Industry veteran Dave Savula has joined Dallas Market Center (DMC) as Executive VP/Leasing, a role in which he will be responsible for growth strategy and permanent showroom leasing in gift, home décor/design, and lighting. He brings more than 25 years of experience to DMC, most recently having served as Executive Vice President at IMC (now known as ANDMORE), as well as with AmericasMart, and was previously VP/Leasing for MMPI/High Point Market. He reports to DMC President & CEO Cindy Morris.
“Dave has been extremely valuable to our team in a consulting role over the last six months, and in this new position will accelerate his efforts to grow the business and attract top brands,” Morris said. “Our company and customers will benefit from his experience and relationships as more brands and agencies seek a marketplace with strong ROI delivering buyers from coast to coast for markets and with an unmatched open-daily business.”
Savula joins DMC during a time of compelling growth in the number of new buyers visiting the marketplace and new brands taking space in its 5-million-sq.-ft. collection of buildings, including showrooms exclusive to Dallas and flagship showrooms serving retailers from coast to coast. The most recent Total Home & Gift Market and Lightovation show welcomed more than 30 new and expanding showrooms, and new buyer attendance was at its highest in five years, including a surge in buyers from the western and southwestern U.S.
“Dallas Market Center has a strong legacy but most impressive is its energy, excitement, and trajectory today,” Savula stated. “This is where buyers and brands want to do business, so I’m thrilled to join the company. I’ve spent time getting to know the ownership and leadership, and they are deeply committed to the business for the long-term and capitalizing on their momentum.”
Savula joins a team of leadership in gift, home, and lighting that includes Jo Ann Miller Marshall, SVP/Leasing for Temps; Lori Castillo, VP/Leasing for Home & Design; Patty Price, VP/Leasing for Lighting; Nancy Axtman and Brittany Rigg, Leasing Directors for Gift.
Gift remains one of the largest and most popular product categories represented at DMC across multiple buildings. For home décor, DMC is the largest open-daily design center in North America, with more than 1.5 million square feet of leading home and design manufacturers. Four times a year, the Total Home & Gift Markets welcome gift and home buyers from around the world. Twice a year, the marketplace hosts the largest residential lighting trade event in North America, Lightovation.
Upcoming events at DMC include Dallas Design Days, running April 2-3; the Total Home & Gift Market, running June 19-25; and Lightovation: Dallas International Lighting Show, running June 19-22.
