“Leading with Empathy & Authenticity”

Diana Dobin, CEO & CSO, Valley Forge Fabrics, has steered the company towards best-in-class sustainability practices. Even when the concept of green was not wholly embraced or considered a worthwhile investment, Diana has pushed for environmentally sensitive products, processes, and practices in our day-to-day lives—Katy Daly, VP of Sales at Valley Forge.

Ward Young, VP of Human Resources at Valley Forge, says, “Not only is Diana the CEO & CSO, but she is the leader of the Company’s unique people culture. Under Diana’s leadership, we have identified Core Values that inform our hiring decisions and how we work. All team members are given nicknames. Diana’s official company nickname is Earth Mother, and she is the first on our team to instruct and guide us on our corporate citizenship as stewards of sustainable practices that impact our families, customers, and communities.” Diana’s unique strength is her empathy. There is not a day that goes by that she has not influenced a team member positively and encouraged their well-being by complementing them professionally and checking in on them.

Diana has always been very passionate about mentoring and women supporting women. She always makes the time to hear somebody’s story – and find a way to introduce them to somebody else – or volunteer herself to be a part of their circle. Diana’s passion for Valley Forge has always come down to one thing: the people who make the business engine hum. Her ability to develop special and unique relationships with each employee often materializes in the personal and professional growth her team members see in so many at Valley Forge. Diana inspires everyone to recognize the importance of each role, excel in their positions, and show great pride in their craft.

Diana acts as a full-time change agent and cheerleader in keeping the company’s products ahead of the market and preparing the teams for company initiatives. “Our business environment is such that we have the resources, diversity, freedom, and support to drive creativity and operational excellence which results in dreamy environments for our clients and personal fulfillment through our team wins at the end of each successful project,” says Ward.

Diana has a servant leadership style and has learned that leading with the heart – and always considering the impact on people, while fueling strategy & execution from the brain – encourages others and connects everyone to a greater purpose. “We are all more motivated when we have a passion for the people we are working with and feel joined together towards a shared goal,” she adds. “The only way I know to authentically connect with others is to listen to their perspectives, learn their stories and support them in their very unique individual dreams.” Armed with this unique ideology, Diana leads the company to new heights.

Valley Forge Fabrics is respected as the Sustainability Steward of the Textile and Hospitality Industry. Diana is proud of their work to further the development and use of fabrics and products that benefit the environment and human health. For her, care about the planet has always been inextricably connected to health & wellness. Currently, when people are yearning to be together more than ever, there is no greater honor than to lead a business that is doing its best to create healthy spaces for all to enjoy.

During the pandemic, the Hospitality industry was severely impacted. “Business was terrible, and we are still in recovery mode. We made the decision to face the downturn in business by investing in ourselves and our future,” she elucidates. “Our leaders and their teams went above and beyond, and we are launching a newly digitalized infrastructure to support Valley Forge in the future.” Along with her brother and partner Michael Dobin, and the company COO Vanesa Patino, Diana and her team were aligned in understanding that companies that don’t innovate, grow stagnant – and then become obsolete. Working closely with company leaders, Vanesa has led and executed a full-scale digitalization of the business from end to end. “Our digitalization strategy will enable the business to scale and set a best-in-class level for service – at a time when we all know that positive connections between people matter most,” explains Diana. “I am excited about how this strategy will allow us to expand and scale the company and innovate faster, while using technology and machine learning to support our teams so they can think and spend more time doing what they enjoy.” WL