October 2026
Message from the Chapters Team
Dear Chapter Officers,
Enter the NKBA | KBIS Design Industry Awards today! We’ve extended the deadline by one week to Monday, October 11. Click here to enter your designs and win! Certified members who win receive an additional $25,000 on top of the prizes!
Our Chapter Officers are busy making travel plans to join us for Leader2Leader on Monday, February 1. Vegas will be better than ever, and Voices from the Industry (VFTI) will top them all! We are thrilled and honored to welcome Laura Kohler as our first-ever VFTI keynote speaker. Join us for VFTI and hear Laura on Tuesday, February 2 at 10:30 AM.
In other exciting Professional Development news, we have launched a new, streamlined pathway for our CKBDs to earn CMKBD credentials, the highest level of achievement in our industry. Active CKDs can also take advantage of this opportunity by completing a Bath exam and portfolio review to bridge the gap, going from CKD directly to CMKBD! Visit our Certification page for more information or email certification@nkba.org.
Let the leaves fall and bonfires begin! Our Chapters have a festive lineup of outstanding October events. Susquehanna Valley and Mid Atlantic kicked off the month with a combined meeting and Bespoke Storytelling Through Intentional Design presentation. Northern New Jersey invites you to raise a glass of vino and make a pizza pie at their Master Pizza Making event. Kentuckiana presents the color of the year and a costume contest at their Halloween meeting. Spooktacular prizes await for the best Mid-century modern costume at Columbia River’s creative event. Head to San Antonio this month for the 2nd annual Alamo City BBQ Cookoff and Scholarship Fundraiser hosted by Texas South Plains. Proceeds will benefit the Chapter’s scholarship fund for Skilled Trades and Design School students.
All these stellar events in October – and any others you’ve hosted throughout 2026 – should be nominated for the NKBA | KBIS Chapter Star Awards! These annual awards recognize outstanding officers and special events and will be presented live at Leader2Leader at KBIS 2027. Please submit nominations by Friday, November 6 at 5:00 PM EST.
Finally, 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!
Warmest wishes,
Kelly
Kelly Buchsbaum
Director, Chapters & Professional Development
