2013 Panelist

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Ann Sacks was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1949. She attended Detroit public schools and was graduated from The University of Michigan in 1971 with a degree in English and a teaching certificate. In the 1970’s Ann moved to Portland, Oregon where she taught school and worked for a social service agency. In 1981 Ann started Tileworks. A second and then a third location opened in Seattle and Vancouver, BC, and the company was renamed Ann Sacks Tile and Stone.  In 1989 Ann Sacks Tile and Stone was purchased by The Kohler Company of Kohler, Wisconsin which had been in the market for a tile company to complement its home products business. Between 1989 and 2001 Ann served as president of Ann Sacks Tile and Stone (renamed Ann Sacks) which became a division of The Kohler Company. In 2001 Ann reduced her duties and became Chief Creative Officer. In 2003 Ann retired. At that time the company had over twenty showrooms.

Following her retirement Ann started an eyewear business named for her daughter Amy. Amy Sacks Eyewear continues but has been renamed Fetch Eyewear. Fetch Eyewear operates primarily on line although it also distributes through optical stores. It donates 100% of its profits to Animal Rescue and Adoption. (fetcheyewear.com)
In 2006 Ann decided to reenter the tile and stone business, taking advantage of her twenty-five years of experience and her contacts throughout the world. She formed Design and Direct Source LLC (DDS) of which she is the president and sole owner. The business model, unlike Ann Sacks Tile and Stone, which relied on bricks and mortar showrooms to generate sales, concentrates on professionally generated commercial sales. 

DDS can become involved in the development and sales process at various points, through architects, designers, developers, general contractors, or tile installers, and has provided tile for many hotels (one of its main sources of work), condominiums, apartment buildings, airports and subway stations. Ann also acts as a consultant to various tile and stone manufacturers. Her specialty is matching existing technologies to new products and processes.
DDS is a certified Womens’ Business Enterprise and works with contractors and political entities to meet WBE goals and set asides. The company occupies approximately five thousand square feet of office space and the same amount of warehouse space in Portland Oregon. 

Ann is married and has two children and two grandchildren.