma, Kansas, and Missouri area of the Okalahoma Tulsa Mission for his church.

After returning home from his mission, Kevin worked in the housing trade as a framer. Kevin joined Closets Etc. as a shop worker/installer in 1994. He became half owner of Closets Etc. in 1995. Kevin attended the University of Washington in 2004, taking business classes. He helped write the Business Plan for Closets Etc. that year.

Kevin has worked every phase of the closet business, i.e., framer, shop worker, installer, owner, designer, trainer, and programmer. He is currently serving, as a Board Member of the ACSP and Closets Etc. is also a member of the National Closet Group.

Closets Etc. started as a business in 1992 working out of the rear storage area of a Ford station wagon. They moved to their first permanent location in April of 1993. Closets Etc. grew by using a small carpenter’s table saw and some Hafele jigs and hand tools. Each hole was drilled by hand and the edge banding was also done by hand.

Closets Etc. grew quickly and moved the same year to a much larger location. The next purchase was a state of the art sliding table saw. A small semi permanent edgebander was added the following year. Another move or two and a mid-range edgebander was added to help keep the production leading edge and on schedule.

Closets Etc. has always been ahead of the competition in computer drawings and now computer programming. They purchased a Busellato Jet, CNC router, in 2006 and added a Fravol RX 5 edgebander in 2007. CLOSETS magazine, February 2009 edition, featured Closets Etc. on the cover with the feature story under the title “The Cutting Edge.”

Closets Etc. designs, fabricates and installs Custom Closets, Garage Cabinets and Organizers, Entertainment Centers, and Wall Beds along with some Commercial cabinets and fixtures.

Dave Angers

Dave Angers is Product Development Director for Closet Tailors, LLC, a home improvement franchise that is part of the Home Franchise Concepts family of business concepts based on Orange County, California. Dave, a 26-year closet industry veteran, is part of the team responsible for developing the Closet Tailors business concept, including marketing strategies, product development and the product distribution channel.

Prior to joining the Closet Tailors team in 2006, Dave owned Form To Function, a 23 year old closet and custom cabinet company that specialized in custom wood and laminate closet furnishings, kitchen refacing and commercial cabinet design. He studied interior design at the Interior Design Institute in Newport Beach, California and received his home improvement contractor’s license in 1988.

Before his start in the closet industry, Dave served in the United States Marine Corps, and now resides in Orange County California with his wife and 2 daughters.

Sean Benetin

Sean Benetin is the founder and President of Millwork & More, LLC, a custom cabinet and millwork company serving one of the wealthiest residential and historic restoration markets in the NJ/NY metro area. He has dedicated his life to woodworking, starting his career path at the age of 14 in 1984. In 1996 he founded his company which is currently operating out of a 6,500-square-foot facility in New Jersey since purchasing it in 2001. Over the last 6 years he has completely stopped working in the shop and has focused all his experience and energy on refining his business operation to run without him. Sean is also currently President of the Cabinet Makers Association and enjoys sharing knowledge and networking with colleagues in the CMA.

Dave Grulke

Dave Grulke, Big Dave's Service, has over 20 years of experience in advertising sales and sales management in print, direct mail and broadcast media. During that time, he rehabbed dozens of residential properties and opened his residential general contracting business in 2002. Having learned site built cabinetry and finish carpentry installations as college summer jobs over 30 years ago, he developed his business to specialize in turn key custom kitchens, baths and home offices. He currently serves on the CMA board of directors.