David Lochner
As President, David is responsible for all aspects of fabric production. David was a commercial lender for 8 years before joining Benartex in 1994. He grew up in Pennsylvania and is actually Pennsylvania Dutch (this is probably where his interest in quilting came from!) He is also probably the only Pennsylvania Dutchman involved in the manufacturing of quilting fabrics in New York. David is married with 2 children and lives in New York City. He writes that he enjoys the creative end of the business-especially talking to quilters!


In alphabetical order:

Karlos DaSalla
If you've seen our ads, flyers and booklets, you've seen the wonderfully creative work of our Art Director, Karlos DaSalla. Karlos comes to Benartex with over 30 years experience in all facets of graphics, art direction and production. A graduate of Cooper Union, Karlos's background includes projects for such companies as Business Week, Federal Express, Swissair, Monsanto, and Goody Hair Products. This diverse background has brought a new depth and excitement to all our Benartex graphics, and we look forward to many innovative projects to come.

Megan Downer
When Megan arrived at Benartex, our design studio immediately took on an interesting international flavor! This talented stylist, originally from England, is trained in the art of textiles—from hand-dyeing, printing, weaving to carpet making. Her works have been exhibited in galleries, museum and private collections. Megan received her MFA from the Program in Artisanry, Boston University, and soon after worked with architect Michael Graves. She then became a faculty member of RISD (the Rhode Island School of Design), teaching dyeing, printing and surface design techniques. With this rich and diverse background, it is no surprise that Megan soon turned to fabric design, where she has been an award-winning Stylist in the over-the-counter market for the last ten years. Five years ago, she traveled alone to Moscow, Russia, to meet a one-and-a-half year old boy who became her son. She and her son now live in New York, a close subway ride to the city’s museums and galleries.

Lisa Hamm
Ever wonder how Benartex translates ideas into fabric designs? It takes years of special training and experience! That's why we are delighted to add Lisa Hamm to our talented design staff. Lisa has over 22 years of experience as a Textile/Surface stylist. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Lisa's designs have included home fashions fabrics, wall covering designs, and over-the-counter retail fabrics. For the last 10 years her specialty has been styling and directing fabric collections for quilters, so many of the fabrics in your local quilt shop are sure to have Lisa's special touch. Lisa lives in Glen Rock, New Jersey, with her companion Randy and their two cats Sammy and Angel. She enjoys golf, tennis and her own artistic pursuits.

Bill Mason
Bill is the General Manager of the Benartex warehouse and production facility. All fabric is warehoused and kits are produced and shipped from this facility. He has over 25 years of textile production and customer service experience, and joined Benartex in Oct, 2001. Bill enjoys flying and golf and lives in northeastern Connecticut with his wife Nancy, 3 horses and their golden retriever, "Piper".

Susan Neill
Marketing Director. Susan has a diverse background that includes over 20 years of advertising, marketing and merchandising experience. In addition to her marketing and promotional responsibilities, Susan is our wordsmith. She is responsible for the concept and text for all our newsletters, flyers, bulletins, website, and advertising copy. She lives in New York City, with a collection of animals that includes a sparrow named "Peep" and a Chihuahua named Pancho Villa.

Alex Rodriguez
Alex is the newest member of the Benartex team. As National Sales Director he brings over 14 years of experience in all aspects of the textile industry including customer service, sampling and sales management. He was stationed in Germany during his military service and later, through his work with textiles, traveled extensively throughout the US and Canada. His traveling provided the opportunity to meet many of our customers and to build some lasting relationships in the industry. What's his motto? "The customer truly comes first," says Alex. "Every customer, regardless of size, is equally important." A native New Yorker, Alex lives in the trendy Hell's Kitchen area, smack in the middle of Manhattan.

Susan Tazzi
Susan graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with an Associates Degree in Buying/Merchandising and a B.A. in Textile Production Management. She brings an extensive background in customer service and management, having worked in circulation at a New York newspaper. Her interests include crafts and needlework. She lives in Staten Island with her husband Michael, a cat Baby, a dog Dora and numerous salt water fish and sea horses.