President

Philip Zittell

Philip Zittell, Omnirax President, has no doubt about it: “It wouldn’t be Omnirax without our people. Our best feature is us.”

Original partner of now retired founder Alan Jewett and an entrepreneur since 1974, Philip is the driving force behind Omnirax. He is the head of the family, the Team builder – a team whose foundation is trust. Philip genuinely cares. And as a result, everyone cares – for the company, the product, the customers and each other. He helps who he can when he can. He inspires loyalty, kindness and cheerfulness.

He’s hands-on sales and marketing. He’s a natural. He is the face of the company. Philip’s smile is contagious and he’s really funny. He loves to make people laugh. He says that’s his real job. Most people think he’s joking. We’re not sure.

When asked how he’s helped guide Omnirax to where it is today, he replies, “When opportunity knocks, answer the door. Never give up. And keep having fun.”

My favorite thing about Omnirax is the way we treat people. We’re all familiar with the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated – which implies the basic assumption that other people want to be treated the way you want to be treated. Omnirax prefers Dr. Tony Alessandra’s Platinum Rule – treat others the way they want to be treated. The Platinum Rule accommodates the feelings of others. The focus shifts from “this is what I want, so I’ll give everyone the same thing” to “let me first understand what they want and then I’ll give it to them.” Interestingly, following this rule, we most often treat celebrities like regular people and regular people like celebrities.

Chief Design Officer

David Holland

Philip refers to David as his “brother from another mother.” They met in 1969 when David was 12 years old. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal, he started selling jewelry for our parent company, Sausalito Craftworks, Inc. in 1979. David is 100% self-taught. He started working in our woodshop making point-of-purchase countertop displays for our jewelry. And then in 1985, when Omnirax started, he commandeered our transition to furniture manufacturing. He’s been working in CAD since DOS, and is a remarkably adept expert.

When a master, like jazz legend Herbie Hancock, refers to you as “the master” – that’s credibility. David is the master of our unique Collaborative Live-Design Process – transforming people’s ideas, dreams, aspirations and fears into innovative, ergonomic, personalized, intuitive, functional, innovatively designed work environments.

A life-long seeker, he is still searching for that elusive top-spin backhand.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is when we first started Omnirax and entered the music business, people would often ask me what instrument I played. I told them, “The table saw.” These days, I play the computer. After nearly three decades of continual change, growth and transformation, the one constant is play. My favorite thing about Omnirax is that through the shared joy of making our furniture, we get to shine a little light into the lives of everyone we meet.

CFO / Operations Manager

Sara Dawson

Sara brings a wealth of self-taught experience to Omnirax. Hired at 17 years of age in 1986 as a sales assistant, her star quality was apparent even then. Active in the community, she serves on the Board of GATE Academy – The School for Gifted Education in Marin – as the Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair. Her critical thinking skills, extensive knowledge of business administration and bookkeeping, and passion for our continued success make Sara an invaluable asset. Her highly regarded input is sought in all important executive decisions.

She manages the flow of information and production, as well as maintaining the overview of all systems, processes, inflows, outflows and technology. It is safe to say she has finger in every pie – and she sure can bake. Her Christmas cookies are a much anticipated annual treat.

She definitely keeps “the boys” in line, and we appreciate it.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is our employees, they feel like family to me . We’ve been through thick and thin together. Their success is my success and vice versa, so we all root for each other. In so doing, the company and most importantly, our customers, benefit from our teamwork. You cannot put a price on the value of our trust in each other to get our jobs done, and done well. I’m grateful every day for our team, they are the very best.

Product Specialist

Jonathan Hilton

No one knows gear like Jonathan. He has a unique sense of space and function. He is determined to make sure that you end up in the ideal workstation environment that not only gets you what you need, but also what you want. His “heroic” Customer Service is not flashy. Of course, he’ll go the extra mile to make sure delivery is on time or parts broken in shipping are replaced immediately. But what differentiates Jonathan is his unwavering commitment to, what we call, “pre-emptive Customer Service/Client Care.” By proactively immersing himself in all the details that lead up to a shipment – something that generally goes unnoticed – the need for emergency customer service heroics are, for the most part, eliminated. Jonathan has been going the extra mile since 2000.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is working with the customers and trying to come up with the best solutions for their needs. These projects can be as small as a rack or multiple room jobs. Knowing that I created something special for their new room makes me feel proud of what I do. Sure, I have also been with Omnirax for 14 years, so that says a lot about the company, but for me the customers are what keeps me driving to work every day.

Director of Design and Implementation – Office Solutions Group

Robert Zarren

Designing office interiors has been the focus of Robert’s entire 35-year career. His wealth of technical product knowledge and excellent people skills are a “killer combo,” enabling him to ask the right questions and ensuring that our customers end up with the ideal workstation environment to support their business’ needs, goals and culture. Robert’s lengthy experience working for design firms, furniture dealers and office furniture manufacturers makes him an expert in space planning, finish selection, customer service and project management. He has been a member of the Omnirax Team since 2014.

