Annie Snider Reece plays it close to the vest. The president of Steve Snider Inc. (and daughter of its eponymous founder), Reece holds tight to the trade secrets that guided the renovation company to nearly 60 years of success. But one secret she practically shouts from the rooftops: the name Rick Rozas.
“Rick is without a doubt the most talented designer in town,” she said. But she doesn’t seem worried about him being poached. “We’ve been working together since 1990. This is Rick’s design. I just implemented it.”
Dream Team: Annie Snider Reece and Rick Rozas
Together, Reece and Rozas (and a team of skilled contractors) renovated the 1,350-square-foot La Tour Condominiums home of Bob Goldberg and Doug Dorey (whom she affectionately refers to as “the Boys”). ‘The Boys’ decided to transition from a 2,900-square-foot townhouse, but not without some degree of anxiety.
Rozas who has worked in the building since the mid 80s, said his first task was actually convincing the couple that downsizing was possible.
“I have several tricks I’ve learned to use to free it up and not make it feel so small,” Rozas said. “‘So, I said, ‘Come over and let me show you how two adult men live in 1,100 square feet.’”
Homeowner Bob Goldberg laughingly calls Rozas a therapist.
“He mediated between what I wanted and what my partner wanted. He was very patient. Just a delight,” he said of working with Rozas. “He knew I was having some palpitations about [downsizing] so he invited us over to his house and it was fantastic. It showed me everything in its place—there’s a certain joy and elegance to that. We were able to get a really stylish, comfortable, beautiful home that we’ll probably stay in forever, and I don’t miss the big space at all.”
Stress and Fun
As Reece talks through photographs of their La Tour Condominiums home, it’s easy to why Goldberg and Dorey love it so much. She points out design know-how that only comes from years of working in condominium buildings like La Tour. And Reece loves a condo.
“It’s not everybody’s cup of tea because of the time constraints, all that waiting for service elevators. And parking is a challenge,” she said. “But I love the creativity. There’s so much creativity. It’s a lot of stress, but it’s so much fun.”
A Force of Nature
Goldberg calls Reece a “force of nature,” which seems to be the general consensus with everyone.
“She is so bright. She can multitask like no one that I know,” he said. “They’re really good people, Rick and Annie, and it was a joy to have them do our work and make our home.”
In a former life, Annie Reece worked as a chef. And interestingly enough, she sees a lot of similarities in the two professions. “It was an easy transition,” she said. “I’m still working with talented people who work with their hands. Still working in tight space constraints. And I’m always sweeping.” Reece laughs. “I’m still sweeping to this day. That’s been a big thing with me in the business. I always keep things very clean.”
In part, that’s why they’ve never had to advertise, she says. Her parents, Steve and Patty, founded Steve Snider, Inc. in 1961. The pair got in early with big Dallas designers like Earl Hart Miller, Maggie Green, and Audrey Price and making a stellar reputation for themselves.
“I ran the jobs, Mom handled the finance, and Dad did sales. And one thing I learned is that people come home and nobody wants to see dust. We want clients to see the progress of the day. That’s really important to me.”
Another thing that’s important to Reece? “Attention to detail and perfection. Because you don’t want to see a single error in the whole entire thing. We don’t cut corners. We love solving problems for clients and for the designer. That’s the fun part.”
