Wendy Hoechstetter

Current

• Founder and Executive Director at California Designers Against Legislation (CADAL)
• Principal/Owner at Hoechstetter Interiors

Past

• Interior Designer at Michael Merrill Design Studio
• Forum Manager at CompuServe
• Executive Assistant at Kelly Services

• Special Agent at Northwestern Mutual Life
• Paramedic Crew Chief at Wilkinsburg Emergency Medical Service
• Pharmaceutical Representative at Abbott Laboratories

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Education

• Georgetown University
• California College of the Arts
• Golden Gate University

• Mills College
• Stanford University
• The George Washington University
• The Winchester-Thurston School
• University of California, Berkeley

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Recommended

5 people have recommended Wendy

Connections

259 connections

Industry

Design

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Summary

Interior designer with strong project management, client interface, programming, and conceptual design skills, extensive knowledge of high end furniture, antiques, fabrics and finishes, custom fabrication, and resources, and an extremely good eye for color, balance, and detail. CAD and 3D modeling experience. Additional experience in professional sales, marketing, and administration. Excellent problem-solver. Innovative, independent, assertive. Takes initiative and learns quickly. Makes complex connections from multiple sources, thinks outside the box, thrives in fast-paced, high pressure environments. Superb communications skills. At ease with and work effectively with people at all socioeconomic and professional levels. Team player.

My primary interest and greatest expertise is in high end residential design, but I am also interested in exploring hospitality, assisted living, and other health care design.

As a former medical professional, I am particularly aware of the needs of the disabled, and general health and safety issues throughout the design process. I am also familiar with many of the needs of the staff of medical facilities, as well as the healing effect a quality design can have on everyone's quality of life. Good design can also have a substantial positive impact on a business's bottom line.

I hope to eventually develop a bicoastal practice, dividing my time between San Francisco and my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, as well as to do work elsewhere in the country and internationally. I speak fluent Spanish, and would particularly like to work on projects in Latin America.

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Specialties:

I have particular interests in universal design, aging in place, green design, health and safety issues, lighting, and kitchen design. I also love designing with and around artwork and antiques.

My style tends towards the eclectic and traditional/transitional, although I am equally capable of a broad range of styles from the very traditional to the very contemporary, from use of extensive color, pattern, and detail to a very pared down and mono/achromatic palette.

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Experience

• Founder and Executive Director

  California Designers Against Legislation (CADAL)

  (Design industry)

  April 2008 — Present (1 year 8 months)

  CADAL is a grassroots organization dedicated to opposing anticompetitive and unnecessary interior design legislation in California and elsewhere, and fighting the cartel who supports it. Interior design legislation does nothing to protect the public or the rights of interior designers to practice, but would only put thousands of people out of work and create a very expensive bureaucratic nightmare. We serve as a central clearinghouse for documents relating to getting the truth out to designers and the public everywhere - the truth that the supporters of legislation do not want anyone to know about.
  
  Please visit our frequently-updated website at http://www.cadal-info.org for more information and to keep abreast of legislative developments in the state, and links to other grassroots opposition groups.

• Principal/Owner

  Hoechstetter Interiors

  (Design industry)

  2006 — Present (3 years )

  High end residential and small commercial interior design.
  
  • Successfully manage all aspects of remodeling and redecorating projects. Manage all aspects of product research, specifications, ordering, and administrative follow-up.
  
  • Analyze clients’ interior design preferences and needs, design interior environments that support and enhance their lives and performance.
  
  • Services include:
  - Interior design and decoration
  - Design consultation
  - Construction documents and drawings
  - Project management
  - Construction observation and coordination
  - Space planning
  - Kitchen and bath design
  - Home office design
  - Lighting design
  - Selection and procurement of furniture and antiques
  - Custom furniture and cabinetry
  - Fine art selection, framing, and placement
  - Accessories
  - Custom window treatments
  - Color consultation

• Interior Designer

  Michael Merrill Design Studio

  (Design industry)

  September 2007 — July 2008 (11 months)

  Engaged in all aspects of high end residential interior design, project management, and support services for very large scale as well as smaller projects. Experienced with very fast track design development. Projects located in the US and Asia, including multibillion dollar resorts.
  
  Expanded my stylistic repertoire to include expertise in the beautifully pared-down and deceptively simple look for which this firm is known.

• Forum Manager

  CompuServe

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; CSRV; Internet industry)

  1992 — 2007 (15 years )

  • Successfully started or helped start, and either managed or co-managed multiple online communities of up to 85,000 international members, fielding as many as 400 messages per day covering topics including medicine, home improvement and interior design, pets, religion, and dating and relationships.
  
  • Designed and implemented clinical standards and policies for award-winning online medically-related forum that resulted in physicians from all over the world seeking us out for training, and referring their colleagues to us as well. Networked successfully among other forums and personal network to bring in participants including internationally prominent medical advisory personnel.
  
  • Trained physicians from all over the world online about a neurobehavioral disorder that was not well-known.
  
  • Taught tens of thousands of people about various neurobehavioral disorders and assisted them with coaching and advocacy needs in academic and professional settings

• Executive Assistant

  Kelly Services

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; KELYA; Staffing and Recruiting industry)

  1980 — 2007 (27 years )

  Skilled and experienced in all aspects of administrative and personal support of C-level executives. Industry experience includes hospitality, insurance, medicine, interior design, biotech, telecommunications, high tech, law, and others. (Temp work at different times totalling about 4-5 years' experience.)

