KATHY J, Sales Manager
Kathy is a native Floridian, born and raised on the west coast in St. Petersburg. A graduate of Florida State University, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Kathy is a certified interior decorator and has been a member of the Babette’s sales staff since 2003. As Sales Manager, she is responsible for a professional team of sales consultants and design specialists. While working for Babette’s, Kathy earned her title of Sales Specialist through The Interior Design Society. Having grown up the daughter of a general contractor, Kathy has a natural gift for space planning. Her passion is working closely with her customers to come up with the ideal placement of furniture that will maximize space and create a cohesive flow throughout a house. Kathy lives with her husband in a beautiful custom-built wood home on 30 acres. She is truly one with nature; her “pets” are a family of deer and birds. Although they keep their distance, the animals know that they get breakfast every morning and are eagerly awaiting the sound of the screen door on the porch.
KATHY A, Sales
Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Kathy “Kate” is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a degree in Interior Design. Prior to her six years at Babette’s, she has worked as a designer for Ethan Allen Galleries and worked side by side with a custom homebuilder making selections for model homes and assisting homeowners in selecting flooring, cabinetry, colors, exterior and more. She started her own interior design business in Columbus, winning several awards with the Parade of Homes. Seventeen years ago, she and her husband moved to Florida with their baby daughter who is now a senior in high school and the greatest joy in her parents’ lives. Away from Babette’s, Kathy is an avid music lover, and she is schooled in six instruments. This, combined with her love of children has drawn her to teach music to preschoolers twice a week.
ROBIN B, Sales
Robin is a Lake County native, born, raised and currently residing in Umatilla. With a degree in Marketing and Design, Robin started her career in floral design. After working for a local florist, she opened her own business in Mount Dora, specializing in fresh and silk floral arrangements, unique and eclectic furnishings and custom picture framing. She stays current with the trends by taking classes, one of which took her to Las Vegas for a course in colors and palette layering. At Babette’s, Robin is not only a design consultant, she is the floral designer as well, creating beautiful arrangements for the store and custom orders for customers. When asked her favorite part of her job, she quickly answers that it’s the relaxed, no-pressure atmosphere and serene environment, both of which put customers at ease. Robin’s flair for color and eye for design are what customers are drawn to and what keeps them returning when it’s time to furnish their next room. Time off finds her among friends and family, including her two children. As they, her customers and coworkers can attest, Robin loves to laugh and have fun, making it impossible not to thoroughly enjoy the furniture buying experience.
SHARON A, Sales
Originally from Biddeford, Maine, Sharon headed west for San Francisco, California to attend Cãnada College, where she earned a degree in Residential Interior Design. Her career brought her to Florida in 1998, where she managed an upscale candle and accessories boutique. After a few years, Sharon became a home stager, preparing private residences for sale in the real estate marketplace. Soon thereafter, she opened Smart Stagers Training Company. It was during this time, when she would bring clients to Babette’s Furniture, that she realized her next career move. Sharon enjoys helping her customers bring their ideas and visions to life. She does her best to create a room that reflects its owners’ personalities, through color selection, accessories and design. Crowned “Queen of Clermont” by a coworker, she plans on expanding the Babette’s “kingdom” to include many more Clermont residents. Away from Babette’s, Sharon loves to travel with her husband and spend time with her daughter and grandson, as well as her dog, Kai.
JAMIE G, Sales
Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Jamie earned his Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Hofstra University. After passing the CPA exam and interviewing for accounting jobs, he quickly realized that his personality was not best suited for a career in public accounting. Shortly after college, Jamie began working for a mall development company and progressed through many roles, including Director of Public Safety, Mall Accountant, Assistant General Manager, General Manager and Regional Leasing. It was when his parents retired to “The Villages” in 2005 and after several trips to Florida to visit, that Jamie decided Florida was a great place to live. “Working at Babette’s gives me the opportunity to meet so many interesting people every day. Each customer brings a unique set of circumstances for furnishing their room and/or house”. Jamie’s strongest attribute is his ability to listen to his customers’ needs and work with them to find the appropriate furniture. He also strongly believes that the sale is not over when the customer simply leaves the store; he always makes himself available via phone or email for questions. During time off, Jamie enjoys playing golf, reading and playing poker. Whether it is playing Texas Hold-Em or working with customers designing their dream homes….he’s ALL-IN!
CATHIE V, Sales
Cathie “V’ has been a long time employee of Babette’s Furniture and has watched, with admiration, the growth of this company. She is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design and has a natural talent of matching colors and the use of space. She loves to help her customers create the home of their dreams so they could enjoy their new lifestyle. During Cathie’s free time she loves to read as many books as she can get her hands
on and she loves to cook frog legs.
JUNE A, Sales
June is originally from Dayton, Ohio but has lived in Florida most of her life. She has been gifted with talents of creative design, color and balance. She has used these gifts for many years to help her customer’s achieve their home furnishing goals. June’s style is traditional but she also enjoys the modern look. She has a good sense of humor and she loves to make people laugh.
Richard A., Sales
Richard was born and raised in Rome, New York . Currently he resides in Sullivan Ranch in Mount Dora with his two boys. Before Babette’s he worked for Robb & Stucky Interiors since 2005. During Richard’s free time he loves to play Ultimate Frisbee with his boys.