Carl Canter
Though in the industry for more than 21 years, he and his wife, Trischa, uprooted themselves from Gernamntown, Wisconsin in 2002, Carl started a family and his business here in Colorado. With a business degree from University of Wisconsin and his performance-driven focus Carl has earned respect and accolades for his emphasis on personalized solutions that create a better experience for clients, partners and employees.
The Canter Experience is at the heart of Carl’s success. Developed after years of listening to clients, it became a road map designed to provide results oriented solutions while giving his team a natural path to discovery and implementation.
Although a recent trip to Wanaka, New Zealand was a once in a lifetime experience, Carl will tell you his greatest achievement are his twins, Jake and Jessica. His ideal day off is typically spent on the slopes with his son Jake practicing their “turns” in waist deep powder. Carl’s faith and family are really what drives his success.
Natalie Hirschfeld, Architect & Design Community Consultant
Natalie holds a B.A. in Communications from CSU and an Executive MBA from University of Denver. Natalie’s education comes from a combination of her twenty years working in commercial, nonprofit and government sectors along with classroom learning. She is a lifelong student; continually learning from life experience, travels, family, friends and involvement with community organizations striving to make a difference locally and around the world.
Natalie works as a consultant to the architecture and design community. She works with colleagues in the field to customize Canter’s services, furniture and fabric offerings to achieve visual appeal and functionality for each client’s specific project. Natalie is enthusiastic about infusing creative ways to bring natural beauty and ambient light indoors through strategic use of furniture and architectural walls. Natalie values being a part of making people’s surroundings not only comfortable and purposeful but extraordinary. She loves helping clients see their visions and designs come to life as they plan their work-life environments.
Natalie is fortunate to be a native of Colorado who also experienced life, work and travel around the world after graduating from college. She spent more than a decade living in Upstate New York, Georgia, and Italy before returning to her beautiful hometown of Denver in 2005.
While traveling in Switzerland, Natalie and her then-boyfriend Jeffrey rode the Jungfraujoch railway up the mountain through gorgeous pastoral views, blinding white snow, sunshine, waterfalls and, finally, the chance to walk across a glacial summit of the Bernese Alps. It was there, atop the highest railway station in Europe, that Jeffrey proposed to her! She, of course, said “yes” whilst frolicking and dancing among the hills alive with the sound of music.
Natalie is the proud parent of two fabulous dogs Lionel and Herbie who are spoiled but deservedly so for all the love they bring. Natalie’s passions include travel, arts and design, improv comedy, spending time with family and community involvement. She is also an avid tennis player and can often be found on the courts around town.
Brittany Schapanski, Designer
Brittany is a native Coloradoan, with a decade of involvement in both local, national, and international design projects. Brittany attended Colorado State University, and graduated cum laude from the Interior Design program. Prior to joining the Canter team in 2014, Brittany worked as a Project Manager for a large hospitality FF&E procurement agency, where she was responsible for all phases of the procurement process from design conception all the way through installation. She also has past professional experience as an environmental graphic designer.
Brittany’s procurement, project management, and custom design skills make her a unique and invaluable addition to the Canter team.
In her free time, Brittany enjoys all things international. Her world-wide travels have taken her to such destinations as Cambodia, Greece, India, Thailand, Turkey and many more.
Michele Abeyta
With over 13 years of dedicated experience in the interior furnishings industry, Michele has forged exceptional relationships with clients throughout Colorado and Wyoming, first as a project manager for Canter, then as a specialized sales rep, and currently as General Manager overseeing the internal operations of the company.
Michele’s high energy, professionalism and superb attention to detail promote successful working relationships with unrivaled project results. She serves as the key liaison between the client and the furnishings experts at our manufacturer partners.
Michele’s happy place can be found by a lake or stream in some remote mountain location, with her husband, two boys and three dogs.
Tim Provost
Born and raised in beautiful Southern California, Tim earned his street cred as a trusted professional in the commercial furniture industry by providing furnishing and interior services in Colorado for over 14 years. Through direct interactions with designers, facility managers, project managers and purchasing groups Tim has earned a reliable reputation one project at a time.
Tim maintains an ongoing awareness of industry trends and product innovations giving his client base a solid resource for their ever changing needs. Tim has a unique ability to see the big picture and approach each project with detail and determiniation from beginning to end. Tim’s experience in the Colorado market spans across many different user profiles, including: Healthcare, K-12, Higher Education, Military, GSA, State and Local and Corporate clients.
