Sales
Karen Lofton
Director of Business Development
Karen Lofton, Director of Business Development, is responsible for building Artistic Tile Sales through the management of the Regional Sales team. Before joining Artistic Tile the first time, Karen was a multi store manager for Ann Sacks in New York City. She left Artistic Tile when her family relocated, but in her heart, had always hoped to return in some capacity. After 13 years, Karen returns to a business and company she loves with more than 25 years of Retail Management, Human Resources and Operations experience. Karen lives in North Carolina with her husband Rodney, son Bryce and her fur babies Bailey and Kobe. In her spare time, she enjoys family time, singing, interior design and travel. Karen can be reached at karenlofton@artistictile.com.
Jamie Ayers
National Sales Manager
Drawing upon two decades of experience in the industry, Jamie brings a remarkable level of expertise in natural stone, manufactured material, as well as commercial and retail sales. Throughout her illustrious career, Jamie has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the dynamic landscape of the tile and stone industry, leading teams to successful results and fostering business growth. In her new position, Jamie will work closely with the Artistic Tile Showroom Managers and Design Associates, playing a pivotal role in orchestrating and implementing sales strategies to continue the brand’s significant growth. Jamie Ayers can be reached at (312)339-9289 or jamieayers@artistictile.com.
Outside Sales
Carol Schreck-Butsko
Vice President Sales Wholesale Div.
Carol E. Schreck-Butsko, V.P. Sales Artistic Tile’s Wholesale Division, has twenty years of experience in all aspects of the import and distribution of natural stone and tile. For several years her duties have included quality control inspections geared at assuring the end user of a superior product. Carol has endeavored to learn the underlying geology of natural stone products and related installation methods so that she may educate and inspire others within the industry. Carol can be reached at (201)864-7000 or at carolbutsko@artistictile.com.
Ernesto Diaz
Regional Sales
Ernesto Diaz, Regional Sales Rep, has been in the tile & stone industry for nearly 25 years. Before joining Artistic Tile, Ernie spent 10 years working and managing Los Angeles based tile & stone showrooms. Ernie is based in Los Angeles. He currently covers the states of California, Nevada, Hawaii, Idaho, and Alaska for Artistic Tile. Ernesto can be reached at ernestodiaz@artistictile.com.
Geoffry Balogh
Regional Sales
Regional sales representative, Geoffry Balogh's entry into the world of tile and stone began as an installer in the mid-nineties. Hands-on experience with installations provided the foundation for an outside sales position in south Florida were catering to the architectural and design community was Geoff's primary focus. A regional sales opportunity with an Italian mosaic manufacturer became available to Geoff prior to the new millennium which evolved into a position managing national accounts for the next 8 years. A graduate of Bentley University with a degree in finance, Geoff joined Artistic Tile in August of 2009. When at home in western North Carolina, Geoff enjoys time with his son and motorcycles. Geoffry can be reached at geoffrybalogh@artistictile.com.
Marybeth Brintz
Regional Sales
Marybeth Brintz, one of the first employees at Artistic Tile, moved from her roles in Client Services to managing Regional Sales for New Jersey, Long Island, Brooklyn, and Southern Connecticut. With her customer service background, she ensures that all of her accounts receive the best individual attention and service possible. Marybeth has a business degree from St. Peter's College in Jersey City, NJ. Marybeth can be reached at 201-864-7000 or at marybethbrintz@artistictile.com.
Philip Varlese II
Regional Sales
Phil has over 20 years experience in all aspects of the tile & stone business (retail/management/wholesale/A&D). He has written a CEU, and was the Natural Stone Institute's Speaker of the Year in 2017. Phil covers Central/Southern NJ, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia and West Virginia. Phil can be reached at philvarlese@artistictile.com.
Bliss Rich
Regional Sales
Bliss Rich is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art with a degree in fine art. After a diverse range of experiences that included living in Japan teaching English and working in the fashion industry in New York City, Bliss discovered her passion for tile and natural stone in her hometown of Manchester, Vermont. Bliss joins Artistic Tile with 8 years’ experience in both retail and wholesale. As Regional Sales Representative, her territory covers New England and Upstate New York. Bliss currently lives in Massachusetts and in her free time enjoys painting, drawing, or visiting contemporary art museums.
Bliss can be reached at blissrich@artistictile.com.
Jennifer Quinn
Regional Sales
Jennifer Quinn graduated from Long Island University C.W. Post with a BFA in Painting. A decorative fine artist devoted to the design and sales of creative home furnishings, applying patterns and surface design for such firms as Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch. She launched her own firm creating custom finishes and murals to personalize residential and commercial homes. She enjoys working with teams and coming up with innovative solutions and beautiful designs. Jennifer joins the Artistic Tile team after assisting interior designers and architects with fabric and wallpaper at Osborne & Little. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, gardening, gourmet cooking and travel. Jennifer can be reached at (212)838-3222 or jenniferquinn@artistictile.com.
