Sales Team

Rich Ruggeri: Director of Business Aviation

Rich works with Jennifer Coleman and our Account Executives to further strengthen  and expand our relationships within the aviation community.

Gina Harper: Pacific Northwest

Based in Seattle, Gina has strong design industry knowledge and years of experience. She works directly with all Garrett Leather clients throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Grace Brown Rek: Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana

Grace spent many years at Garrett Leather's headquarters learning every aspect of the business. She moved to Chicago and enjoys meeting customers face-to-face to promote the family business.

Ailene Werner: Mid-Atlantic

Ailene is a seasoned professional in the architecture and design industry. She is an accomplished hospitality designer. Ailene brings a strong work ethic and great industry connections to Garrett Leather.

Lisa Manke: Southern Texas and Louisiana

Lisa is a dynamic, hands-on sales professional with proven history of providing exceptional service, education and assistance to designers generating specifications. She is affliliated with Texas Association for Interior Designers (TAID) and Rice Design Alliance.

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Lauren Potak: Northern Texas and Oklahoma

Lauren earned her degree in interior design before moving to New York City to begin her career within the A & D community. She moved to Dallas to work as a sales executive in the Hospitality and Multi-family markets prior to joining our team. She currently sits on the NEWH Board of Directors. 

Paula Cavallin: Ontario and Quebec

Paula has worked in the A & D community for over 25 years and has been involved with many exciting projects. She has a passion for interior design and loves working with her clients. Paula looks forward to building relationships with clients in Ontario and Quebec.

Kim Patriarca: New England

Kim earned her degree in Interior Design and has been in the contract furniture industry for 20 years working with end-users and the A&D community throughout the New England region.  She prides herself in providing the best customer experience and product solutions to her clients. She has a passion for design and loves seeing them come to life.

Lucia Portali Waters: Manhattan

Lucia is very passionate about leather and has comprehensive knowledge of many aspects of the leather industry. She also ran her own art and design business and has extensive experience working with designers, architects and purchasing agents throughout the A&D community.

Oscar Burgos: New York Showroom Manager

Oscar has extensive experience in both outside sales and showroom management. As a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Oscar is thrilled to be back at the Decoration & Design Building to assist designers in finding the perfect products.

Laura McMillan: North and South Carolina

Laura brings energy, passion for design, and a unique blend of residential and commercial sales experience to Garrett Leather. She is dedicated to being a trusted resource for her clients by providing product education and innovative design solutions. Laura enjoys being an active member of IIDA and looks forward to growing Garrett Leather partnerships in North and South Carolina.

Heather Leopold: Southeast

Heather is an experienced professional spending many years in the textiles industry with various well-known brands. Her enthusiasm and passion for design enable her to assist clients with an incredible amount of energy and personal service.

Angela Kelman: Northern Florida

During the last 18 years, Angela has worked with the A&D community on projects throughout the world.  She enjoys collaborating with clients to bring their visions to reality.

Patricia Civil: Southern Florida

Patricia has strong A&D relationships from her years in sales with a fabric company. Prior to joining Garrett Leather, she specified artwork and mirrors within the hospitality industry. Patricia loves promoting Garrett Leather to all industries within her territory.

Corporate Headquarters

Max Brown, President

Max Brown represents the second generation of the company. After a decade of managing various departments throughout the organization, he was ready to take the helm. He continues to lead the company with the founding ideals firmly in place.

Bridget Forth, Vice President of Finance

Bridget earned her Master's degree in accounting from St. Bonaventure University and passed the CPA exam. For over 20 years, she has managed the finances for the company and has kept us in the black.

John Sansano, Vice President of Operations

John has 20 years of experience in logistics and operations management. His role in overseeing Operations, Quality Assurance, and Purchasing ensures that our organization operates efficiently and delivers high-quality products. He is Six Sigma Black Belt certified and excels at improving productivity and inventory accuracy.

Shawn Martin, Operations Manager

Shawn is an accomplished and dedicated professional with over 20 years of management experience. He is a key leader within our organization, responsible for overseeing and commitment to delivering excellence in the areas of Shipping, Receiving, and Sampling.

