Bob Mahowald – Proprietor
Bob graduated in 1962 from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.  He began his career in sales, traveling the United States as a representative for the new product department of 3M Company. He continued to develop his expertise in sales at Xerox Corporation, and came to work for Western Contract in 1967. When Bob entered the commercial furnishings industry, Herman Miller’s Action Office System was revolutionizing the traditional office set-up. Since then, he has watched the business of commercial interiors evolve into the systems industry of today.  In 1990 Bob became sole proprietor of Western Contract Interiors and worked towards creating a firm with more personal customer attention. His 35 years of experience with Western Contract have resulted in a wealth of product knowledge, as well as long-standing relationships with Herman Miller and other major suppliers.  As a finishing touch, Bob is personally involved in all affairs of the firm, making sure that what is provided is done in the highest order.

James G. Grugan – Finance Manager
Born in Scotland, Jim immigrated to Canada after service in the Scot Guard. He completed undergraduate and post-graduate studies in Canada at Concordia and McGil Universities.  Jim is a Canadian CMA.  Before his association with Western Contract, he held COO and CFO positions with many prominent Silicon Valley Companies.

Bobbie Paul – Senior Designer  Bobbie has a BFA in Architecture, Design and Planning and a Fine Arts Minor from Ohio University.  She began her career in 1969 designing modular housing for HUD in Washington, DC.  As an architectural designer, efficient space planning and an eye for aesthetics were essential to creating appealing, compact, affordable housing, and Bobbie proved to be a natural at it. Her work in designing commercial interiors began in 1972 with Young and Associates in San Jose, during which time she also helped to establish the Northern California Chapter of the Institute of Business Designers.  She joined Western Contract Interiors in 1990 and, once again, her keen sense of space and overall environment became apparent in her designs.  Her attention to ergonomics, people flow and interaction combined with creativity and knowledge of interior design history and classics, result in great designs and pleasing environments. She has an impressive list of clientele that includes car dealerships, office interiors and general public spaces.  In addition, she has created numerous set designs and environments for local theatre and non-profit organizations.

Ron Obert – Systems Designer
After graduating from San Jose State, Ron worked for 35 years as an administrator for Santa Clara County.  For 8 of those years he was District Attorney Administrator and was responsible for buying and outfitting the main Santa Clara County office. In this position, Ron became a customer of Herman Miller systems and learned, firsthand, the necessity for proper space planning in office interiors. When Ron came to Western Contract 4 years ago, his experience in providing effective office environments, while paying close attention to project management transferred into being an effective Systems Designer.  He is skilled in computer design and is excellent at helping clients meet their office environment needs.

Matt Neuman  - IT Consultant
Matthew Neuman joined the Western Contract team in December of 2000, as an Information Technology Consultant. Matthew helped Western's transition to our new showroom at 298 Jackson Street, by designing and implementing our new Computer Network, and developing our Sales Database. Matthew also oversees the maintenance, and upgrades of all our computer systems. Before coming to Western Contract Matthew was a Network Administrator for the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, PSINet, and Metamor.

Rachel Paul - Marketing Manager/Webmaster
Rachel graduated from UCLA in June of 2000 with a degree in Mass Media Communications.  She went to work for the documentary unit of Fox Television Studios in Los Angeles, where she helped in the development of new show ideas and pitches, as well as marketing for existing shows. She now has her own dance company in Los Angeles called Epiphany and also does a lot of freelance choreogrpahy throughout California.  Her sense of creativity and extensive experience in visual arts and entertainment result in a knack for marketing and the ability to develop an appealing company image.