Meet the Team

Jim Baker

CEO

With a passion to help clients optimize their working spaces, Jim is driven to assist customers achieve their desired environments. Beginning in 1991, he gained extensive knowledge of the furniture industry before launching Baker Interiors in 2000, which was sold to Allied in 2004. Innovare was born out of Jim’s desire to offer unique and innovative furniture solutions for all budgets and project scopes. Jim’s mission with Innovare is to successfully deliver satisfaction and convenience. Jim graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He maintains memberships and affiliations with the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus, Building Owners and Managers Association, and Office Furniture Recyclers Association. He lives in Lansing with this wife and four children, coaching football at Lansing Catholic High School and spending weekends up north, where he golfs with friends and spends time with his family.

Tim Farhat

LEAD INSTALLER

Ensuring that concepts and ideas are fully formed into real-world tangibility is the focus for Innovare Interiors lead installer. When Tim completes a task, clients are left with job specifications that are fashionable, functional, and fulfilled to excellence. The HOPE Academy graduate has supervisory experience at Fasco Motors, as well as a consultant, for North Coast Systems and as a director of operations at Partners Book Distributing. He and his wife have six children and four grandchildren. Tim enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, grilling, and watching sports. 

Kristin Prince

Senior Interior Designer, LEED GA

Kristin provides extensive design experience, knowledge of the furniture industry, and a passion for interiors. As Innovare’s Senior Interior Designer, Kristin handles space planning, product specialization, project management, and client resources. Kristin graduated from the Honors College with a BA in Interior Design from Michigan State University. She worked in the commercial design/furniture industry for 4 years at a previous dealership and got her LEED Green Associate certification in 2019. Her specialties include sustainability, higher education, and corporate office environments, with prior experience in residential design, facilities management, student engagement, and technology training. In her free time, Kristin loves spending time with her husband, son, and cat, baking, and playing strategy games.

Norma Fata

Account Executive

Coordinating purchasing and installation for all of Innovare’s projects, Norma handles all things coordination. She works with both the design and installation teams ensuring excellent communication so that our clients can have a smooth and positive experience as possible. Norma gets her experience working in coordinating which has helped shape her organization skills and love for piecing together a puzzle. She comes from an Italian American family where they own their restaurant in Dewitt. She loves designing spaces and putting together every little detail in order to see the finished product.

Nick Baker

Controller

Newly graduated from Michigan State University, Nick joined the Innovare team as a Controller, where he prepares financial documents and provides financial analysis to management. Nick received his degree in accounting and spent the previous two years in Corporate Accounting with Perrigo Pharmaceuticals as a Sr. Tax Analyst as well as Public Accounting as an Intern with Gallagher Flintoff & Klein, PLC. In his free time, Nick enjoys coaching football alongside his dad at Lansing Catholic High School, watching sports, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Bella Guerrazzi

Administrative Assistant & Social Media Expert

Bella serves as the administrative assistant on the team who works directly with our CEO. Bella also coordinates installations, tracks orders, and is lead of marketing and social media for Innovare, along with many other tasks to help better the team. Bella is currently a student at Michigan State University studying Interdisciplinary Studies in social science before heading to law school.

Carrie Sieffert

Interior Designer

As an interior designer, Carrie works closely with lead, Kristin Prince. She works on multiple projects for our company bringing them beautiful and functional spaces. 

Want to learn more about Innovare?

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  • “We have received endless compliments from clients and prospects on our office style and furniture. Jim has always been great to work with.”

    -Laura at Michigan Planners

  • “We were originally referred to Innovare by a long-term client who said they were the best. After working with them for more than three years, I would most definitely agree with what we were told. Jim Baker and his team were instrumental in the design of our new home office and have been very effective at recommending a furniture plan that fit our culture as well as our function. Recently, we opened a satellite office with a more restrictive budget. Innovare suggested and delivered refurbished goods, which look brand new and are ideal for the setting without us having to feel like we compromised a single thing. I would absolutely recommend Innovare to anyone interested in dealing with a talented and professional office furniture and design organization.”

    -John at Michigan Planners

  • “The George F. Eyde Family has used Innovare over the years for several important projects. We are a family business and it is essential that we collaborate. Jim and the entire Innovare team are professional and down to earth. They take time to listen to our needs, rather than tell us what we need to do. They collaborate with us to bring our vision to reality. It’s a great partnership.”

    -Evemarie Eyde at Member Eyde Corporation

  • “Working with Innovare on projects is nothing short of perfect. They are responsive, patient and are willing to work on solutions to any of your problems. Ada and Jim have been fantastic, and I would highly recommend them as a partner.”

    -Terese at BIGGBY

  • “While planning the launch of a North America office for our U.K.-based parent company, we found ourselves in the market for office furnishings and design support. I was fortunate to locate and contact Innovare. Their response was immediate and professional. Jim Baker and his team were eager to assist and went the extra mile to review concepts and show us office designs and furnishing alternatives. The office project planning, coordination, ordering, and furniture installation were smooth and professional. Furthermore, it was a real pleasure working with the Innovare team. I would recommend Innovare to anyone in need of office furnishings and interior design assistance. We now have a beautiful workspace that meets our needs.”

    -Phillip DeBerry at AB Dynamics, Inc.

  • “Working with Jim Baker and his team at Innovare was a professional, customer-based experience. Innovare combined our ideas and vision with their expertise and experience to design an efficient office workspace that works in concert with our laboratory spaces. Throughout the entire design and construction process, Innovare’s attention to detail was second to none, and we would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to build out new or renovate a commercial or retail space. Thanks Innovare.”

    -Todd Welch at Viridis Laboratories

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517.253.8718

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CORPORATE OFFICE

905 Southland Ave
Lansing, MI 48910