A credit to his determination and grit, Tim made the best of a bad situation recently after losing all his credit cards, money and passport while traveling in France – proof positive that Tim is able put a positive spin on a situation that seemed impossibly overwhelming. Tim is an avid photographer and loves to spend time with his family in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
Samantha Wilson
Born in California and raised in Colorado, Samantha began her education at Colorado State University and received her bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. Junior year of her undergrad she studied abroad and attended Auckland University of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand. There, she partook in a spatial design studio/internship opportunity that allowed her to live, study and work abroad for 6 months. This was her first airplane ride – go big or go home is the saying, right?
Upon her return, she had attained an interest in traveling. Her design exposure ranges from facilities management to office/retail design to her most previous experience being in healthcare design. As a Designer for Canter, Samantha contributes her design expertise by veering clients in the best direction for functional, efficient, productive and aesthetically pleasing environments, all while staying on or within budget. Various design outlets peak her interest and keep her busy in her free time such as graphic design/sculpture ideation/calligraphy/fashion illustration.
Outside of the workplace, you can find her snapping selfies with dormant volcanoes, looking for her next solo travel destination or spending time with her nephew (and the rest of her family, of course). She’s a tea drinker, snake lover and loves a good laugh.
Ryan Passaglia
Ryan grew up in the suburbs of Chicago until high school when he and his family moved to Milwaukee Wisconsin. He proceeded to attend the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where he graduated with a Communication degree in 2013. After graduation and before joining the Canter Team he continued his path north in order to become an inside sales specialist for KI at their corporate headquarters in Green Bay Wisconsin, thus starting his career in the furniture industry.
As an inside sales specialist Ryan worked closely with 5 outside reps to maintain current relationships, create new opportunities for his reps, and ensure proper customer service on the back end of sales. Ryan always knew he wanted to be in outside sales, in order to prove his determination and make that move he worked diligently to jump his territory performance in order to gain the interest of multiple outside sales positions in KI. Ultimately Carl’s Team and his love for the outdoors drew him to Colorado. (continue with what I already sent you) Passionate about: Snowboarding, helping others (mentor to small at risk child), golf, exercise, and family.
Bret Blevins
Where did you grow up? Debary, FL
What is your educational background? Some College in Tennessee
What do you do for Canter and how does it help the client? External Project Manager – I am the face of Canter in the field and create comfort that jobs are getting completed in a timely manner.
What is one memorable travel moment? Flying in a helicopter over all the volcanos in Hawaii
Share one or two hobbies or passions outside of work? Golf and Fishing
Madi Butterfield
I grew up in Alpine, Utah, and as such, have a great appreciation for the natural beauty of the Wasatch mountain range. I earned a BA in Interior Design from BYUI, where I enhanced my ability to transpose the experiential qualities of natural environments into built space. Currently I help a vast range of clients define their brand, motto and essence through furniture solutions. My passion for the grandeur of a well defined space is equalled only by my love for dogs and horses, both of which I show competitively. One of my most memorable journeys was an accumulation of my adoration for animals and western landscapes – backpacking through Yellowstone National Park on a mule.
Amber Lee
I was born in Seattle, WA but moved to Colorado with my family shortly after and have lived here ever since. I am a true Colorado Native with a passion for the outdoors and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I come from a background in Team Leadership and Project Management and am now a Harry Potter/Game of Thrones enthusiast who does Internal Operations Project Management at Canter. I work closely with our internal team at Canter as well as with our Manufacturers and Installation partners to ensure that each project runs smoothly and seamlessly for our customers from the point of order entry through installation completion. In my free time, I love playing with my daughter at the lake, spending quality time with my family, going on spontaneous adventures, and continuing my never ending search for the best and cheesiest horror movies. I am also very passionate about shoes.
Devin Bixby
Where did you grow up? Born in Denver Colorado and grew up in the friendly confines of Morrison later gravitating towards the Southwest Suburbs of Littleton.
What is your educational background? I graduated with a degree from Metro State College of Denver in 1999
What do you do for Canter and how does it help the client? Provide consultation regarding demountable wall and furniture expanding the client’s knowledge of how wall and furniture can add value in enhancing the client’s’ brand and overall functionality
What is one memorable travel moment? Recently I was gifted the opportunity to take my twin boys fly fishing for the first time outside of Crested Butte. The joy of watching them navigate their way through the difficulty was beyond words and provided plenty of humorous memories.
Share one or two hobbies or passions outside of work? Fly fishing is definitely a passion while accompanied by my hobby of tying flies. Outside of family and friends, I have not experienced anything better than sitting on the river banks taking in the surroundings.