David Bessenbacher
Regional Sales
You can reach David at 201-864-7000 or davidbessenbacher@artistictile.com.
Jimmy Stolz
Regional Sales
Jimmy Stolz joined Artistic Tile in 2007 as a Customer Service Representative. Since joining, Jimmy has taken on a number of roles during his 17-year tenure. With a strong retail background and a passion for training, he is committed to leveraging his extensive knowledge to grow Artistic Tile in his territory: Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Canada. Jimmy holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational research & human resources and is close to completing a master’s degree in business administration. He is a dedicated father of two and actively supports his children's sports activities and interests. In addition, Jimmy serves as a board member for Care 4 a Cure, a non-profit organization that raises funds for local cancer patients in need. You can reach Jimmy at 201-978-6631 or jimmystolz@artistictile.com.
Architectural Sales
Meagan Zachary
Architectural Sales
Meagan Zachary’s design journey began in 2014 when she started at an interior design firm. One of the firm’s projects was a Highland Park home in Dallas, Texas in which they needed tile for 7 bathrooms. She and her colleagues brought their client to the Artistic Tile Dallas showroom, where Meagan’s Aunt Saz was the Showroom Manager, to make their selections. Meagan was so impressed with the products, that it inspired her initial interest in tile. Meagan subsequently decided to work for a local Fort Worth tile showroom to bolster her experience in the tile industry. Today, Meagan’s passion for and experience in both Interior Design and the tile and stone industry culminates in what she considers her dream job, serving as the new Artistic Tile Architectural Rep for Fort Worth and Western Dallas! Meagan can be reached at (214)760-1753 or meaganzachary@artistictile.com.
Michal Abehsera
Architectural Sales
Michal Abehsera works out of Artistic Tile’s flagship New York City showroom, and is an integral part of our Architectural Sales department. She holds a degree in Psychology and Biology from Stern University, as well as a degree in Interior Design from Parsons The New School. In 2013, Michal joined Artistic Tile and quickly became a rising star--working with NYC's top developers and architectural firms. Michal's knowledge, work ethic and passion for design, coupled with her experience in business and real estate make her a truly unique sales representative. Michal lives with her husband and their three children in Westchester, NY. She is an Olympic triathlon finisher and can be found many a morning at Soul Cycle. She also loves to travel, cook, and blog about design. Michal is also currently working on publishing her own cookbook. Come on in to the showroom and meet Michal, you’ll be happy you did! Michal can be reached at Michalabehsera@artistictile.com.
Alejandro Mejia
Architectural Sales
Alejandro began his career in the tile and stone industry in 2003. He acquired a broad knowledge of stone and mosaics through his passion for the industry and his five years at Artsaics Studios. Alejandro subsequently accepted a position with Nemo Tile as a sales associate, earning him the product knowledge and customer service skills necessary to confidently guide clients in their design. In 2010, he accepted a new position with Artsaics, as an architectural and interior design representative. In this role, he helped open the market and reach new customers. Alejandro joined Artistic Tile in 2013, with an excitement that is contagious. He’s not afraid of hard work and always gives his best to help the team succeed. Alejandro can be reached at alejandromejia@artistictile.com.
Arielle Small
Architectural Sales
Arielle Small joined Artistic Tile in 2014 as part of the newly minted Architectural Sales team. Since her arrival, Arielle has been vital to increasing the company’s exposure in the commercial market. With a focus on customer service and material expertise, Arielle has developed strong relationships with top architecture and design firms throughout New York City; she takes great pride in her ability to assist clients in finding just the right materials for each project, regardless of size or aesthetic. Arielle can be reached at (917)620-4932 or ariellesmall@artistictile.com.
Tai Pleasanton
Architectural Sales
Tai Pleasanton, a seasoned creative with a global perspective, brings a unique blend of art and business to Artistic Tile. Raised in a multicultural environment, Tai’s passion for design was ignited through her studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Tufts University, where she focused on East Asian Studies and Sculpture. Her hands-on approach was honed through an apprenticeships with a prominent stained glass studio, restoring stained glass for the Archdiocese of Boston, and the co-founding of a glass crafts school and studio. With a deep appreciation for heritage and craftsmanship, Tai’s bilingualism in Japanese and extensive travel have cultivated a keen eye for aesthetics and a versatile design sensibility. As the daughter of an Ikebana master, Tai developed an ability to listen fully and practice patience, skills she employs to find the perfect tile or natural stone slab for her clients. Tai’s role as an Architectural Sales representative is a perfect synergy of her artistic background and business acumen. Tai can be reached at (212)838-32221 or taipleasanton@artistictile.com.
Randy Watson
Architectural Sales
Randy covers Texas and Oklahoma. Randy can be reached at 214-418-0501 or randywatson@artistictile.com.