Sarasota, Fla. / Alpharetta, Ga. — DutchCrafters Amish Furniture Director of Stores and Fulfillment Kari-Jo Koshes, DBA, was chosen for Furniture Today’s 2023 40 Under 40 award winners. The awards are given to 40 up-and-coming furniture industry leaders under the age of 40, recognizing them for their career achievements and industry involvement.

“I appreciate the opportunities for growth and leadership skills that DutchCrafters has made possible for me, and I thank my mentor, CEO Jim Miller,” said Koshes. “Being recognized by a national industry-leading organization like Furniture Today is a high point in my career. The national recognition broadens the scope of my work and speaks to my success, experience, and achievements in the furniture industry.”

When Koshes joined DutchCrafters, the leading retailer of Amish furniture at dutchcrafters.com, she knew the company offered opportunities for her growth. From 2013 to today, she has grown significantly. In her current position she is responsible for leading innovations in shipping and product delivery, overseeing the warehouse and outlet store, and managing showroom experience and expansion.

Koshes said challenges in opening a new showroom include the typical race to the finish line in time for the grand opening, adding, “team building is so important—recruiting and developing the right people who are aligned with the company’s culture and values. I am looking forward to continued showroom expansion, which is currently a major focus for the company.”

“Dr. Kari-Jo Koshes has been influential in driving revenue growth from $3.6 to $24.5M, improving profitability, launching strategic initiatives, and developing an award-winning culture, where she is often named as a role model by employees,” said CEO Jim Miller.

Making time for what’s important outside of work, Koshes created a nonprofit called Brand New Chapters. She collects and provides books for those who do not have access to reading. So far, she has collected 2,700 books. “Giving is one of our company’s core values,” she said, “and that nonprofit is my heart and soul.”

Koshes also serves on the boards of the Junior League of Sarasota and Literacy Council of Sarasota. Recently she was invited to join the Sarasota County Human Services Advisory Council. Educational achievements include earning a bachelor’s degree in general business with a minor in international business from the University of Central Florida. She completed her MBA and DBA from Columbia Southern University. Koshes is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Sarasota County and a 2023 graduate of Leadership Florida.