Stephanie Hofmann Rubino
Stephanie Hofmann Rubino, Nico, and Mark

Stephanie Hofmann Rubino (Fashion Merchandising '95) met her husband and fellow Ohioan, Dr. Mark Rubino, (Int. Lifesciences '95) while both attended Kent State. They married right after graduation. After Stephanie's internship at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, they relocated to Tampa, where she worked for the Limited Express, and then, as assistant manager, for Victoria's Secrets. Eventually, Mark's medical practice brought them to live in Naples, where he is a neurologist.

Today, Stephanie is a homemaker and mother of six-month old son, Nicolo, whom she lovingly calls "Nico". But she's putting her education to work for another cause. As co-chair of the annual Collier County Medical Society Alliance Fashion Show Luncheon Benefit, Stephanie deftly handled all details for the runway show, that featured casual attire from Chicco's. The event was such a success, raising $24,000, that she was asked to do it again next year. She's already planning a different approach: glamorous evening attire and dinner.

Stephanie credits her coursework and fashion education at Kent State for having made the fashionable difference in career and volunteerism.

Danielle Frazzini
Assistant Buyer, Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmith’s

I joined Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmith’s this past August in their Assistant Buyer Training Program. The training program provided me with the essential systems training and hands-on experience I needed to start my career off as a successful Assistant Buyer. I trained in a coach office in Women’s Dress Accessories, where the Assistant Buyer and Buyer taught me the specifics on how they ran their particular business. Upon the completion of the 8-week training program, I was placed temporarily as the Assistant Buyer in Classic and Trend Jewelry. There I was able to apply everything I had learned in the training program.

Some of my responsibilities in this position include tracking daily sales, recapping current and past business, providing vendors with selling information, entering purchase orders, ensuring timely and complete delivery of merchandise by having constant communication with our vendors, entering and tracking markdowns, creating signs for sale events, completing advertising fact sheets, obtaining advertised sample merchandise from vendors, proofing ads to make certain merchandise and prices are correct, ensuring that stores will have merchandise when it is advertised, recapping this year and last year sale events and advertised items, creating zone-a-grams and visiting stores to make sure that the merchandise presentation is properly executed.

Recently, I have been placed as the Assistant Buyer of Men’s Accessories, where I plan to be for at least a year or so. My responsibilities will remain pretty much the same although increase with time in my new position.

The education I received at Kent State University provided me with a solid foundation for the start of my career. I also realized after meeting people from different colleges of the same degree, that our fashion school’s curriculum and industry based classes are like none other and provides students with an advantage over other graduates.

Elizabeth Farrell
Collection Development Manager, Portage County District Library

After graduating from the Fashion School in 1991, I moved to northern Virginia where I worked in an art gallery and for Matthews Hallmark. In 1993, I moved back to Ohio and attended Kent State’s School of Library and Information Science, earning a Masters of Library Science in 1994. My husband, Carl Bauer, and I now live in Garrettsville with our daughter Evelyn, born September 4, 2002. Upon receiving my MLS, I began working for the Portage County District Library. Our system’s headquarters are in Garrettsville and we have branch libraries in Auroa, Brimfield, Garrettsville, Randolph, Streetsboro, and Windham.

I currently serve as the Collection Development Manager for our system and some of my duties include: administering the materials budget, working with vendors, selecting books and audiovisual materials, training new staff in collection development, and promoting the collection. Each semester in which the Selection and Acquisition of Library Materials course offered at Kent State’s School of Library and Information Science, I appear as a guest lecturer. I also review audiobooks for Library Journal and was named the 2002 Audio Reviewer of the Year.

The education I received from the Fashion School has served me well in my current position in many ways. Most importantly, I think that my education and retail experience have helped me to view our library’s patrons as customers whose needs we must identify and satisfy. Also, the background I received in budgeting and statistics during my undergraduate studies helps me with arguably the most important aspect of my job – administering the system’s materials budget.

Finally, I find that I tend to focus constantly on how we can make our collection more appealing to our patrons through better merchandising and promotion of the books and other materials.

Cathy Colon (Gawron)
Store Director, UCLA Store

I graduated from Kent State in December 1987. I moved to Florida in spring 1988. I really wanted to get into an Executive Training Program with a department store. Upon my arrival, I found it was difficult to get into a training program unless you were recruited from a college campus or promoted from within. I was hired as a sales associate for Burdines in Palm Beach Gardens, FL in the Accessories Department. It was their first all commission store. I worked very hard to prove myself, making an impression on upper management. Within 9 months, I was promoted to another area and sent to the Management Training program. During my five years at Burdines, I was a Group Merchandise Manager, making my way through many of the departments of the store, including Special Sizes, Intimate Apparel, Men’s and Women’s.

