SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Leading global textile technology company, Milliken & Company, has hired textile industry veteran Dana Claire Larson as director of design and development for its newly integrated Specialty Interiors business. The addition of Larson complements and enhances the seasoned team of business, sales, marketing and design professionals Milliken continues to build to exceed the needs of textile customers and prospects across a wide range of industries, including home, office, healthcare, hospitality and specialty events.
Larson spent nearly 20 years in progressively responsible advanced technical textile and design roles and has become a well-known name in the contract textile industry. She brings broad and deep knowledge of all aspects of textile design, yarn development and textile manufacturing processes, as well as keen business and analytical insight. Larson holds a bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles from Michigan State University, a two-year post-baccalaureate certificate in woven textile design from Philadelphia University and an MBA from the University of Maine.
In her new role at Milliken, Larson will lead a team of designers, development engineers and technicians in all phases of the new product development process, including ideation, proof of concept and commercialization. She will collaborate closely with customers, sales and marketing teams and manufacturing partners to create and commercialize new innovative fabrics for the commercial interiors, hospitality, healthcare and residential markets.
“The addition of Dana Claire further demonstrates Milliken’s commitment to better serving the needs of our customers by investing heavily in our newly integrated Specialty Interiors business,” said Jennifer K. Harmon, vice-president, Milliken Specialty Interiors. “With her technical background, yarn development expertise and innovative spirit, she will be an incredible addition to our team and a valued resource for our customers.”
Larson rounds out a team of dedicated Specialty Interiors professionals from product development, design, sales and marketing. Led by furniture industry veteran Jennifer K. Harmon, the group’s
leadership team includes Director of Sales Rene’ Vaughn, Marketing Manager LeAnne Flack, Financial Manager Pam Agudelo and Larson.
The Specialty Interiors business has also recently launched its own website, www.millikenspecialtyinteriors.com, as well as new social media channels, including a Facebook page, a You Tube channel, and Instagram page and a Twitter feed, to serve customers across all relevant interiors industries.
The changes and additions are designed to position the business to provide innovative textile solutions in a more cohesive and customer-driven manner. “Like everything we do at Milliken, the customer is at the core of this new structure,” added Harmon.
About Milliken’s Specialty Interiors Business
Milliken Specialty Interiors, a business in the Performance & Protective Textiles division, boasts a rich history of developing, designing and manufacturing fabrics for home and office furniture, vertical panels, privacy curtains, window treatments, theatrical curtains, top-of-bed applications and more. Through our unrivaled knowledge and unmatched service, we provide our customers with forward-thinking solutions that enhance their products in a variety of markets, including commercial, residential and healthcare, hospitality. For more information, visit www.millikenspecialtyinteriors.com.
About Milliken
For over 150 years, Milliken has been innovating with the purpose to explore, discover and create ways to enhance people’s lives. Our community of innovators has developed one of the larger collections of United States patents held by a private U.S. company. With expertise across a breadth of disciplines, including specialty chemical, floor covering and performance materials, we work around the world every day to add true value to people’s lives, improve health and safety, and help make the world more sustainable. For more information, visit http://www.milliken.com and join us on Twitter and Facebook.