November 2026

Chapter Officer Update

Thank you to our Partners:

“Vibrant programming defines this November across our Chapters, with events coming up that feature connection, education, and giving….“

View Full Message from National →

Important Dates

November 3 – Presidents Monthly Call | 4:00 PM ET

November 10 – Programs & Communications Chairs Monthly Call | 4:00 PM ET

November 11 – Membership & Secretary/Treasurers Monthly Call | 4:00 PM ET

Chapters

NKBA’s Chapters Team is here for you – reach out to us via email or call 610-988-6035.

Kelly Buchsbaum, Director, Chapters & Professional Development

Kristin Shechter, Chapters Engagement Manager

Melissa Flynn, Chapters & Skilled Trades Manager

Elizabeth Mace, Project Manager, Chapters & Professional Development

General info, meeting notices, and roster requests:

chapters@nkba.org

Webinars & Virtual Events

NKBA presents the following webinars for this November’s Smart Home Technology Month. Webinars begin at 12:00 PM ET with 0.1 CEU per webinar.

Tuesday, November 3 | Home Theaters & Media Rooms: A Design-Forward Approach

Wednesday, November 4 | Modern Home Kitchen Appliances: Techniques and Technology

Tuesday, November 10 | Powering the Kitchen for a Connected, Clutter-Free Experience

Tuesday, November 17 | Smart Home Devices Designers Should Understand

Students & Educators

As dedicated chapter officers and leaders in our community, you have the unique opportunity to shape the next generation of design talent. Running throughout the Spring 2027 semester (January 22 – May 7), the NKBA Mentorship Program pairs seasoned professionals with post-secondary K+B students across the US and Canada for weekly, theme-guided discussions. Your real-world experience can ignite a career! Please fill out the matching questionnaire by December 1, 2026, to mentor an emerging designer this spring.

Do you know a great kitchen and bath educator in your region? Submit your nomination for NKBA | KBIS Educator of the Year by Thursday, November 19, 2026, to help us identify the talented educators inspiring our next generation of design professionals!

Nominate an educator today!

Research

October brought several new releases from NKBA Research, offering fresh insights into market conditions, evolving design trends, and opportunities across the kitchen and bath industry.

Conducted in partnership with the High Point Market Authority (HPMA), this new study explores how residential design is expanding beyond individual rooms into multi-room and whole-home projects. The findings highlight evolving designer responsibilities, growing cross-disciplinary collaboration, and new business opportunities as project scopes expand.

⁠Explore the Findings >

Discover the styles, materials, products, and design preferences influencing kitchens in the year ahead. Based on insights from industry professionals, the report explores how evolving lifestyles, functionality, technology, and wellness are shaping kitchen design.

Download the Full Report >

The latest quarterly KBMI offers an updated view of business conditions, industry sentiment, and expectations for the U.S. kitchen and bath market. Explore how professionals across the industry are navigating current challenges and anticipating future market activity.

View the Full Report >

There’s more NKBA Research on the way in November!

NKBA is preparing to release in mid-November its first-ever Canadian Kitchen & Bath Market Index Report, marking an important milestone in expanding market intelligence across North America. This pilot study provides an initial look at business conditions, industry sentiment, and future expectations among Canadian kitchen and bath professionals.

Also coming at the end of the Month is the 2027 Bath Trends Report, offering a forward-looking perspective on the design preferences, products, materials, and innovations influencing residential bathrooms. The report will explore how changing consumer priorities are shaping the next generation of bath spaces.

Stay tuned for these upcoming releases and explore the latest industry insights and news at ⁠nkba.org/research.

Connect. Share Insights. Earn Rewards.

Be part of the conversation! The Kitchen & Bath Pro Hub is NKBA’s free online research community where kitchen and bath professionals connect with peers, share industry perspectives, and contribute to research that provides valuable insights into our industry.

Members can participate in engaging discussions, access industry insights, and earn rewards for sharing their expertise. Best of all, it’s free, and NKBA membership is not required to join!

