Sharlene Boyle
With thirty-two years of teaching experience, hundreds of musical and theatrical performances under her belt, and the title of Drama Mama in the classroom, Sharlene  lends her sense of theatrics to the concept of 505 Imports.  Attesting that the warm, rich character of the furniture provides the solid pieces for setting the stage, Sharlene maintains that special lighting, bold art, and exotic accessories are the added details that create a living and working environment with dramatic appeal.

Sharlene is the creative force behind 505 Imports.  She designs new furniture pieces,   whole collections of furniture, and many new accessory items.  Also, she goes to home and gift markets to purchase accessories, comes up with new ideas for merchandising and marketing, and continually researches the furniture and home decor market. Research is her absolute favorite thing, whether it’s attending market, surfing the net, reading design blogs, tearing out pictures from magazines, or just plain shopping (disguised as “research.”) Additionally, she writes most of the copy for the website, the newsletter, and the marketing (former English/drama teacher.)  Her current passion is taking 505 in an even greener direction, and she has turned her energies to applying for membership to the Sustainable Furniture Council.   

It is absolutely essential (in Sharlene’s mind) for her to be present on container days; she loves to “ooh” and “ahh” over each new design, squealing during the entire process.  As the main buyer for 505, Sharlene lives to go to market, and every week as boxes, crates, and containers arrive at 505, she thinks it’s “just like Christmas!”

Michael Boyle is another important member of the 505 team. With 35 years experience as a paint contractor, he easily slips intothe position of “trouble-shooter” when the furniture arrives in huge containers from across the ocean.  “Mr. Mike” is knowledgeable, and he is dedicated to insuring that the furniture meets the high standards that 505 Imports demands.

Michael has also worked diligently in supplying a beautiful showroom and work environment.  With his “magic fingers” and creative use of paint techniques, he has made our store interior an amazingly warm and inviting space.

Rebekah Dressler (Sharlene & Michael’s daughter) forms the final member of the 505 ownership team, and it is her professional approach to business that has propelled 505 to its current level of success.  Rebekah brings not only “people skills” to the table but also an analytical mind that understands the business process.  A degree in Human Resources has provided her with the know-how to manage people.  Those skills plus her “love of numbers” make her the backbone of our organization.  Affectionately termed the “Budget Nazi”, Rebekah attempts to control rampant spending at 505.  When her mother goes to market and sees many beautiful things, Rebekah is the one who sometimes says, “no!” 

Rebekah is the implementer of all things 505, and she has her hand in every part of the daily operations of 505 Imports.  She handles all the financial aspects of the business and the endless details associated with running a complex business that involves overseas trade, customs dilemmas, etc.  Managing the 505 staff, drawing and submitting custom furniture orders, and handling the direction for all the website and marketing strategies occupy much of her attention. 

Rebekah also supervises another totally different aspect of the business, the manufacturing process.  Every 4-5 months she travels to the factory in India to implement new furniture designs, inspect construction changes, and administer quality control.   She is constantly developing new ideas and concepts for furniture designs inspired from salvaged architectural pieces and reclaimed wood.   During these eventful trips to India, she usually hops on a train or bus and travels to other parts of the country to source fabrics and other textiles. (The trips are “eventful” because she has twice ended up in a hospital during her stay in India.)

Rebekah is living proof that it’s possible to have beauty and brains.  A former LSU Golden Girl, Rebekah is now dancing her way to the top of the entrepreneurial ladder.  Her vision and business insights make her a critical asset to the 505 organization.