Meet Our CORE Staff

The Specialists Behind Your Full-Service Corporate Furniture Dealer

Superior Customer Service From Order Processing To Installation

At CORE, we understand that providing every client with superior customer service is just as important as the quality office interiors we sell. That’s why CORE has assembled the best team of specialists to give our clients the first-class service they deserve from the initial phone call to beyond the completion of every project.

Mercedes Headshot 1 Edited Updated Jan. 9, 2023

Mercedes Flores

Principal

[email protected]

520-999-3470, Ext. 1001

The founder of CORE, Principal Mercedes Flores has worked in the commercial furniture industry for more than 20 years.

Mercedes employs her excellent organizational and leadership skills to steer her team to success each day. She has managed everything from small office projects to large office complexes and overseas installations. With a strong belief in providing honest interior consulting and the highest level of customer service, Mercedes always strives to deliver the optimal solution for CORE clients at the most competitive price.

Whether you need a single office chair or an entire complex of furnishings, Mercedes and her team at CORE are prepared to meet the challenge of getting your project complete on your budget and on schedule.

Sabria Headshot Edited 1 Jan. 2022

Sabria Berisha

Business Development Coordinator

[email protected]

520-999-3470, Ext. 1005

A member of the CORE family since November 2021, Sabria is the Business Development Coordinator for CORE. She has more than seven years of sales experience and attended the Art Center Design College.

Sabria has a background in design and an eye for colors, shapes, and designs to assist clients. Her duties include finding new sales leads, customer care, assisting clients with finishes and design, and building quotes for clients.

The thing Sabria likes most about being at CORE is the small, family-oriented environment where she gets to work with a team of other women.

On her off time, Sabria enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Elaina Vasquez Headshot July 2018

Elaina Vasquez

Director of Customer Experience

[email protected]

520-999-3470, Ext. 1004

Elaina, has been with CORE for several years and wears many hats from answering phones to placing orders and monitoring their progress. She touches every order that comes into CORE and is the point of contact for clients when it comes to answering questions about the status of their orders.

Elaina works with our partner manufacturers and reviews acknowledgements to check for accuracy. In addition, she helps our sales representatives gather materials in preparation for client meetings.

Elaina loves the environment at CORE and working with such a great team, ensuring projects are 100 percent accurate. Her incredible customer service skills have impressed designers and architects so much, they have referred clients simply due Elaina's excellent customer care. She truly is the heart of operations at CORE.

April Cardinal Headshot July 2018

April Cardinal

Director of Business Development

[email protected]

520-999-3473, Ext. 1008

April has more than 15 years of experience in the construction and design industries working with a number of homebuilders. She holds three degrees including a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

At CORE, April utilizes her years of experience and education to assist clients in achieving their business goals by selecting the right interiors for their specific needs. April said adding the final touches to a project through furnishings and interiors is the fun part of working with clients.

An enthusiastic member of the CORE team, April is excited to show her clients the endless possibilities from the contemporary to the traditional. She said the wide variety of furnishings available make it easy to create an office that is professional and warm.

Ashley Pearson Edited Headshot 1 Aug. 2022

Ashley Pearson

Customer Experience Coordinator

[email protected]

520-999-3473, Ext. 1004

Before joining CORE on Feb. 7, 2022, Ashley was a veterinary technician. Now a customer experience coordinator with CORE, she places and tracks orders, coordinates installs, and is the primary point of communication for clients to keep them updated as to the progress of their orders.

Ashley said she likes the friendly atmosphere at CORE, not just because of the people, but also the animals as CORE is a pet-friendly workplace.

"Everyone is encouraging," said Ashley of working at CORE, "I like the team collaboration. I have learned so much"

A full-time student, Ashley enjoys spending time at the gym and with family when she's not ensuring customer satisfaction at CORE.

Shannon Kappel Headshot 2021

Shannon Kappel

Interior Designer

[email protected]

520-999-3473, Ext. 1003

As the interior designer at CORE, Shannon has her hand in every project that requires design work and/or furniture layout.

