Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail
Oct. 8, 2024
John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove
How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? The best advice I ever received was “Hire happy people”. There is a wealth of knowledge to be absorbed in any specialty field. Most companies have various trainings and on boarding practices to ensure all that knowledge gets shared. But even the best trainers cannot impart the fundamentals of being happy, in your workplace or personal life.
I believe happiness comes from within and is an active practice. I became a widower in my 40’s and at the time, my son was still in high school. Navigating the devastating effects of cancer from diagnosis to hospice takes a toll. But self-pity, doubt, and negativity could not creep into our lives. There had been so much hardship, it was my responsibility to ensure he saw optimism, and enthusiasm for the life we have now. I could not dwell on the loss but chose to move forward with gratitude. I now try to carry that attitude in everything I do.
The pandemic was a prime example of why hiring happy people matters. With everyone spending significantly more time in their homes, we saw a huge surge of kitchen remodels and demand, while keeping our USA manufacturing moving forward became a challenge. The work and dedication from everyone in this organization, down to my very own team, are what got us through, and we are now stronger than ever. That hard, dedicated work had its origins in happy people coming together, and I am so proud of the efforts made by everyone to keep us moving forward.
What’s new or upcoming for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove? In recent years, our engineering teams have put significant innovation into the aesthetics of our appliances. From a complete revamp on the features of Sub-Zero Classic Series Refrigeration last year, to the introduction of Wolf’s Accent Door Collection this year, featuring white and black ranges to accompany an assortment of knob and bezel options that help personalize your cooking appliances to your design style. Both lines look incredible, and we are thrilled to see where this will lead us in the future. We have all of these new appliances on display, so we welcome folks to make an appointment and see them in person.
What do you like most about what you do? I strongly value working for a company whose values align with their product. Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances are built to last 20+ years of daily use and the performance is incredible. Whether a customer is looking for our iconic red knobs, or the equipment to make their culinary dreams a reality, we help find the best configurations for their space and are confident in the appliances we put in their home.
What drives you? My mom instilled a great work ethic in my siblings and me. Working alongside my team to surpass expectations keeps me motivated. The Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove showroom has a hard-earned reputation in the market for elevated experiences from client demonstration dinners to happy hour for our dealer partners, and events for the designer community.
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Glenda and Russell Gordy and Alicia and Garrett Gordy (photo by Wilson Parish)
EVEN AS RODEO season winds down, the party people at the Stage Houston theater company were still donning boots and shouting yahoo — and taking in a record haul of $1.4 million!
With a glittery theme — Rhinestone Cowboys and Golden Vikings — Stages welcomes a fun group of loyal supporters to a tented gala dinner on the grounds of its Gordy theater. Myrtle Jones chaired the ball, with longtime company champion George Lancaster serving as honorary chair.
“Mirrored disco balls, intricate gold chandeliers, and accents of silver and gold sequins set the stage for a chic Western ambiance,” said a Stages rep. “Dazzling floral arrangements of roses, hydrangeas, tulips, and snapdragons adorned tables draped in gold and black linens.”
The dinner menu features beef tenderloin medallion with a rich Zinfandel glace, served up with yellow squash casserole, rainbow baby carrots, and asparagus. For dessert: chocolate pecan tarts, topped with cinnamon-whipped mascarpone, blackberries, and bourbon caramel sauce.
Among many emotional moments, longtime Stages star Denise Fennell gave moving remarks in accepting an award for artistic excellence. “Best known for her role as “Sister” [in the Late Nite Catechismseries], Denise has spent 17 years in the Stages spotlight, where she has also created and premiered original works, including Lessons Learned, which will make its world premiere at Stages this May,” the rep said.
The cast of the western-flavored Das Barbecü musical performed, and Johnny Bravo officiated a boisterous auction. Popular items in the latter included Oscar watching with Elton John and a visit to a posh Montana ranch with Yellowstone cast members.
Guests included Jo Furr, Ralph Burch, Vicki West, Brad and Brenda Jones, theater namesakes Glenda and Russell Gordy, Beth Madison, Ed Finger, and new Stage execs Gwen Watkins and Derek Livingston.
Brenda and Brad Jones (photo by Wilson Parish)
The cowgirl welcome committee (photo by Wilson Parish)
George C. Lancaster and Gwen Watkins (photo by Wilson Parish)
Myrtle Jones (photo by Wilson Parish)
Dean Putterman and Ed Finger (photo by Wilson Parish)
Debra and Mike Dishberger (photo by Jacob Power)
Denise Fennell and Risk Pasqualone (photo by Wilson Parish)
Carey Kirkpatrick and Neil Hershey (photo by Wilson Parish)
Cabrina and Steven Owsley (photo by Wilson Parish)
Luis and Stacy Gomar (photo by Jacob Power)
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A First at 4th: Bold Theater Company Gem Touts Successful Debut Gala at Saint Augustine
Paul Carrizales
Apr. 3, 2025
Olivia Barboza, Wesley Gow and Audrey Gow
ONE OF THE lesser-known gems of Houston’s performing arts scene — the splendid, bold 4th Wall Theatre Company — threw its first-ever “Fête” gala fundraiser at the beautiful new Hotel Saint Augustine in Montrose, raking in $212,000 to support it artistic mission.
“Inspired by the company’s upcoming Hamlet — a stripped-down, modern reimagining of Shakespeare’s masterpiece featuring four actors in over 30 roles— Fête swept guests into a ‘killer’ evening with philanthropic flair,” noted a rep for the company. “The night began with a spirited cocktail hour featuring ‘The Ophelia,’ a rosemary Champagne spritz and nod to Hamlet’s tragic betrothed. A generous lot flocked to the cheeky ‘Skull Pull,’ 4th Wall’s take on the traditional gift pull, while a costumed ‘King Hamlet’s Ghost’ and a dramatic fencing duel offered a theatrical preview of the upcoming production.”
The candlelight dinner was a treat, offered up by celeb chek Aaron Bludorn of the hotel’s Perseid restaurant. Other memorable morsels included performances by pianist Ben Childress, vocalist Rachael Logue, and actor-singer Wesley Whitson, who’ll ply the title role in Hamlet. The traditional “paddles up” fundraising ask took on special meaning as board president Ken Bohan, one of the unsung heroes of Houston philanthropy set, personally matched all donations. Live auctions items included trips to Broadway and London’s West End.
“My heart is full of gratitude for our community of supporters that showed up in a big way to make our inaugural 4th Wall Fête gala a HUGE success,” said Managing Director Catherine Dunaway. “Together we set a new fundraising record for 4th Wall — the fuel we will need to power our biggest and most ambitious season yet.”
Guests included Dean O’Kelley, Jody and Julie Batdorf, Amy Sutton, Gary Chiles, Dominic A. Cellitti, Steven E. Breyfogle, Christopher Bacon, Sharyn Feller, David Harris, Lona McManus, Gary Wulf, Donna and Norman Lewis, George Lancaster, Mark Folkes, Christopher Johnston, and David and Audrey Gow.
Colton Larsen, Hoa Nguyen and David Gow
Kathy Hubbard and Annise Parker
Piper and Chris Madland
Olivia Barboza, Wesley Gow and Audrey Gow
Ken Bohan, Lary Barton and Tripp Carter
Norman and Donna Lewis
Dan O_Brien and Philip Lehl
Mary and Paul Nugent and Sharyn Feller
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