I relocated to Los Angeles, where I was a Department Manger for roadway Stores Inc. in the Northridge Store. I was there six months when the Northridge earthquake hit. The store was devastated. I spent the next 4 months working in various stores to help them get re-opened and ready for business. While going form one location to another, I received a phone call from someone I had worked with in Northridge. She was working in the buying office and she said they were looking for people. I was hired as an assistant buyer in the Accessories Division (small leather goods and belts) and had the buying responsibility of Bridge Handbags. Unfortunately, after two years in the buying office, Macy’s West bought out The Broadway and I was not interested in relocating to San Francisco. My Divisional from The Broadway was working as the Store Director for the UCLA Store. The UCLA Store is one of the largest public university stores in the U.S. I was hired to buy the Emblematic Gifts and Accessories and Graduation paraphernalia. Over the past few years here I have taken on additional responsibilities including buying the Concession (souvenir) merchandise sold at the Rose Bowl for football and developed the assortments sold at the Los Angeles times Festival of Books, an annual campus event. I really enjoy my job. I have the flexibility in not only the merchandise selection, but also developing products and graphics uniquely carried by the student store.

My career has been an interesting and exciting journey. I feel I had a very good foundation coming from the Rodgers and Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising. The program was quite new and still evolving when I graduated. The faculty was “from the industry” and had valuable insight and “real life” knowledge from the retail business. I also learned the importance of networking and forming relationships with people you work with. They provide valuable information and support both personally and professionally. To this day, I can still remember advice and wisdom guiding me through my career. I guess you’re never too old to learn!

Natalie Hillstrom Sorenson
Production Coordinator for XRX Books

Hello KSU School of Fashion and Design and Merchandising!

As an '86 graduate I was lucky to be among the first design students at the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising. It was an exciting time of beginnings: the start of the brand-spanking-new school in the old Rockwell Hall, and (waiting only for the last paper curl to fall into place) the opening of the long-awaited fashion museum . . .

Fast-forward to my fashion future: In the Knitting Universe (knittinguniverse.com) I am the Production Coordinator for XRX Books. XRX is a publisher most commonly known for KNITTER’S Magazine, an important periodical for serious knitters. KNITTER’S attracts the higher-end, designer-conscious hand-knitter, working in specialty yarns, from handspun alpaca to novelty "Fizz." Possibly even more important is KNITTER’S presence as an award winning graphic publication, leading the industry in computer-to-plate (CTP) stochastic printing. Our photography (Alexis Xenakis), book editing (Elaine Rowley), design (Bob Natz), and digital layout are all done in-house, if not on-site. If you ever wondered what happened to those kids in college, some years ago, who were boldly off-beat, unexpectedly brilliant, and destined to blaze their own trails, well, they're here at XRX.

As Production Coordinator I help set the framework for our knitting book projects and keep everyone on track. In this relatively small company I am involved in more of the production than might otherwise be possible. It is fun to review the designers’ submissions, help coordinate fashion show entries for our Stitches events across the country, and I travel on the photo shoots whenever possible, usually to sunny climes where the light is warm. But I spend most of my time at my Mac. You may appreciate knowing that our production uses G4's, the latest Adobe InDesign, Photoshop (the Photoshop guru, David Xenakis is one of the X's in XRX), and Illustrator.

I found at KSU SFD&M the school that fit my interests with the program that developed my raw material into a marketable package. Translation--when I didn't know who I was or what I could be, they knew what I had and where I could go . . . and what it would take to get me there. Thanks, KSU.

Natalie lives in Sioux Falls, SD, with her husband Tim, and daughters Nicole (Pacific Lutheran, WA), Hannah, and Nevada.

Jill Griffith

Heather Heinlein Johnson
Design Manager, John Wieland Designs

I a currently the Design Manager for the John Wieland Homes Design Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. John Wieland Homes is an upscale homebuilder, building town homes, single-family homes & estate homes ranging from the high $200’s to the low $600’s. We offer a complete design service to our homeowners. We work with them to select every item in the design of their home including the following: exteriors, cabinetry, countertops, tile, hardwood, carpeting, lighting, paint, wallpaper, fireplace treatments, faucets and plumbing fixtures. We create custom designs for kitchen layouts, tile projects & built-in cabinetry.

As the Design Manager, I have several roles. I conduct appointments with the homeowners in our “Estates” neighborhoods, and I manage the design & warehouse staff. I am also responsible for the selection of vendors & products that our design center offers, and negotiating prices for those products. In addition to the design center, I also manage our in-house lighting center. This includes the selection, purchasing, and inventory control of all light fixtures.

I have worked in both the apparel & home industries since graduation. I find that there is a huge crossover. Whether merchandising apparel, or selecting interiors, it is all the same; a combination of colors, textures, patterns and space.

I am extremely grateful for the education I received at the Rodgers & Silverman School of Fashion Design & Merchandising. I feel it was a very comprehensive program, offering insight into merchandising, design, & business (even offering a class in Home Furnishings, which has obviously been helpful.) I am always anxious to hear about the new programs being offered at the school and encourage the staff to keep pushing to be such a respected school in Merchandising and Design. You are doing (and have been doing) a great job!

