October 2026

Chapter Officer Update

Thank you to our Partners:

“Be sure to visit NKBA at High Point Fall Market in Broad Hall, October 17-21, and look for us in Canada next month at the Kitchen + Bath Canada Expo in Toronto, November 11-12. We look forward to a fantastic fall season with all of you…“

View Full Message from National →

Important Dates

October 1 – Chapter Star Awards nominations open (submit by November 6)

October 6 – Presidents Monthly Call | 4:00 PM ET

October 13 – Programs & Communications Chairs Monthly Call | 4:00 PM ET

October 14 – 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 October’s K&B Month. Webinars begin at 12:00 PM ET with 0.1 CEU per webinar.

Tuesday, October 6 | Why Styling is Never Optional

Wednesday, October 14 | Resi-Mercial: Where Residential and Commercial Design Meet

Tuesday, October 20 | Versatile Italian Tile Applications for Today’s Kitchen & Bath

Wednesday, October 21 | Camera-Ready Design: Styling Your Interior Projects for Photography & Video

Wednesday, October 28 | From Condo to Custom, Designing Smarter Storage for Every Lifestyle

Students & Educators

Know an educator who is shaping the future of the kitchen and bath industry? Nominate them for the prestigious NKBA Educator of the Year Award!

NKBA | KBIS is seeking recommendation letters from students, peers, and industry leaders highlighting exceptional educators who excel in innovative teaching, mentorship, professional leadership, and community engagement. The award recipient will be honored at KBIS 2027 in Las Vegas (February 1–4, 2027) and will receive complimentary round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference registration.

Submit your nomination by Friday, November 6, 2026, to help us celebrate the visionaries inspiring our next generation of design professionals!

Nominate an educator today!

As local leaders, professional chapters play a vital role in shaping the future of the kitchen and bath industry. You can help bridge the gap between education and career by encouraging affiliated schools in your region to establish NKBA Student Chapters.

Student Chapters provide students with invaluable opportunities to explore the industry, network, find mentors, and discover career paths through hands-on activities.

Thanks to generous support from Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, active student chapters are eligible for an annual grant of up to $500 to fund activities.

With the support of your chapter and an educator at their school, students are invited to complete the NKBA Student Chapter Formation Application to launch their chapter. Email schools@nkba.org for more information.

Research

The 2026 NKBA Skilled Labor Workforce Study is now available, offering a fresh look at the state of the skilled trades across the kitchen and bath industry.

While the most severe labor shortages have eased since 2024, skilled labor remains a widespread challenge for K&B businesses. The study explores where shortages persist, which roles and skills are hardest to find, how labor constraints are affecting business capacity and project timelines, and the strategies companies are using to attract and retain skilled workers.

The findings provide an important perspective on how the skilled labor landscape is evolving—and what it may mean for businesses planning for future growth.

There’s even more NKBA Research on the way this month.

In mid-October, look for the release of two new reports: the 2026 Kitchen, Bath & Whole-Home Design Study, conducted jointly by NKBA and HPMA, and the 2027 Kitchen Trends Report, featuring the latest insights into the styles, products, and design directions shaping kitchens in the year ahead.

The 3Q26 Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) will follow shortly after, with its release scheduled for October 21, providing the latest read on business conditions, industry sentiment, and market expectations across the U.S. kitchen and bath industry.

And in early November, NKBA will release its first-ever Canadian Kitchen & Bath Market Index Report for 3Q26, offering a new benchmark for understanding market conditions and business sentiment across Canada.

Stay tuned for these upcoming releases and the latest insights from NKBA Research at nkba.org/research.

One more call for you to get on the inside track. If you haven’t already, we invite you to join the Kitchen & Bath Pro Hub, NKBA’s dedicated research community. It’s a great place to connect with peers, share insights, help shape the future of NKBA Research—and earn rewards along the way.

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: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seeks input on new import rules and asks for industry experts to share their viewpoints during a 90 day window starting September 2nd.

U.S. Housing: The recently enacted 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes a key provision that will streamline environmental reviews, reduce permitting delays and provide greater certainty for homebuilders.

U.S. Energy Efficiency: Senator Mike Lee, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, introduced the Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026, legislation to reform the Department of Energy’s Appliance Standards Program.

U.S. Taxes: Congress introduced the Safeguarding America’s Nonprofits Act, a bipartisan bill that would clarify existing tax law by affirming that a nonprofit organization’s federal tax-exempt status does not constitute federal financial assistance – a key clarification for NKBA and its chapter network.

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

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.

Governance

Thanks to all who submitted an application for a national volunteer position. This year we received a great number of submissions! Applications will be reviewed by the Leadership Recruitment Committee in October and nominees will be notified of their status in mid-November.

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