• Special Agent

  Northwestern Mutual Life

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Insurance industry)

  1989 — 1990 (1 year )

  • Analyzed clients’ personal financial situations and needs for life, disability and health insurance. Designed detailed insurance and financial plans.
  
  • Closed in excess of $1,300,000 in life insurance and over $200,000 in disability insurance.
  
  • Service existing clients while simultaneously bringing in new business.
  
  • Achieved 7% direct mail return where 4% was the norm.
  
  • Earned first year sales award.

• Paramedic Crew Chief

  Wilkinsburg Emergency Medical Service

  (Non-Profit; 51-200 employees; Medical Practice industry)

  1977 — 1987 (10 years )

  And other EMS services.
  
  Provided advanced life support paramedic services, including on scene care and medical transportation. Taught first aid and CPR, trained new employees. In charge of 2-4 person crews.
  
  • Delegated patient treatment duties and responsibilities to 3 - 4 person ambulance crews. Reviewed and evaluated performance.
  
  • Reviewed and interviewed new candidates for employment.
  
  • Supervised training program for private ambulance service. Maintained accurate training records, ensured employees’ training and certifications were kept current.
  
  • Additional experience as holter scanner technician, medical transcriptionist, patient registration clerk.

• Pharmaceutical Representative

  Abbott Laboratories

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; ABT; Pharmaceuticals industry)

  1985 — 1986 (1 year )

  • Pharmaceutical and diagnostics equipment sales to physicians, pharmacies and hospitals.
  
  • Top pharmaceutical salesperson in district for many months.
  
  • Increased sales of pharmaceutical products by 39 - 68%
  
  • Closed 50 -80% of diagnostic equipment prospects.

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Education

• Georgetown University

  1974 — 1978

• California College of the Arts

  Interior Architecture and Interior Design

  Activities and Societies:

  • Student Member ASID, IIDA, NKBA
  • Internship coordinator for ASID/IIDA Student Career Forum, recruited by Fran Kellogg Smith. Solicited internship listings from design firms and showrooms, supervised posting listings at forum for student use.

• Golden Gate University

  MBA coursework

  Graduate level coursework in accounting and marketing.

• Mills College

  Postbaccalaureate Premed Program

• Stanford University

  Certificate , Paramedic

  Stanford Prehospital Care Program - third in class.

• The George Washington University

  Liberal Arts

• The Winchester-Thurston School

  Diploma , College Prep

  - helped start first women's ice hockey team in Pittsburgh, PA
  - first woman to attend Pittsburgh Penguins summer hockey school
  - One of five girls from entire country selected to represent US at international Girl Scout/Girl Guide encampment in Sweden, summer 1973.

  Activities and Societies:

  Choir, Girl Scouts, piano, guitar, ice skating, ballet

• University of California, Berkeley

  interior design, financial planning, genetics coursework

  UC Berkeley Extension

  Activities and Societies:

  Student Member ASID, IIDA, NKBA

Additional Information

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Interests:

antiques, art, architecture, computers, sailing, skiing, reading, dogs, cats, emergency medicine, fine food and wine, international travel, child advocacy, volunteer work, fund raising/charity balls

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Groups:

- California Designers Against Legislation (CADAL) - http://www.cadal-info.org,
- Georgetown University Alumni Admissions program interviewer
- formerly an allied member of ASID (see http://tinyurl.com/kv5hh2 for why I did not renew)
- ASID Student Career Forum Board, Chairman of Internship Committee, 2000-2004,
- NCJW life member,
- Girl Scouts of the USA life member,
- The Summit Organization,
- Productive Learning & Leisure

•    Hispanic Net
•    Executive Suite
•    Women 2.0
•    Online marketing
•    Luxury & Lifestyle Professionals
•    The Friends of Israel
•    eMarketing Association Network
•    Georgetown University Alumni Group
•    Hospitality Group
•    Construct IN
•    Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists
•    Linking Northern California
•    IntoPittsburgh
•    Well-dressed Professionals
•    Project Managers Group
•    Ladies Who Launch
•    The George Washington Alumni Association
•    BNI (Business Network International) USA
•    Angel Investors
•    Jewish Alumni of Georgetown
•    Architecture and Interiors
•    CNS - CompuServe Network Services Alumni
•    Green
•    CompuServe
•    Connect to Mexico
•    UC Berkeley Extension Alumni
•    National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)
•    Linking CONSTRUCTION
•    Interior Architecture
•    A S I D
•    IIDA
•    Abbott Alumni
•    Hospitality & Gaming Design Professionals
•    JEMS: Today in EMS
•    Interior Design
•    Architecture
•    Home Furnishings Industry Professionals
•    Interior Design Networking Group
•    Winchester Thurston School Alumnae/i
•    San Francisco Business Times
•    Luxury architecture
•    Home Improvement & Repairs
•    CCA ALUMNI - California College of the Arts Alumni
•    Kitchen and Bath Industry News
•    California Designers Against Legislation
•    K+BB Designers Network
•    Remodeling Red-Lined Building Permit Forum
•    Interior Design magazine
•    The Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Honors:

- Smithsonian award to Compuserve ADD Forum for excellence and pioneering work in online medical education and support. Materials from the forum will be displayed in perpetuity at the Smithsonian.
- First year sales award, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
- several citations for work and saving lives while a paramedic
- First Class Award, Girl Scouts of the USA
- Menorah Award, Girl Scouts of the USA

Wendy Hoechstetter’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch