Hospitality Design - July 2010 - 94

Women of Influence

Wolfgang Puck Food Company, she has also developed the design for the Wolfgang Puck Cafés. Today Lazaroff is as well known for her philanthropic efforts, and has recently released a new book Wishes for a Mother’s Heart, with a portion of the proceeds going to her favorite charity, Aviva Family and Children’s Services.

“I’ve known Barbara for over 15 years, and during that time her intelligence, fortitude, and aesthetic sensibilities have consistently inspired and astounded me,” says designer Eric Engstrom. “I admire her greatly as a designer and a humanitarian, and am amazed at her energy and commitment to all she believes in. She has influenced and inspired a generation of women to demand the best in whatever they undertake, and to never take no for an answer.”

Carlton, and more. (Hilton Baltimore shown.) She is also widely known for her “eatertainment” themed restaurants for Rainforest Café, Harrah’s, multiple Disney properties, and Mars 2112 in New York. In 2009 she expanded her 50-person company internationally, opening a Shanghai office. “She is terrific, a real talent who is passionate about finding the best overall design and environment for her clients. And I’ve found she is relentless in pushing team members to find innovative solutions. Karen is committed to bringing visions to reality and exceeding expectations,” says Karen Dougherty Buchholz, vice president of administration, Comcast Corporation.

“In her brief five years at Host [previously she was in the sourcing department at Disney for 10 years], Helen has led the revolution of how all stakeholders in the CapEx process interact, and defined the work process of creating value for the owner and working to the sole benefit of the owner of the hotel. When someone in our industry says ‘Helen,’ no last name is needed, we all know who they are talking about! There is no finer leader, and she is the role model others aspire to in our industry.”

practicality. It’s a bit like being able to have it all! A very modern concept.”

Randy Rubin
Co-Founder Crypton Super Fabrics West Bloomfield, Michigan
Randy Rubin’s background in marketing (implementing awardwinning programs for companies like General Motors and Kmart) helped Crypton Super Fabrics, along with her husband and business partner Craig, explode into the marketplace and become an international brand. Rubin has brought Crypton to hospitality and residential, has been voted one of the 50 most influential women in Michigan by Monthly Detroit, and continues to grow the business with new collections and marketing programs. (Power Lines carpet by artist Randy Twaddle shown.) “Randy [and Craig] have expanded the technology in our industry so now we have a new category of performance fabrics that almost give us limitless opportunities to do wonderful things to the fabric for the end use,” says Arnold Grodman of Kravet. “Randy and Craig do more for our industry than almost anyone else.”

Sandy Chilewich
Founder and Creative Director Chilewich I Sultan LLC New York

Helen Jorgensen
Vice President of Design and Procurement Host Hotels & Resorts Bethesda, Maryland
Helen is the woman to know to get products placed in multiple hotels. As vice president of design and procurement for the largest hotel ownership company, Jorgensen is responsible for the implementation of a strategic supplier program for Host and has made green FF&E a large part of the hospitality purchasing conversation. “No other person has had such a great effect on the relationship between the owner, project management firms, architecture and design firms, purchasing firms, FF&E vendors, and logistics firms as Helen Jorgensen,” says Alan Benjamin, president, Benjamin West, and co-founder of the International Society of Hospitality Purchasers.

Karen Daroff
President and Principal Daroff Design Inc. + DDI Architects Philadelphia
Since starting her firm in 1973, Karen Daroff has made a name for herself in themed hospitality, resort, and gaming venues, creating luxury hotels and resorts for Marriott, Starwood, Le Meridien, Shangri-La, Hyatt, InterContinental, Loews, Ritz-

As the co-founder of HUE, Sandy Chilewich brought the legwear market to another level with smart design, packaging, and brand development. After selling the company in 1991, she took on her next business endeavor and again, transformed an industry: this time, with textiles and tabletops. Her enterprise has grown significantly in the past 13 years—woven fabrics for bags, tables, and other surfaces, flooring, tile, and even iPhone covers are defining Chilewich these days—including a name change reflecting the new business partnership with her architect husband Joe Sultan. (Basketweave rolls, shown.) “For the tableware industry, Chilewich fills the gap between the informal disposable paper product and the tradition of linen,” says tabletop stylist Brigitte Intuputi. “It brings textures with fashion colors, from neutrals to shimmering weaves with the ease of use and

Judy Dobin and Diana Dobin
Founder/Principal/Executive Vice President Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Valley Forge Fabrics Pompano Beach, Florida
The mother-and-daughter team who is a crucial component of the largest decorative fabric supplier company (founded in 1977) in

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - July 2010
