Our Team

Design Team

Robert Gudanets

Robert has been a designer for over 20 years and has been with Valet since 2003. He is a 1983 graduate of the Academy of the Republic Belarus, and immigrated to the United States in 1989. Robert and his wife Ina have been married since 1983. Robert’s interests include swimming, skiing, backpacking and international travel. His customers love his design process and ability to help them visualize the best and most elegant use of their space.
Mark Olson

Mark’s 12 + years of design experience with Valet together with a 17 year background in the home improvement trades gives him a wealth of knowledge that is rarely seen. Mark and his wife Sandie have been married since 1979 and reside in San Jose with their son. Mark’s interest included racquetball, skiing and golf. He also enjoys spending time on the Monterey Peninsula. Both homeowners and contractors value his complete understanding of all aspects of construction.
Jerry Archer

Jerry has been a Valet designer for 11 + years. Prior to joining Valet in 2001, Jerry spent 4 years designing and selling closet systems to developers of new home communities. Jerry and his wife Sam have been married since 1978. They enjoy traveling and have lived in Hawaii. Jerry works out of our Danville showroom and services our customers in the East Bay. He is very detail oriented and his customers appreciate how he always goes the extra mile for them.
Karin Parodi

Karin joined Valet in 2010 and brings a unique combination of marketing and design experience to our team. Karin graduated from UCLA and enjoyed a successful career as a sales and marketing executive. She later earned an interior design degree to pursue her creative inclinations and passion for space planning. Karin excels at listening to customers and understanding their needs. She grew up on the peninsula, loves to travel, ski and spend time with her husband and two teenagers.
Shari Krandel

Shari has 15 years’ experience in the fields of Interior Design, Space Planning and Architecture. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley and joined our Valet team in 2010. Shari and her husband Steve grew up in San Jose. Shari enjoys hiking, skiing, and spending time with her family. Her customers love her enthusiasm and personal approach as she translates their needs into a beautiful and functional design.
Ward Wildanger

Ward entered the custom cabinet business in 1984 when he joined his father at Eurodesign. After selling Eurodesign to Valet in 2005, Ward joined the Valet team as Manager of Engineering and Product Development. Today, he continues to provide support in these areas while also contributing as a valuable member of our design team. Ward and his wife Nancy are longtime residents of Los Altos. Ward enjoys meeting with customers bringing 25 + years of design and engineering expertise to his work.

Management Team

Larry Fox – President/Owner

Larry is a graduate of the University of Southern California School Of Business. After receiving his degree he returned to the Bay Area and spent 18 years working in his family’s 100 + year old metals recycling business. Upon the sale of that business in 2000, Larry and his wife Audrey purchased Valet. Larry has become a leader in the industry and is a past president of the National Closet Group. Larry loves turning people’s dreams into reality, and remains as enthusiastic about the business today as he was when he first acquired it. Larry and Audrey reside in Los Altos with their two children and dog Betty.
Patrick Layne – Vice President

Patrick joined the Valet team as General Manager in 2005 and was elevated to the role of Vice President in 2009. Patrick is a graduate of San Jose State University and has extensive customer service experience and several years in management with AT&T (formerly SBC). He oversees all aspects of Valet’s physical operations from engineering and production through installation. We are exceptionally proud of the stellar safety record that Valet has achieved under his leadership. Patrick is an avid runner and cyclist. He and his wife Kathy have three children and reside in San Ramon.
Frank Von Haunalter – Production and Engineering Manager

Frank joined our team in 2005 with Valet’s acquisition of Eurodesign where he had spent the previous 23 years. With his combined 30 + years of industry experience, Frank has a knowledge base second to none. He adds to that a keen attention to detail and commitment to quality that sets an example for us all. Frank and his wife Daryl have four children and when not with them he can be found mountain biking in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Linda Rios – Administrative Manager

Linda has an established career in accounting and office administration, and has been a valued member of the Valet team since 1995. Quiet and focused, Linda manages our human resources and employee benefits as well as our accounting department. She is also a member of Valet's Safety Committee. She has two grown children and recently became a first time grandmother. Her favorite activity is flying to Florida to be with this tiny bundle of joy and her family.
Kristi Waterland – Scheduling Manager

Kristi joined the Valet team in 2006 as our Scheduling Manager and rapidly assumed other roles as well. With a past career as an expedition manager in the group travel industry, Kristi enjoys the complexities of managing our installation calendar and providing our customers with the superior service they have come to expect. Kristi and her husband Larry have two adult children and live in Los Altos.
Shawn Hickey – Purchasing Manager and Customer Service

Shawn joined Valet in January of 2005 and has held various positions throughout the company allowing him to fully understand all aspects of Valet. In 2010, he was promoted to Purchasing Manager. Shawn also plays a large role with our customer service where his experience and product knowledge are exceptionally valuable. Shawn is an avid hockey player and personal trainer. He resides in San Jose with his wife Jenna and their two small children.