Contributing Editors
Aaron Dumford
Aaron Dumford, regional manager for Old River Cabinets, began his love for cabinet & furniture building in 1985 while in the 8th grade where he learned to design and build custom built furniture in Buena Vista, VA. Since then he has enjoyed several different careers that have helped him become well rounded in the cabinet industry. Starting with a 13 year stint with Lowe’s Companies in Store Operations which taught strict operational guidelines, then on to owning his own remodeling business instilled a true connection with the customer and finally coming full circle to his passion and lifelong dream of being deeply rooted in the Custom Cabinet Design and Build industry within his birth place of Charlotte NC.
“There is a certain fulfillment that I get from helping a customer through the project of designing building and installing their own custom made one of a kind Kitchen or Bath Project” – says Aaron. “The art of designing a space to overcome any and every obstacle that a house throws at you is more than just buying box built cabinets and placing them on the wall to fill the space. The true effectiveness of a remodel project is how we take into consideration how the customer is going to use this space, which is different with every customer we encounter. The good thing is, because we build our cabinetry to fit your space and your needs, we can make sure that our customers are no less than 100% satisfied with their finished project”.
When Aaron is not in the showroom or in the field with a client he can be found enjoying his other passion, photography. Traveling all over the southeast trying to capture those ever-elusive shots he has spent many hours behind the lens of his Digital SLR. Since 2001 he and his wife Denise have called Mooresville, NC home. Spending time with Denise and their two Great Dane mixed dogs is his favorite pastime.
Contact: 704-831-6267
adumford@oldrivercabinets.com
Catherine Horgan
Catherine's love affair with everything stylish began over 12 years ago. Styling friends and family — with essentials from fashion, beauty and skin care — was just the beginning of her unbeknownst career in the fashion industry. Her passion soon became her mission: to help clients identify and confidently express their own personal style. With a background in corporate branding, Catherine’s knowledge translates into real world experience. And it was evident almost 3 years ago with the growth of her clientele, that the consummate stylist make the shift from part-time to full-time styling.
Bringing a unique brand of skill, aptitude and intuitiveness, Catherine works with clients, locally and nationally, to create signature looks and a fulfilling wardrobe. She frequently travels to meet with fashion and beauty designers, in addition to holding events on how to achieve a head-to-toe look for each season. Catherine styles photo and TV shoots, as well as the runway for local fashion shows. She has appeared on Fox News Rising and The Cooper Lawrence Show, and has a large following on Twitter (@ClosetOfStyle).
Contact:
www.ClosetOfStyle.com
704 408 0055
Nancy Atkinson
Nancy joined Urban Home magazine in its 2003 charter year. A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in journalism, she is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience in marketing. Nancy’s background includes 13 years writing for and marketing South Carolina’s largest newspaper, The State. She is also a former senior copywriter and creative director for The Adams Group, a Columbia, SC, ad agency. Nancy currently works as an independent marketing consultant for clients that include banks, hospitals, churches, hotels and non-profits in North and South Carolina.
Contact:
natkinson1@sc.rr.com
Laura Glass
Laura earned a degree in professional writing from Bob Jones University in 2004 and went on to serve as public-relations coordinator for a national nonprofit. In 2007 she became an associate of Message Media Group (MMG), an agency that provides freelance writing and editorial services to numerous national publications. As a member of the MMG writers group, Laura has written for Urban Home Magazine since 2007 and has performed more than 50 feature article assignments for a dozen national and regional magazines, including several titles related to construction, homebuilding, and real estate.
Contact:
864-646-2633
message@messagemedia.us
Brandy Hammond
Brandy is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a full-time writer. Working with companies including McDonald's, Sears, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and Columbia Sportswear, she has honed an appreciation for branding while retaining a unique, conversational style. Recently, Brandy added Urban Home Magazine to her client list because she thrives on helping businesses tell their stories.
Contact:
brandy@the-write-girl.com
Ginger Sprinkle
Ginger joined the Urban Home Magazine writing staff as a freelance journalist in 2006. Her background includes 10 years with Gannett newspapers in the US and abroad as a reporter, copy editor and then news editor. She also has six years of experience with a branding firm in Newport Beach, CA, where she began as a senior writer/designer and moved into the role of director of communications. Since 2002, Ginger has lived in Charlotte, NC, where she runs her freelance writing/editing/graphic design/marketing business, Nine Dots Branding & Marketing Company. She is also the managing editor of The Bulletin, a bi-monthly publication for the Radiology Business Management Association. Ginger holds a B.A. in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill, with a minor in psychology.
Contact:
704-541-9487
ginger@ninedotsbranding.com
Dana W. Todd
Dana joined Urban Home Magazine as a writer in 2007. She also writes for several national, regional, and local consumer and business magazines and is editor of a South Carolina manufacturing magazine. Dana brings a total of 16 years of experience in both the publications management and public-relations industries to Urban Home. She works with local and national editors to place her clients in stories being written in trade and business magazines, newspapers, TV and radio shows. In addition to media relations, Dana specializes in helping start-ups and declining companies who need to redefine their messages to increase sales. She formerly served as CEO of a high-tech public relations and marketing agency and has been editor of a national conservation magazine. Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communications from the SC Honors College at the University of South Carolina.
Contact:
803-463-5278
dwtodd2@aol.com
Mark Ward, Sr.
Mark offers 30 years of experience as editor of six national publications, communications/publications director of four national associations/nonprofits, author of seven nonfiction books, and a freelance writer who has published 2,000 feature articles in more than 50 national trade and professional magazines, including numerous construction, homebuilding, and remodeling titles. In 2004 he formed Message Media Group (MMG) to provide, through a group of freelance writers, editorial services to a growing list of clients. In his capacity as MMG president, senior editor and client liaison, Mark has written for Urban Home Magazine since 2007. He holds a Master of Arts degree in communication with concentrations in leadership studies and professional writing, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in rhetorics, communication, and information design at Clemson University. Mark has taught at three universities and been a frequent speaker and workshop presenter at writers’ conferences nationwide. As a freelance voiceover talent, Mark has been featured on daily radio programs syndicated nationally on some 500 stations.
Contact:
864-646-2633
markward@messagemedia.us