Shannon has a degree in interior design from Northern Arizona University and uses her education and experience to work up furniture plans and designs for CORE clients. She also makes recommendations when it comes to finishes and color schemes. Shannon is able to prepare color renderings of spaces for clients so they can visualize what they are purchasing from CORE.

Since starting with CORE in July 2016, Shannon has worked with a wide variety of clients. Her favorite part of the design process is space planning because she said it’s like figuring out and completing a puzzle.

Hillary Solterbeck Updated Headshot 3 Jan. 9, 2023

Hillary Solterbeck

Library Manager & Accounting Assistant

[email protected]

520-999-3470

Hilary is the library manager for CORE. As a commercial office retailer for a wide variety of furniture manufacturers,

CORE has a substantial library consisting of books, clothing swatches, and chips in addition to other items in its library. All of this has to be kept in top order at all times which is where Hilary comes in. She handles all of the exciting library contents in addition to integrating new tiles, fabrics, and books.

In addition to managing CORE's library, Hillary also assists CORE with its accounting.

Leslye Membreno Jan. 9, 2023

Leslye Membreno

Customer Service Representative

[email protected]

520-999-3470, Ext. 1006

Leslye joined the CORE team in August 2022. With a background in billing and coding, Leslye has experience analyzing and processing medical claims. Her eye for detail and customer care experience made her an ideal fit for CORE.

Leslye handles claims and warranties for CORE customers. She is the bridge between CORE manufacturers, sales representatives, and clients, ensuring complete satisfaction.

"I like working with everyone from the girls in the office to the clients and manufacturers," said Leslye. "It's neat to see how much furniture can make or break a business, whether for their employees or customers."

Leslye as she enjoys learning and is currently pursuing an accounting certificate from Pima Community College.

Angela Headshot 2015

Angela D. Wagner

Marketing

[email protected]

806-220-5272

Angela is the marketing and social media guru at CORE. With a degree and background in journalism, she is adept at writing and editing, As a former award-winning journalist in the Phoenix area, Angela has experience with AP style.

Angela has been with CORE for nearly five years and has experience in social media management and marketing as well as writing and editing for a variety of purposes. She has assisted CORE with building its following on social media and has also researched and produced original content for CORE's blog.

As part of her work at CORE, Angela also updates the company website. For Angela, the best part of working at CORE is seeing CORE grow. She also loves seeing how community-conscious CORE is as a company and how its employees are always giving back to those less fortunate. 

Penelope and Odie Together Jan. 9, 2023

Princess Penelope Jane & Odie

Client Happiness Coordinators

[email protected]

520-999-3470

Penelope and Odie are the client happiness coordinators for CORE because who doesn't need a little fluff in their life?

As clients visit the CORE showroom, they're welcomed by our four-footed greeters who have now been with us for a couple of years. Penelope and Odie ensure every visitor to the showroom are appreciated, snuggled, and may even get a few kisses.

Penelope and Odie both love all of CORE's clients and enjoy having lunch with their colleagues. Both Penelope and Odie like doggy treats, belly rubs, and long walks outdoors.

  • Interior Design Space Planning
  • Furniture/Interior Consultation
  • Full Furniture Specification
  • Color Renderings
  • Order Processing
  • Field Measurements
  • Assembly, Delivery, & Installation
  • Freight & Damage Claims
  • Leasing Services
  • Warranty & Maintenance Services
  • Reconfigure Services
  • Warehousing & Inventory Services
  • Project Management

At CORE, our goal is to provide the best furnishing solutions for our clients with the highest level of service.  Every client is assigned a dedicated point of contact for their entire project and beyond.  CORE customers can expect regular updates on orders and deadlines as we move throughout the various phases of their project.  Communication is a CORE principle for providing superior, world-class service with a personal touch.

At CORE, we are here to serve you.