Who we are at Carpet Galleria

 

Get to know your Traverse City, MI area flooring experts

 
Click on our names below to learn more
 
 
 
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DENNIS LAUTERBACH
President/Owner
 
A University of Illinois graduate, Denny had a 30-year career in the elevator and escalator industry. He retired as Senior Vice President, managing 60 branch offices nationwide, as well as sales, manufacturing, construction and service.

He purchased Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One in 2004 and added Carpet Galleria to the FCB Group in 2022.

A Licensed Michigan Residential Builder, Denny has served on many Traverse City area boards, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Old Town Playhouse, The Home Builders Association, where he served as President, the YMCA, and The Grand Traverse Pavilion Foundation.

The very successful Floor Covering Brokers and Carpet Galleria teams, led by Mike Watkins, allow Denny and his wife, Jo to enjoy most of the year in Arizona, where he serves on the Boards of the Wickenburg Community Hospital, The Desert Caballeros Trail Ride, the Boyd Ranch Committee and the Remuda Camp of the DC Ride.

He and his wife, Jo enjoy horseback riding, ATV riding in the Arizona desert mountains, motorcycling, and especially visiting their 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren, scattered about the country.
 
 
 
 
 
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MIKE WATKINS
Vice President and General Manager
 
I’ve been in the flooring business for well over twenty years… from sales, to operations, material management, warehouse and installation support. I feel that my strengths lie in clearly defining the details of a project, providing focused customer service, along with a good eye for design based upon my technical training. I am thrilled to be a new managing member of Carpet Galleria and look forward to many years with this successful local flooring store.

My wife Kristi and I enjoy our time spent outdoors in northern Michigan, and greatly appreciate our travel time to the Carolina’s and throughout the country.
 
 
 
 
 
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BARBARA SMART
Sales Manager
 
I have been with Carpet Galleria since 2005 – 17 years now – and we have grown together like family. My life (and hair) is ever-changing; with a young child, home remodeling, and future goals, I have always had the support of my Carpet Galleria family. It is that loving relationship that makes me really proud to be a part of this team.

I grew up in Saginaw and earned a degree in Interior Design. After moving to the Grand Rapids/Holland area I became involved in floor covering. I have enjoyed the challenge of working with many different clients and their homes, helping people solve design problems.

I have adopted the tile/stone area as my on-going, evolving specialty. There are so many things that these materials have to offer. I try to keep the showroom stocked with good basics to get started, and lots of beautiful accents to help inspire and take the design to the next level. I look forward to meeting you and helping make confident design and flooring decisions for your home.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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HEATHER LOMAN
Sales/Design
 
I am a down-stater from Three Rivers, Michigan where much of my family remains. After high school I attended Columbus College of Art and Design for two years before transferring to Kendall College of Art and Design where I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design. After college, I jumped on a plane and started the next phase of my life in Sandpoint, Idaho. I began my interior design career at Amberleaf Designs. I worked there for four years until I had my first child, Rylee. I took a little time off before I started working in the world of flooring for Sandpoint Furniture Carpet One. I adored my life in Idaho, but I started missing my Michigan family. Nine years ago, my husband Nathan, myself and daughters Rylee and Carolina moved back to Michigan. We have enjoyed the area and what it has to offer our family.

I have been part of the Carpet Galleria family for seven years now. I feel grateful to have such a beautiful showroom to walk our clients through. With a degree in Interior Design, I enjoy assisting in creating timeless and personable spaces.
 
 
 
 
 
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KRISTINE PENNA
Sales/Design
 
New to Carpet Galleria in 2023, I am excited to be a part of a talented team who has a stellar reputation in service and design excellence. Prior to joining this premier flooring retailer, I worked in Interior Home Design & Sales at a high-end furniture store in Holland MI, Three Chairs, Co. There I received specialized training from design experts and was among an exclusive group of vendors of a Worldwide class. Designing with classics such as Herman Miller, Nelson and of course The Eames lounge chair, helped develop my appreciation and love for icons of modern design.

I’m excited to assist you with your next project and show you the many beautiful and unique flooring resources and options available right here, locally in Traverse City. From hardwood flooring to luxury vinyl, tile and/or area rugs, I’ll pay special attention to your input and source the best options for your style and budget.

When I’m not pulling together flooring design ideas, I’m sure to be treasuring time with my son, either swimming, tennis or of course an occasional DIY project.
 
 
 
 
 
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JUDI SMUCK
Sales/Area Rug Specialist
 
I have been in sales for over twenty years and am happy to call Traverse City home since 2002. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising, and a Business minor from Western Michigan University, I feel well suited to help home owners design and remodel their home flooring and tile projects. I’ve always had a love for color, fabric, and texture. I believe my strength is in my consultative approach to sales... understanding the customer’s needs and working together to determine the best solution for their budget.

I am happy to be a new member of the Carpet Galleria team! A great amount of my time here will be spent sourcing and selling area rugs… striving to find the best collection of beautiful rugs available for our customers. I am married to my college sweetheart, and we have two grown kids. We love to spend time exploring northern Michigan and are enjoying our new empty nest status.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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ELKE STEPHENS
Accountant
 
I have been the Accountant at Carpet Galleria for six years, I feel I am getting up to speed with retail sales and flooring and adding value to the team. There will always be more to learn as this is a constantly changing industry. This also makes every day interesting and new.

I love to learn about the products we sell from the sales staff and see all the beautiful new things that come into the store on a daily basis. Beautiful colorful rugs, decorative tiles, and lots more!

On my off time, I love to garden, cook and am an avid reader. I also love to take walks with my husband Jon and Labrador Retriever, Tessi.

I’m proud to work for Carpet Galleria who has a reputation for carrying the best flooring around!