Meet Maria Elena Canovas | Interior Designer / Furniture Consultant

My professional journey started with my education in Architecture at Massachusetts College of Art (Mass Art) in Boston, MA. As a college of art and design, their multidisciplinary approach offered a unique creative experience providing a very diverse perspective to architectural design.
In 1994 I started my career working in prominent architectural firms in Puerto Rico always focused on commercial interior design. During those years I discovered the world of contract furniture, and I was immediately attracted to the opportunity of working with countless design firms in various industries including educational, workplace and healthcare.
By 1998 I decided to venture out to the US in search of bigger and better opportunities. Miami rapidly caught my attention as the dominating Hispanic population made me feel this was my new “home away from home”. I immediately secured a position at Corgan Associates working as an Interior Designer in the very prestigious North Terminal Development project at Miami International Airport. This opportunity allowed me to collaborate with various of the top designers in the city, many who developed into principals and owners who are now some of our best customers.
The year 2000 was key in my transition to becoming an independent manufacturer’s representative. I started working at Corporate Design Choice, a Herman Miller Dealer where I met Randy Bierman. Randy was the representative for various of our top furniture brands and quickly became a great mentor. He offered me the opportunity to represent his manufacturers in Puerto Rico. Being born and raised in the island, in addition to having spent several years working there, I was a great fit for that position. During this transition, since being a designer is where my passion lies, and in an effort to better collaborate with other designers, in 2002 I became an NCIDQ Certified and Registered Interior Designer in the state of Florida.

In 2004 family took me back to Puerto Rico. This allowed me to further develop The Bierman Group in addition to establishing my own turnkey Commercial Interior Design and Furniture consultant firm, Canovas Designs, which I managed for 9 years. However, due to instability in the island’s economy in 2017 I was back in Miami. I rejoined Corporate Design Choice, now as Sales Manager. After growing the sales and design team there I became the Sales Representative for Knoll, an opportunity which I consider provided me with the last piece of experience I needed to undertake all the key roles in the contract furniture industry.
I always felt The Bierman Group was my destiny, not only as a representative but as an owner. In 2019 Randy Bierman was ready to retire and offered Juliana Sharkey, another former Bierman representative and I, the opportunity to purchase the group. This new chapter started on April 1st, 2019. Since then, even though COVID 19 and all the obstacles that presented, we have strived by continuously pursuing new ways to connect and support our design community.
My work is my passion. Being able to collaborate with designers in their process of designing environments which affects how people learn, heal, vacation, live and work is what drives me. I love working in South Florida where the Latin community thrives. And I am grateful that The Bierman Group has provided me with the opportunity to be a part of this community.

The 3 most important people in my journey have been those who provided support. My mom, my husband and my daughter, have always been extremely supportive of my decisions. My daughter is the person for who I strive to be better every day. Her determination, structure and discipline at such a young age are a real inspiration.

In every step of my professional journey there was someone who provided guidance, mentorship and support. Eddie Underwood, principal of Underwood Architects, Shawn Mcmullin, owner of Corporate Design Choice, Randy Bierman, founder of The Bierman Group, and Marissa Southard, Regional manager at Knoll, all provided me with opportunities and guidance each contributing to my success in a different way.