Todd Huston
Product Development Manager for apparel at Galyan’s

I am currently the Product Development Manager for apparel at Galyan’s. In this role I am responsible for executing and directing the entire apparel product development process; from concept to the consumer. This includes design, trend and color research, execution of detailed garment specifications and approval of fabric, trims and garment fit. Galyan’s currently operates 34 stores and has annual sales of approx. $600 million with plans to add about 9 stores next year. At that point we should begin to build a true internal product development structure with Designers and Technical Designers.

Kristi Filigenzi Latham
Product Manager for the seasonal card lines of American Greetings

Currently, I am the Product Manager for the seasonal card lines of American Greetings. In my role, I lead a team of seven and it is our responsibility to manage the card lines for each holiday beginning with the product development phase and finishing with execution at retail. We accomplish this primarily through:

Additionally, in my role, I write and present to the buyers for our key retailers marketing plans that have been tailored to their chain. These plans address:

So how did my education as a Fashion Design major lead me to where I am today? After I graduated from Kent State, I moved to New York City and was hired as a merchandising assistant for a textile company. My education prepared me for the competitive environment of New York and gave me the diligence to persevere and land my first “real” job. There, I was fortunate to gain experience in not only the design, but also the merchandising and sales aspects of womenswear fabrics.

After spending nearly three years with this company in New York, I decided to return to Cleveland so I could be closer to my friends and family. Finding a job in this area where I could apply my skills and background in design was not easy. However, my degree and work experience helped me earn a position with Imperial Home Décor Group. I spent three years with this company wearing both a design and marketing hat before I moved to American Greetings.

There are three key lessons from my education at the Fashion School that have contributed to the success I have had thus far in my career, each of which I use extensively today:

Sherry "Shey" Justice
Entrepreneur and Business Owner.

I can say without reservation that my KSU education serves me each and every working day. I am proud to be one of the first graduates of the FD&M program, as well as having been invited back as a part-time instructor in the late 1980’s.

My current resume includes over 15 years as a successful entrepreneur and business owner. I am a member of the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals, an award winning artist, and a business and motivational coach. My primary focus has been in the Beauty and Fashion Industry where I have developed, owned, and sold two Salon and Spas in both Ohio and Georgia. I currently work as a consultant to that industry and focus primarily on hair and makeup for special occasions. I also train and educate Salon and Spa owners how to continuously grow their businesses and work with stylists to develop their creative talent. Additionally, I do private mentoring in all fields of new business development.

I started my career in the fashion industry as a buyer for The May Company Department Stores, where I was immediately able to bring my KSU education into practice. I realized quite early that my truest interests lied in the entrepreneurial areas of the retail industry. I learned everything I could over my 4 years with The May Company and then started my first business. I loved it immediately and have not looked back since.

When I contemplate the value of my education, it is easy to identify the lessons of organization, communication, and presentation as its most important aspects. Although this seems a broad description, the truth is that whether the classes were general or specific to my major, they were all imperative to my career development. I graduated, not only ready to conquer the fashion industry, but also prepared for dealings with people and business in any field or situation.

Lynn Hendershot Baringer
Sales Manger, Kaufmanns

The Shannon Rodgers & Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design & Merchandising has provided me with the essential backgroudn tools to begin my career as an Area Sales Manager for May Corporation Department Stores. As an Area Sales Manger for Kaufmanns, a division of May Corp., I have already received four promotions in two short years. I am currently managing the Juniors department, having gained experience from Men’s Sportswear, Special Sizes, and the Young Designer departments. I have supervised businesses with combined annual sales of over 3 million dollars, and managed a group of 16 sales associates at one time.

Kent State University and The Fashion School prepared me for my current position by incorporating organizational, supervisory, interpersonal and analytical skills into the curriculum in order to make me a marketable candidate in the fashion industry today. My long-term goal of becoming a Kaufmann’s Store Manager will be achieved through managing various departments and growing annual sales of my different businesses.

The Shannon Rodgers & Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design & Merchandising has taught me to set high goals for my future and provided me with the knowledge and abilities to achieve them.

My education at the Shannon Rodgers & Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design & Merchandising provided me with a wealth of terminology for textiles and silhouettes that many of my colleagues are not familiar with. The information our professors provided us was invaluable. Stories about the long hours we would end up working in entry level retail positions not only prepared me for the time I invested overcoming the “learning curve” in my first position, but every time I have gone to a new company and new position. I must admit, though, that I finally became free of all those odd hours when I got into Disney’s Merchandise Office and could start working Monday through Friday, 8-5pm.

If you’re curious as to what I did leading up to my time at Disney, I started out working at Higbee’s in their executive training program right out of college. After 2 years with them, I went to Structure and managed four different stores I the five years leading up to the time I met my future husband on a vacation to Florida in 1997. From there, the rest is history. Here I am five years later, loving my job, and all its perks and benefits. I only hope that you, too, will find the job of your dreams and love every minute of it!