Molly Silsby
BA, Home Products Development, Fashion Institute of Technology
AAS, Advertising & Marketing Communications, Fashion Institute of Technology
After transferring from Penn State University, I came to the Home Products Development program after completing my A.A.S. degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications at FIT. My passion has always been the home and the pieces that fill it. Combining my love for the home furnishings industry as well as my interest in blogging, social media, and graphic design, I have joined the HP blogging team and was elected as the Home Products Club Head of Communications as well as Co-Flea Market Director.
My main topics of interest are Product Development and Design. After interning this past summer at Terrain, of the URBN brands, I got a feel for what it is like to deliver quality products to the marketplace with a specific, targeted aesthetic.
Shannon Maher
BA, Fashion Merchandising, Marymount University
AAS, Fashion Marketing, Brookhaven College
As Assistant Professor of the Home Products Development department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, I have a strong passion for textile and the home furnishings industry. I love sharing this passion with the next generation and find it refreshing to discover and learn with them.
Before trading in the corporate office for the classroom, I was the SVP of Global Sourcing and Product Development for Hanover Direct, Inc., a multi-brand catalogue and e-commerce retailer. As a key member of the executive team, I established the product development department and brought sourcing in-house to form strong global partnerships within the industry. Specializing in private label development, my expertise and strategic planning brought recognition to The Company Store as a leader in the home fashions arena. Prior to Hanover, I held senior positions with CHF Industries, Dan River Inc., and French Country Living – all focusing on home textiles, product development, sourcing, manufacturing, and merchandising.