When not designing offices, Robert enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, tree hugging, camping, golf and frisbee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of a local non-profit and is a proud father of two outstanding young adults.

My favorite thing about Omnirax has been collaborating with the team to develop our WeDesk line of office furniture solutions and helping to bring it to market. I love supporting clients with design expertise and a big heart to develop great solutions for their needs.

CAD and Graphics Specialist

James Gafford

We trust James with our critical CAD/CAM programming. He has a keen eye and is systems and procedures oriented. He is also a Certified Microsoft Office Master Specialist. A United States Naval Academy grad, we can count on him to keep things shipshape.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is how everyone in the company focuses on the quality of what goes out the door. Nobody lectures, or reminds or cajoles—it just happens. Everyone here naturally wants their reputation, and the company’s, to be first rate. Details are discussed constantly, but because it’s natural, it happens without tension or anxiety, and the results show in the products we ship. I like that.

CAD detailer & Chief renderer

Thierry Duplenne

Since Thierry joined our Team in 2006, we have been impressed with his exceptional ability to see something in 2-D, visualize how it goes together in 3-D, while working in 2-D to produce something in 3-D. WOW! And he learned it all on the job.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is the company’s savoir faire, which is present at all levels of production and personal interaction. It is exciting and rewarding to collaborate with a Team that has so much skill and so much heart.

Production Manager

David Romero Fuentes

David started working in the jewelry shop for our parent company, Sausalito Craftworks, Inc.

It’s been a joy to watch him grow up before our eyes and to blossom into the leader that he has become. He is our first home grown manager. How does he get the shop to run so smoothly? By managing and following systems he helped develop and by delegating to a versatile synergistic team that has been together for years. At this point, his leadership style can best be described as intuitive.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is the experience I have had working for the Omnirax Furniture Company since 1996. We have grown together and I look forward to learning something new every day.

Lead Installer

Doug Clark

Ambassador Clark is the face of Omnirax on the road. Doug is unflappable. And if you’ve ever commandeered an installation you know that it never fails to get potentially “flappable.” He handles everything – and this is a quote – “with high praise in his wake.” He’s been with us since 2000.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is that everyone truly cares. And it is reflected in our product. Everyone has quality control input through every step of the manufacturing process. If the quality is not up to our exacting standards, the product does not leave the shop.

Production Supervisor

Edwin Gutierrez

Edwin started making bracelets for our parent company, Sausalito Craftworks, Inc. in 1999. In short order he was running the entire jewelry shop. He has exceptional hand/eye coordination, is clean, detail oriented and enjoys building new things. When we closed the jewelry business to focus solely on furniture, he moved over to Omnirax and has excelled at every challenge presented to him

My favorite thing about Omnirax is seeing the satisfaction on the faces of our customers when I assemble their new furniture.

Lead Product Assembler & CNC Operator

Carlos Aguilar

Carlos joined our Team in 2002. He has an uncanny knack for figuring out how things go together – making assembly easy for you. His Infectious upbeat energy is a joy to be around. His keen eye ensures that your furniture is perfect right out of the box.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is that I’m part of the best crew in the world. We care for each other and for every product that goes out the door.

Hardware Specialist

Moises Alvarez

Our CNC router is at the heart of our office, broadcast and technical furniture production, and it is in good hands with Moises. He always has his finger on the pulse of our machinery. His focus and attention to detail is extraordinary, especially when running new programs. He has been steady and reliable since 2000. And he introduced us to his brother, Abel in 2005.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is our teamwork and friendship. Working for the Omnirax Furniture Company for 14 years has been a wonderful experience, with new challenges every year. Working with a group of self-motivated people, always giving our best for our customers, the company and each other.

Surface Specialist

Misael Rodriguez

Misael’s brother, Edwin, brought him to the Omnirax Furniture Company Team in 2004. As our #1 Corian finisher, Captain Corian specializes in building seamless and shining sold surface countertops exquisite to the eye and to the touch.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is the look (seamless and shining) and the feel (smooth as glass) of an Omnirax Corian countertop.

Product Assembler

Manuel Ventura

Manuel is the newest member of our production team. He joined us with a skill set that has made an instant impact. He always exhibits a positive attitude and an abundance of common sense. The three pillars of his simple life are home, work and church. We are fortunate to welcome him onboard.

My favorite thing about Omnirax is that the company opened doors for me to succeed. They have treated me like one more of the family. I thank God for the opportunity to be part of a great team. And I thank the owners for trusting me.

Packaging Specialist

J. Helio Rodriguez

My favorite thing about Omnirax is the variety of tasks we do every day and the chance to learn new skills. In addition, I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing team.