Our Experts

Roger Benedict, President

Roger Benedict began in 1972 with his two brothers and a small business named Ruggs Benedict that was run out of a garage. By focusing on satisfying every customer on every job, Ruggs Benedict has grown over the past 40 years to become the leading flooring store in the region.

Alfonso Aragon, Owner

Alfonso was born in Mexico and began his career with a construction company in 1989 after moving to Colorado. In 1992, Alfonso began working for Ruggs Benedict, and with his sheer dedication to exceeding customer expectations, Alfonso became a huge part of the business. Known to staff and community as "The Yes Man" with his vast flooring knowledge, Alfonso enjoys sharing his positive attitude and going above and beyond. After many years of service, Alfonso became one of the owners of Ruggs Benedict.

alfonso@ruggsbenedict.com

Gigi Zimmerman, Owner

Gigi is originally from Indiana and is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington with a bachelor's degree in retail management. Over twenty years ago, she decided to move to Colorado, where she began her career at Curtain Hill Sports. Later, she began working here at Ruggs Benedict, where she focuses on customer excellence. After decades of providing superior service, Gigi became one of the owners.

gigi@ruggsbenedict.com

Mandy Benedict, Owner

Mandy was born and raised in the flooring industry and is the third generation to serve the Vail Valley with its flooring needs. Mandy loves people, so building lifelong relationships with her clients and supporting them to create their dream home is a true joy. Always enjoying the deep connection and creative projects Mandy looks forward to each moment she spends with the amazing team at Ruggs. After twenty-six years at Ruggs Benedict, Mandy has become one of the owners.

mandy@ruggsbenedict.com

Jaime Macias, Installation Manager

Jaime began working for Ruggs Benedict over twenty years ago, helping customers create amazing flooring in their homes and businesses. After meeting with clients on site for the last ten years, there is not much he hasn't seen, making him one of the best in the industry. Jaime loves to help clients based on their specific flooring needs and enjoys continuously learning about brands to ensure customers get exactly what they want.

jaime@ruggsbenedict.com

Cesar Gonzales, Warehouse Manager

Cesar started with Ruggs Benedict as an installer in 2011. Cesar is the warehouse manager and focuses on ensuring the warehouse operates smoothly. He is a hard worker, and he enjoys the diversity that this job provides, including delivering area rugs and hardwood flooring to all of our client's homes and interacting with clients. Cesar and his family enjoy spending time together outdoors and all the great things our valley has to offer. He brings a smile to the face of anyone he encounters, spreading joy everywhere he goes.

Nicole Judge, Flooring Designer

Nicole graduated from Fresno State University in California and moved to Vail in 1996. After twenty-three years, Nicole still resides in Colorado and loves experiencing everything the state has to offer. At Ruggs Benedict, Nicole works hard to create beautiful spaces by combining color and texture. She loves working with people and connecting with her clients on a personal level.

nicole@ruggsbenedict.com

Susan Wilder, Flooring Designer

Susan earned her bachelor's degree at Bowling State University in Ohio and eventually moved her young family to the Mountains in 1999 from Atlanta GA. Creating beautiful spaces is what ultimately drives her, whether it is a family home or a commercial space. Susan brought her broad range of experience in sales, admin, buying/selling homes, remodeling, redecorating, and working with designers and architects to Ruggs Benedict in 2013.

susan@ruggsbenedict.com

Holly Graves, Flooring Designer

Holly grew up in the Vail Valley. She graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a degree in Sociology and a focus in Education. She became interested in Interior Design and took an accelerated course at Parson's School of Design in New York. Before joining Ruggs Benedict, Holly worked in the Home Furnishings Department at Gorsuch Ltd. Holly is a dedicated design expert and loves helping her clients create beautiful spaces with flooring!

holly@ruggsbenedict.com

Jacque Collins, Flooring Designer

Jacque's vibrant personality and love for life draws people to her. She moved to the Vail Valley in 2008 from Montana. Before joining the Ruggs Benedict team, she worked in many different areas from corporate finance to ski patrol and now in interior design. Jacque loves connecting with her clients and creating the vision they have for their space. Occasionally she has assistance from her dog Ryder in the showroom!

jacque@ruggsbenedict.com

Ellen Miller, Flooring Designer

Ellen has more than two decades of experience in making customers and clients happy and delivering exceptional — and personalized — customer service. She is known for her tenacity and dedication to finding a perfect-fit solution for every client's unique needs, preferences, and tastes. Her secret sauce is how she spends time getting to know what her customer needs are to provide valuable insight. Before choosing to relocate and plant roots in the perfect-fit Vail Valley in 2015, she lived on both the East and West Coast and traveled throughout the US and more than five countries. She looks forward to getting to know you & discovering the perfect flooring for your project.

ellen@ruggsbenedict.com

Constance Tarantino, Flooring Designer

A native of Maryland, Constance moved to the Vail Valley in 2013. After many years in the service industry, she decided that interior design was her passion. Since entering the design world in 2016, Constance has a vast array of residential and commercial projects under her belt. She loves to inspire and collaborate with her clients to make their dream homes a reality. When she’s not at Ruggs Benedict, she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and adventures with her husband Marty and dog Bromley.

constance@ruggsbenedict.com

Manuel Ordonez, Custom Fabricator

Manuel Ordonez has been working at Ruggs Benedict for over twenty years. He specializes in custom stair runners, area rugs and woven carpets, an artist in his craft. Manuel runs the custom fabrication with meticulous care and incredible talent.

Ryder

Ryder is one of Ruggs Benedicts cherished staff members. Always ready to play, he brings a spark of joy to each person he comes across.