Renee Strauss has worn many hats during DKD’s history. Out of necessity, in the company’s early years, she was the truck driver/delivery person. Renee would go to the cabinet factory, often accompanied by her German Shepherd riding shotgun, load a kitchen or two onto the cube van and deliver them to customers’ homes along with her son, Steve, after he got home from school. If there were appliances along with the cabinet order, they would wait till Dave was finished designing or installing for the day so the three of them could manage to carry the appliances, including refrigerators, into customers’ homes. As DKD grew and more employees joined the company workforce, Renee’s duties changed from delivery to secretarial duties to showroom decorating and marketing. Throughout the years, she has always been available to talk to clients in the showroom, who wanted some extra input on their design and product choices. Often asked for her “honest opinion from a woman’s perspective” her formal training as a teacher and counselor is always helpful.