Mary Tovar, TRS Build

Name of Company
TRS Build

Name of Participant
Mary Tovar

What is your job title?
Client Services Director

What do you do for your company?
I work closely with all team members to ensure clients receive the best possible service in line with our brand promise of Professionalism, Care and Communication, and Quality in Product and Service Delivery. I track performance and project status across our portfolio of projects, oversee procurement and warranty services, and ensure clients receive timely and accurate communications.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
No

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
In my last position I worked for a private school where I was the first point of contact for parents of prospective students, and provided parents with communications throughout the life cycle of their child’s time with our academy.

What do you love about remodeling?
I love seeing the difference we make in people’s lives and the beauty we can create in their homes! I’m very proud of our company and work diligently every day to maintain and improve on our record of quality.

Annemarie Diaz, TRS Build

Name of Company
TRS Build

Name of Participant
Annemarie Diaz

What is your job title?
Co-Owner, Development and Engagement

What do you do for your company?
I oversee marketing, sales, design, permitting and client services to ensure our clients have the best possible experience in line with our brand promise of Professionalism, Care and Communication, and Quality in Product and Service Delivery. I also work with our team to create and track performance metrics, celebrate wins, and learn from any new challenges we face.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
UDCP

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job? My background is in engineering, advocacy and strategic planning. A strange sounding combination perhaps, but I find I use something from all of these skill sets and experiences every day as we work to serve our team and our clients well.

What do you love about remodeling?
I love working with our clients and team to develop plans and designs that create the beauty our clients want and the functionality they need, and seeing their excitement as that vision becomes a reality! I especially love bringing Universal Design concepts into projects for clients that want to ensure all family members and guests can use and enjoy the home, and projects where adults are preparing their home for aging parents to move in with them. Lastly, it may seem old fashioned, but I still see home ownership as core to the American Dream and central to creating stability for families and communities. I love helping clients invest in their homes, and transform their homes to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Ashley Wainscott, Simply Home

Name of Company
Simply Home

Name of Participant
Ashley Wainscott

What is your job title?
Founder & CEO

What do you do for your company?
I lead the vision of our company, our leadership team, strategic planning, community involvement and the building of external relationships.

Do you hold any NARI certifications? Not yet!

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
My education is in entrepreneurship, which is all about building a business. Building a business is not something that stops after you start your business, the building happens everyday. I have used my financial and event planning background to remember the bigger picture for my team, third paries and our clients. I use my life experience to create the team’s and client’s extraoridinary daily experience of Simply Home.

What do you love about remodeling?
Building a space that fits each client and sparks a feeling of home for them. The creativity that flows throughout each phase of planning, development and construction, as well as the unique opportunities that present themselves at each client’s home.

Holly Northup, Simply Home

Name of Company
Simply Home

Name of Participant
Holly Northup

What is your job title?
Operations Manager

What do you do for your company?
The Operations Manager ensures quality, safety, and efficiency by creating or refining, implementing, and consistently monitoring procedures for all existing departments; additionally this position helps strategize, plan, build, and develop new departments and roles in consultation with the Executive Team and in alignment with the company’s growth plan. The successful candidate is a strategic thinker whose insight and direction results in a more productive, well-resourced internal team, a smoother flow of information, as well as cleaner, tighter, systems. The Operations Manager’s duties will include serving as a company representative on regulatory issues and routine business processes; interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training new employees; establishing and maintaining an employee performance management system, including annual performance appraisals and associated improvement plans. This role is the internal shepherd of the company, monitoring and supporting all employees in the execution of their roles. This person is bold and confident in their thoughts and actions. They consistently listen curiously and thoughtfully when interacting with all staff, and as a result act as a poised advisor for both employees and the Executive Team.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
No

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
My previous experience in small business operations, especially in growth and strategic planning have helped me to focus in on my role and other roles of the company to streamline systems, create processes and define job responsibilities to ensure that we are executing our company’s mission and helping our clients at the highest level.

What do you love about remodeling?
Seeing the whole process of remodeling from demo to the final beautiful design has always been intriguing to me. Being able to create spaces that truly elevate a person’s life while creating the home of their dreams is such a special process and I’m honored to be a part of it.

Maryann Casas, Simply Home

Name of Company
Simply Home

Name of Participate
Maryann Casas

What is your job title?
Senior Project Manager

What do you do for your company?
Oversee the construction team, create and manage construction and tracking processes, on-going client relations, and manage the close out survey/reviews + photoshoots.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
No

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
Studied Sustainable Building Design and started my career working for a sustainable construction company. Working in sales and hospitality prepared me for the world of Construction Project Management by being quick on my feet and eager to communicate with clients while troubleshooting with my team internally.

What do you love about remodeling?
No two days are the same! I love homes and design and seeing how spaces affect people. We have such a wonderful opportunity in the home remodeling world to impact people and the way they live and enjoy their lives. I love seeing the tangible outcome of hardwork in the spaces we renovate. Design phase to demo to trim out is such a journey. Working directly with designers, tradesman, and clients creates a huge network and I’ve thoroghly enjoyed creating with the people in this network.

