Katy Lifestyles and Homes magazine Apr 2009: Katy Texas Info, News, Katy Business

Kimberly Muesse, senior account manager of Lockton Companies, LLC in Houston, was awarded the 2008 National Accredited Customer Service Representative of the Year Award by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

Muesse received the coveted national award at the annual Houston Big “I” Day after also being recognized as the 2008 Texas ACSR of the Year. With more than 25 years of experience, she was selected based on contributions to her agency and the industry.

Muesse is responsible for researching and providing the best combination of price, coverage and service to clients. In addition, Muesse specializes in power generation accounts, which requires complex contract reviews for utility power purchase agreements, operations and maintenance agreements and railroad easements.

Faces365 will open its second Houston-area location in LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. Local franchisees, Neice and Kenny Lang of KNL Spas, LLC, have leased almost 2,100 square feet of retail space. Blending a relaxing spa with a hip retail store, Faces365 is a great destination for skin care essentials. Clients enjoy botanically-based skin care products, along with spa services including facials, face and body waxing, microdermabrasion, teeth whitening and more.

“LaCenterra was the right fit for us. Katy’s an incredibly vibrant area, and LaCenterra is the premier shopping destination for the Katy/West Houston region, ” says Neice Lang.

Loree and Doug Brazil, owners of the Budget Blinds franchise in Katy, were honored for outstanding performance at the franchisor ’s national convention held in Orlando, Fla. Only 20 of the company’s nearly 1,000 franchises are honored for this achievement.

“This is an honor for our entire team that has worked so hard to be the local experts in the window coverings field, ” said Doug Brazil.

“We love Katy and being part of this community. Homeowners truly care about beautifying their rooms, while maintaining privacy, controlling light, reducing noise and cutting energy costs with their window treatments, ” Loree Brazil said.

Dr. Pat Guseman, president of Population and Survey Analysts, was the featured speaker who shared the newest statistics for the Katy ISD area, which covers 174 square miles:

In spite of a slowed growth rate, Katy ISD remains one of the fastest growth districts in the state, and holds the number two position in absolute population growth only surpassed by the CyFair area. Growth in the Katy area over the next five years will focus southwest of I-10. PASA projects 41,158 new housing units over the coming 10 years and conservatively, the Katy area could gain an additional 10,347 apartment units, which is 25 percent of the total number of new housing units projected. Commercial development is exceeding residential growth currently in the Katy Area. Over the next 10 years the addition of 11 new elementary schools, four new junior highs and three new high schools are being planned.

After 28 years in one location, Gallery Furniture, the nation’s largest furniture retailer by square foot, opened its second location on March 12 at Post Oak and Westheimer.

Gallery Furniture owners Jim and Linda McIngvale hired nationally-recognized designer Bill Stubbs, a Houston-based designer and host of the PBS series Moment of Luxury, to design the Galleria-area showroom.

Bill Stubbs is one of Architectural Digest’s Top 100 Architects and Designers. His projects have taken him around the world and include the interior design of a $100 million private jet. Bill believes that luxury should nurture and serve. His vision is that luxury can be experienced by everyone no matter how lavish or modest their budget. A visit to the new Gallery Furniture Post Oak will provide a moment of luxury for the eye and boundless ideas for homeowners to nurture themselves by adorning their homes with luxury items now available at Gallery Furniture Post Oak.

“Bill Stubbs is an expert on design and luxury and we are pleased to have his influence on the latest expansion to Gallery Furniture, ” said McIngvale.

The new store features approximately 15,000 square feet of home furnishings, including the exclusive Kreiss line and the popular TempurPedic sleep system, as well as an extensive selection of rugs and accessories. A second 7,500-square-foot phase of the store will be added later in 2009.

Gallery Furniture has had only one main location since its inception, the now famous address of 6006 I-45 North between Tidwell and Parker, but after the success of his Highland Village Kreiss store, owner Jim McIngvale began to look for a nearby location that had enough space and parking to accommodate his expansive inventory and also be convenient for customers.