“Bud” Sutton, Principal and Co-Founder

Formerly from the United Kingdom, Bud spent the majority of his early childhood years living and growing up in the Caribbean and South America before immigrating to the United States in the mid 1960’s. Since graduating from Portland State University, he has been actively involved in the domestic and international apparel and furniture manufacturing sectors.

Bud has a background in industrial engineering, manufacturing, product development, sourcing and quality assurance. He has held senior, executive-level positions with major apparel manufacturers and Fortune 500 retailers. He also currently owns a separate niche company that provides international refurbishment services to large American-based clients.

A chance conversation with Hitomi Yasuda in the summer of 2008 led to the creation of Neko Habitat LLC. Based on their mutual love for pets and a shared frustration with the design and price-point of the pet comfort products already in the marketplace, they decided to launch a new company that merges high-end, ultramodern furniture with an unabashed love for the care and well being of animals.

An avid outdoorsman in the Pacific Northwest, Bud’s hobbies include flying remote controlled model airplanes, skiing, hiking and paddling the abundant waterways in his trusty Sea Kayak.

Hitomi Yasuda, Principal and Co-Founder

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Hitomi graduated from UC Davis with a degree in textile and clothing marketing and a minor in Japanese studies. Later that summer, she relocated to the United Kingdom where she lived and worked for nine years, completing a graduate degree in international textile and apparel management from the University of Leeds and gaining hands-on experience with a vertically integrated worsted cloth manufacturer.

After returning home to the United States, Hitomi spent the next 10+ years working for major international apparel retailers and outdoor gear specialists, and also established herself as a successful independent consultant and professional pet sitter. She specializes in design, merchandising, planning, product management, marketing and retail sales.

In the summer of 2008, a chance encounter with fellow animal lover and apparel expert Bud Sutton led to discussions and a shared view of a gap in the marketplace for “cool,” modern, high-quality and functional furniture for pets that is also affordable and aesthetically pleasing to pet parents. Neko Habitat LLC was ultimately created to provide upscale, contemporary lifestyle products for pets to be showcased and enjoyed in the home.

In her free time, Hitomi is an avid rock climber, hiker, motorcyclist, snowboarder, wakeboarder, global traveler and gourmet foodie. She has an impressive shoe collection and is a huge fan of mint chocolate chip gelato and house music. In 2008, she adopted three sibling kittens (Tiger, Kobe and Swoosh), who have been a source of love and ongoing inspiration for the company.