William Grenewald brings passion, wealth of experience to design center

William Grenewald is a self-described furniture freak. So, he considers himself extremely lucky that he gets to work in a place where he is surrounded daily by the latest trends in home furnishings and décor.

As the new general manager of the Las Vegas Design Center, Grenewald is poised to share his passion with professionals who visit the downtown facility housed within the World Market Center.

"It’s great to be in a place like this every day," he said.

Now, he wants to share his enthusiasm with others. Grenewald said one of his priorities is to help develop the facility into an in-demand resource for home-furnishings professionals, as well as a site for mini-trade shows to bring additional audiences to Las Vegas.

With more than 25 years of experience working in the home-furnishings industry and design centers nationwide as both a tenant and landlord, he is poised to bring the Las Vegas Design Center into the international spotlight.

"Over the years, Bill has built outstanding relationships with key design center resources — both current and prospective tenants and with the design community at large," said Harvey Dondero, chief executive officer of World Market Center. "His knowledge of the interworkings of a design center, his business savvy and his interpersonal skills are unmatched. We are extraordinarily optimistic about the future potential as the Las Vegas Design Center expands. Bill has some innovative ideas that will help us make the Las Vegas Design Center a continued success and a multifaceted resource for every segment of the interior-design business."

Before joining World Market Center, Grenewald was vice president and general manager of MDS Group Publishing, a full-service advertising agency, publishing and marketing consulting firm in Miami, specializing in home furnishings. Also in Florida, Grenewald was involved in the preconstruction leasing and opening of the new International Design Center in Naples.

He has been involved in many show house and design exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad, including the launch of the first Casa Decor in Miami in 2006.

In the 1980s, Grenewald was executive vice president and general manager of Arc International, a cutting-edge furniture manufacturer producing pieces by international artists such as Marisol, Wendell Castle, Lynda Benglis and Robert Mapplethorpe. Later, he served as director of marketing and home-furnishing licensing for the National Trust for Historic Preservation; was vice president of marketing for Beacon Hill/Robert Allen showrooms, where he oversaw the remerchandising and rebranding of 22 trade-only showrooms in the U.S. and Canada; and was vice president of marketing and sales for the design center division of Merchandise Mart Properties, where he was involved with the marketing and public relations for The Merchandise Mart/Chicago, Washington Design Center, and the D&D and A&D Buildings in New York City.

Grenewald said he has been excited about the Las Vegas Design Center and World Market Center from the moment he first learned they would be built. He has watched them grow from an idea into a prosperous trade-show facility during the past six years and said he is happy he was able to join the team.

Since coming on board the staff in mid-June, Grenewald has impressed design center tenants.

"He really makes you feel like he’s behind you fighting for the cause," said Glen Revivo, owner of Revco International. "It’s been great working with him."

Revivo said there is a general feeling that the future of the design center is looking brighter.

Currently, the design center is comprised of about 80 showrooms on the first two floors of Buildings A and B at the World Market Center. When the third building is complete in July 2008, another 600,000 square feet will be added, making the design center more than 1 million square feet and the largest facility of its type in the nation, Grenewald said.

He said his immediate goal is to find tenants for the third building that will round out the center’s offerings to designers.

"We’re missing a few key areas, largely fabrics and some multiline showrooms with high-end products," he said. "To be a complete resource, we have to round out our offerings."

Grenewald said his enthusiasm for the facility is somewhat contagious and that everybody he has talked to about the design center is intrigued.

"So many people have said to me ‘Las Vegas is on our radar screen.’ They feel it’s in their future somewhere." In addition to keeping his focus on the future, Grenewald studies how furnishings have evolved.

A devotee of history, architecture and the decorative arts, Grenewald said he is passionate about traveling and that his trips usually involve some aspect of his interests.

He also is extremely interested in antiques and said he is especially proud to have created and managed the Chicago Antiques and Fine Art Show.

He also came up with the concept and started several other trade shows, including Decorex USA, Chicago Design Show and Architectural Digest Home Design Show.

Grenewald has been married for 40 years and has two grown daughters. He has an 18-month-old granddaughter and is awaiting the birth of twin grandchildren next month.

When not traveling or working, Grenewald says he loves to garden, although admits it will be a bit of a challenge adjusting to the valley’s desert climate.

"It’s quite a contrast to Miami," he said.