Whitney Hall-Smelser, Remodel Boutique

Name of Company
Remodel Boutique

Name of Participant
Whitney Hall-Smelser

What is your job title?
Interior Designer & Project Manager

What do you do for your company?
In my role as an interior design project manager, I am essential in coordinating many aspects of the project from start to finish. Some of the core skills I utilize daily include project planning, client communication, team coordination, budget management, resource allocation, quality control, risk management, and documentation and reporting.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
No

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
As interior designers, we’re accustomed to a wide array of project types, and remodeling only expands that horizon further.  Each project presents unique challenges, allowing me to continually learn and grow. I find great fulfillment in learning and growing within the interior design industry, always aiming to exceed my own standards. With seven years of hands-on experience in both residential and commercial interiors, coupled with my formal education from the Texas State Interior Design Program, most days represent the culmination of my combined design journey. From space planning, budgeting, selections, specifications, presentations, drawings, and researching new methods or products, every aspect seamlessly converges into the work I do. In addition to my formal education, I’ve actively participated in student panels at Texas State and have been deeply involved in various professional interior design organizations. Interior Design is an immersive career, and I’ve found great value in staying engaged and connected within the central Texas design community.

What do you love about remodeling?
At my core, I am a problem solver, finding fulfillment in untangling complex challenges. Among the many gratifying aspects of my career, remodeling stands out as a chance to reimagine spaces, utilizing existing elements to exceed clients’ expectations. I believe that meticulous attention to interior architecture is pivotal in creating exceptional environments. When floor plans and designs are thoughtfully optimized, selections and finishes naturally fall into place with greater harmony. Witnessing the transformation from “before” to “after” is the most rewarding aspect of our part of the industry. Above all, my primary objective is to enhance our clients’ lives and establish enduring, safe environments for the future.

Marisol Orona, Remodel Boutique

Name of Company
REMODEL BOUTIQUE

Name of Participant
MARISOL ORONA

What is your job title?
INTERIOR DESIGNER + PROJECT MANAGER

What do you do for your company?
As Interior Designer, I guide my clients through the technical and creative phases of their remodeling project. As Project Manager, I help ensure that we are staying within scope, within budget and on time.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
NO

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
I have an educational background in Culinary Arts, as well as Interior Design. My years spent working in high-volume restaurants has helped me bring a professional perspective when designing functional and efficient kitchens, as well living spaces that promote connection and highlight ambiance.

Most of my professional design experience has come from working under a Spec Home Builder. My projects consisted of investment properties and new builds, which we would mainly design to appeal to the mass real estate market.

The major difference between that work and the work I do at Remodel Boutique, is that now I have the privilege of working one on one with clients and tailoring their spaces to fit their individual needs, taste and lifestyle. The end results are far more collaborative, creative and unique than I could ever create on my own.

What do you love about remodeling?
I love that each project brings a new set of challenges to resolve for our clients, and at my core, I really enjoy helping people. I also believe that good design is about seeing things as they could be, and I take great pride in being able to facilitate beauty and transformation wherever possible.

Michelle Flores, Remodel Boutique

Name of Company
Remodel Boutique

Name of Participant
Michelle Flores

What is your job title?
Co-Founder

What do you do for your company?
I oversee sales and construction process.  As a small business owner and operator I spend much of my time cultivating relationships, microtweaking our processes and trying to provide support to team members in all depts.

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
Not yet. This year we are working on completing our Certified Remodeler and Kitchen and Bath certifications.

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
We remodel homes but we’re in the customer service industry.  My first priority keeping is folks happy, we aim to make a stressful and scary endeavor a painless and enjoyable process. Listening has become one of the most valuable skills I’ve honed.

What do you love about remodeling?
Helping families fall back ini love with their homes and getting to work and build a business besides my wife.

Elizabeth Passmore, Remodel Boutique

Name of Company
Remodel Boutique

Name of Participant
Elizabeth Passmore

What is your job title?
Project Manager 

What do you do for your company?
Construction department project manager 

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
No

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
I graduated from Drexel University with an Construction Management degree and have worked in the industry for the past 10 years. My experience affects everything I do on a daily basis! 

What do you love about remodeling?
Building someones dream home and no two projects are the same

Christine Allessio, ProSource

Name of Company
ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings Austin 

Name of Participate
Christine Allessio 

What is your job title?
Account Manager 25 Years 

What do you do for your company?
Sales and design. Build and maintain positive relationships with our industry partners. 

Do you hold any NARI certifications?
President 2024, Vice President 2023, Membership Committee Chair, WIN Chair.

How do you use your previous experience and/or education to do your job?
Continuous learning on latest trends and styles with product knowledge classes. Observing more experienced industry partners. 

What do you love about remodeling?
The People.  I love watching each step and seeing the final product put a smile on their faces.