⁠Join the Kitchen & Bath Pro Hub >

Government Relations

As the leading trade and professional organization in the kitchen and bath industry, NKBA is committed to educating its membership on public policy issues that affect our professional community and protecting members’ rights to practice their profession. As part of this commitment, NKBA monitors relevant legislative and regulatory developments at the state and federal levels and, where appropriate, provides information to members concerning material issues and developments. Most of these updates are sent directly to members each month via the Government Relations Newsletter. A repository of newsletters, as well as additional resources to self-advocate on issues important to you, can be found on the Government Relations webpage.

Hot topics this month include:

U.S. Tariffs: House introduces a companion bill to the Senate’s Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, which aims to exclude homebuilding materials from current and future tariffs and allow importers to apply for tariff exemptions on homebuilding materials that aren’t automatically exempted.

U.S. Housing: The bipartisan Build America Caucus, which helped spearhead passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing law, releases the Build More Agenda, a package of more than 60 policy proposals addressing housing for 2027.

U.S. Energy Efficiency: House subcommittee holds a hearing examining the costs and implications of state and local restrictions on natural gas use, including effects on housing affordability, energy costs, electric-grid demand, and consumer choice.

Canada: Updated Quebec consumer protection rules allow consumers to demand retailers or manufacturers repair appliances, including refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers, that fail within three to six years after they were purchased.

We hope you benefit from the value these resources bring to you, your profession, and the kitchen & bath industry. Please reach out directly to Steven Campeau, NKBA’s Senior Manager, Global & Government Relations at scampeau@nkba.org, with any specific questions.

Professional Development

The Professional Development team will be running our annual end of year promotions on our educational materials around Thanksgiving. Black Friday / Cyber Monday specials include Specialty Badges for $99 and a $99 discount on CKBD/CMKBD Bundles! Please email certification@nkba.org or watch for an email out soon!

Elevate your career with our newly streamlined pathway to the Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer (CMKBD) credential—the highest level of achievement in our industry. We deeply value the years of dedicated experience, hands-on expertise, and continuous learning you have invested while holding your CKBD, and we are proud to honor that commitment with a simpler, more direct application process. Active CKD holders can also take advantage of this opportunity by completing a bath exam and portfolio review to bridge the gap to full CMKBD eligibility.

Membership

Frequently Asked Questions and Member Videos for the most frequently asked questions.

New Members are vital to the success of NKBA and our Chapters. Please send prospective members to membership@nkba.org and we will send detailed information on member benefits, membership cost, certification, badges and more.

Membership Types include business, international business, industry partner, individual, and student. The definitions of each type can be found on the NKBA signup page.

NKBA Membership Signup. Please share this link. In addition, each chapter page has a “Join the NKBA” button. If anyone needs a hard copy of the application, please email info@nkba.org. There is an updated 2026 membership application with new rates.

Company admins can remove employees who are no longer with the company directly through the company profile on www.nkba.org.

To add new employees, please email info@nkba.org and our Member Relations Team will be happy to assist. We’ll need:

First and last names
Unique email addresses

Any employees working directly for an NKBA member company can be added at no charge—including Sales Reps who work from a home office.

If you have individuals on your roster without email addresses, please send those names to info@nkba.org as well. We’ll reach out to confirm their status with the company and, if applicable, secure an email address.

Have questions? We’re always glad to help—just reach out to info@nkba.org.

Thank you!

1-800-843-6522

Chapters@nkba.org
(Chapter Officer Inquiries on Responsibilities)

info@nkba.org
(Membership Inquiries)

Kelly Buchsbaum, 201-972-0182
Director, Chapters & Learning – kbuchsbaum@nkba.org

Kristin Shechter, 610-988-6035
Chapters Engagement Manager – kshechter@nkba.org

Melissa Flynn, 610-988-6046
Chapters & Skilled Trades Manager – mflynn@nkba.org

Elizabeth Mace, 610-988-6029
Project Manager, Chapters & Professional Development – emace@nkba.org

Chapter Leadership Committee – Click Here. Also located on the Resources page of the website.

Did you miss the previous issue of the Chapter Officer Update, or do you have suggestions for future issues? If so, email chapters@nkba.org .

Reminder