Steven J. Gutowski
Steve graduated with a BS in Business and English. His career included successful upper management positions for several leading Commercial Furnishings manufacturers. This included sales management responsibilities for both National and International Divisions. He expanding small export business to eighteen countries on four continents. Steve headed up the launch of the Tropitone Furniture Contract Division, which quickly grew to fifty percent of the companies business. He developed sales materials, a contract sales force, created a line specifically for Multi-Family and created many current sales and marketing programs. His expertise in commercial outdoor furniture enables him to be an excellent partner to his customers and manufacturers.
Steve has a simple business strategy, “Say what you do and do what you say.”
Karen Rodgers Gutowski
Once a design major at University of Memphis, Karen Rodgers Gutowski’ s love of art and design remains present in all facets of her career. Born in Southern California and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Karen brings with her marketing and design experience. Since serving as Pioneer Electronics' Advertising manager in the consumer electronics/entertainment industry, she has worked with the world's most respected and recognized advertising firms, lending her expertise to develop the brand's most successful print, film, and commercial marketing materials and advertisements. Her eye for design and marketing strategies helped her replicate that success in sales when she joined the interior furnishing world in 2002 with Contract Marketing, Inc.
Expanding into outdoor design allowed Karen the opportunity to pursue sales while collaborating with the some of the world's most creative designers. She represents the Kannoa outdoor furniture brands; her breadth of product knowledge and sales experience has enhanced the trade. Haute Xteriors is the latest chapter of this collaboration, and she continues to deliver an exceptional experience by way of an incredibly passionate sales team, and a keen understanding of outdoor living. Karen has been President of the NEWH-Los Angeles
Founding Chapter and has served on the International Board of Directors for NEWH, Inc. a non-profit that provides scholarships to Interior design students.