Roberta Sand, Vice President of Marketing

For more than two decades, Roberta has helped to build and promote the Garrett Leather brand. She is responsible for planning and directing all marketing initiatives, including sales collateral, digital platforms, public relations, and special events.

Jennifer Coleman, Vice President of Aviation Sales

For over 25 years, Jennifer has nurtured and grown our aviation business to record levels. Her dedication and commitment to exceeding customers' expectations are simply unparalleled.

Ed Berowski, Vice President of Sales

Ed manages all aspects of the sales team to develop long lasting relationships with team members and clients. This encompasses all domestic and international locations to promote the growth of Garrett Leather products and to ensure we are creating the best possible client experience.

Cara Haley, Quality Assurance Manager

Cara works closely with our tanneries to ensure that all incoming leather articles meet our quality standards. She leads product inspections and oversees our ISO 9001:2015 compliance.

Carlos Montalvo, Receiving Manager

Carlos manages our Receiving team and incoming deliveries. He ensures all leather is processed and added to our inventory promptly for our customers to purchase.

Zoila Rosa, Sampling Manager

Zoila is detailed-oriented and has exceptional organizational skills to ensure all samples ship accurately and on-time.

Paul Rose, Special Projects Manager

Paul is responsible for planning, quoting, and handcrafting Wall Panel orders. He also manages the procurement of other special projects such as Welt Cord, Rug Binding, and leather fringe.

Josh Hagadorn, Process Manager

Josh previously worked in Purchasing before being promoted to Process Manager. He keeps all departments running at maximum efficiency by implementing and improving operating procedures. His comprehensive data analysis is pivotal to managing our growth.

Ryan DePaolo, Inside Sales

Ryan has extensive sales experience and strong customer focus. He enjoys working with clients to help them see their projects through from conception to completion.

Lynne Cook, Inside Sales

With over 25 years in sales, Lynne is enthusiastic about building strong relationships and enjoys effectively collaborating with clients to follow their projects from inception to completion, ensuring attention to detail thoughout the process. She consistently focuses on clients' needs and thrives to deliver excellence in service.

Jean Rahuba, Client Experience Manager

With over 25 years of experience in sales, product management, and customer service leadership, Jean brings a unique perspective to her role. She is committed to continuous improvement and encourages the Client Services team to think creatively in the best interest of the customer.

Adam Gilewski, Major Accounts Client Services

Adam joined our team almost a decade ago and has worked in numerous departments, including Quality Assurance, Special Projects, and Inside Sales. With his vast experience and leather expertise, he provides exceptional service to our clients.

NancyJane Lipinczyk, Transportation Client Services

NancyJane has a way of putting a smile on everyone's face with her positive attitude and enthusiasm. Her true passion is customer service. NancyJane loves working directly with customers and helping them in every way that she can.

Julie Nicometo, Transportation Client Services

Julie worked in our Sampling and Shipping departments prior to moving into Client Services. She has thorough understanding of our products and enjoys helping customers make the best selectons for their projects.

Ersa Shaikh, Transportation Client Services

Ersa transitioned from our A&D Client Service group where she serviced a vast portfolio of clients with unique demands to Transportation where she offers exceptional customer assistance. She has a knack for managing a great deal of detail without sacrificing quick and timely turnaround for customers.

Michelle Nasca, Client Services Support Specialist

Michelle has worked in client services for more than two decades. Her tenure has given her several opportunities to work cross-functionally to provide the highest level of customer service. She remains an integral player and resource for the Client Services team and supports our clients in the United Kingdom.

Catherine Jago, A&D Client Services

Catherine joined our team with extensive experience in customer relations and account management. Her friendly personality and professional demeanor are the perfect fit for Garrett Leather’s clients. 

Priscilla Baldwin, A&D Client Services

Priscilla has more than ten years of experience and an impressive track record of providing outstanding customer service. She is dedicated to giving the best service possible to every single client.

Michael Wisniewski, A&D Client Services

Michael worked in our Quality Assurance department prior to moving to Client Services. He demonstrates his friendly demeanor and focus on quality during all of his interactions with his customers.

Michelle Choinski, A&D Client Services

Michelle is excited to be a part of the Garrett Leather team and assist her clients in making the best selections. She has a positive attitude and a sincere willingness to help others.