October 2024
Chapter Officer Update
Thank you to our Partners:
“Welcome to the best and busiest month in our industry – Kitchen & Bath Month! NKBA will celebrate this month with special events in-person and online every week.”
Important Dates
October 1-31 – Nominations for Chapter Star Awards
October 14 – NKBA Hall of Fame nominations close
October 15 – (NEW DATE) Presidents monthly call – 4 PM EST
October 22 – Programs Chair monthly call – 3 PM EST
October 22 – Communications Chair monthly call – 4 PM EST
October 23 – Membership Chair monthly call – 3 PM EST
October 23 – Secretary/Treasurer monthly call – 4 PM EST
October 26-28– NKBA at High Point Furniture Market
Chapters
NKBA’s Chapters Team is here for you – reach out to us via email or call 610-988-6035.
Kelly Buchsbaum, Sr. Manager, Chapter Relations
Kristin Shechter, Chapter Engagement Manager
General info, meeting notices:
Research
It’s that time of year again! Please keep an eye out for the invitation to participate in the Q3 KBMI Survey.
Did you find the Regional commentary section of the Q2 2024 KBMI valuable? Let’s ensure we keep this momentum going! Encourage everyone in your chapter to participate so we can continue to provide robust regional data in future reports. Your voice matters—let’s make it heard!
Marketing
Thursday, October 3 | NKBA LIVE at 2 PM ET
The Art of Kitchen Design: Merging Functionality with Aesthetics & Sustainability
Join NKBA Research Manager Kim Sturman along with featured panelists for an in-depth discussion on how to find the balance between functionality and aesthetics in kitchen design, and current trends in culinary arts. The panel will also reflect on current sustainability efforts within the appliance industry, as well as small changes home cooks can make to create more sustainable habits in the kitchen. Featured panelists include Andrew Forlines, Chef; Tom Knotts, Owner, Adalay Interiors; and Dirk Sappok, Category Management and Product Development, Miele. Register here. CEUs: 0.1.
NKBA presents the following Design + Business Webinars in October with registration links below. Webinars begin at 12 PM ET with 0.1 CEU per webinar.
| October 8 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar From Main Street to Rodeo Drive: Details Clients Are Demanding October 9 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar Safe Surfaces: Creating Safe and Healthy Living Spaces October 15 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar Unlocking Success: The Power of a Narrow Niche October 16 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar The 5 Mega Consumer Trends Driving Home Improvement and Design October 22 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar The Kitchen That Works October 29 | NKBA | KBIS Webinar Functional Hardware for Functional Living |
Students & Educators
November 6, 2024, 2 PM ET
NKBS | KBIS will present an exclusive student webinar featuring Jodi Tramontin, CMKBD. Jodi will offer an insightful look at the K+B job market and highlight opportunities to help students find their niche. An invitation to register for this webinar will be emailed to all NKBA student and educator members. If you would like more information or the link to register, please email kryan@nkba.org.
March 21, 2025, 9 AM – 12 PM PT
The Student Design Symposium is a virtual, interactive event hosted by the NKBA Northern California Chapter. For just $15, students can register for this dynamic conference, which will feature a keynote speaker address by Nureed Saeed, 2023 KBB Person of the Year. The event will also include breakout sessions, networking, prizes and more.
If your chapter will meet with students soon, or if you regularly communicate with your student and educator members, please make them aware of this event as soon as possible. As a 3-hour virtual conference, pre-planning will be necessary as students/educators look ahead to their spring schedules.
Governance
NKBA has opened its annual nomination process for its Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame, calling for nominees who have made significant contributions to the industry. Each year, NKBA recognizes an industry professional who has made a remarkable impact on the growth and integrity of the kitchen and bath industry.
Nominations are now open and will close on October 14 at 5 PM EST. If after a thorough review process a nominee is selected for induction, they will be recognized for their important involvement in the industry during the induction ceremony at KBIS 2025 in Las Vegas that takes place during the Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards.
Since 1989, the NKBA K&B Hall of Fame has honored industry leaders for their outstanding leadership, innovation and creative thinking — and for maintaining the highest business, design and professional standards that have become a hallmark of the industry. Once nominations have been submitted by association members, nominees are reviewed by a standing program committee from the member-nominated list for final approval by the NKBA Board of Directors.
If you know someone who has contributed to the industry in a revolutionary way, please nominate them. To review the NKBA K&B Hall of Fame Nomination Guidelines and submit a candidate for this prestigious award, please go here.
Professional Development
The NKBA is excited to announce the release of our ninth badge, the Appliance Badge. Hurry, the current $99 promotion ends on October 4th. For more details and to purchase online today click here.
A new recording is available in the Chapter Officer toolkit. This presentation highlights the entire process from application to exam. You can now direct any questions to our newly designed FAQ page click here.
Gain CEU credits in October via NKBA’s Design + Business Webinars.
NKBA’s Voices from the Industry (VFTI) on-demand sessions are still available. Each hour of video content is worth 0.1 CEUs. Go here to view.
CONGRATULATIONS to our newest NKBA Specialty Badge earners!
Hannah Kim, Dupage College, Sales & Marketing, Chicago Mid West
Jessica Christian, Ecko Cabinetry, Appliance, Piedmont Blue Ridge Carolina
Olivia Black, Beyond the Box Inc, Remodeling, Big Sky
Olivia Black, Beyond the Box Inc, Cabinetry, Big Sky
Olivia Black, Beyond the Box Inc, Sales & Marketing, Big Sky
Shelly-Anne Cooper, Marsh kitchen and Bath, Floor Plans and Specifications, Eastern Carolinas
Allyson Strowbridge, A+E Design Lab, Lighting, Columbia River
Emily Powers, A+E Design Lab, Sales & Marketing, Columbia River
Rain Reinbolt, Chief Architect Software, Sales & Marketing, Palouse
Emily Duffy, Angelo Associates, Floor Plans & Specifications, Pittsburgh Tri-State
Katie Lussier, Home Depot, Sustainability, Puget Sound
Christy Bautista, The Home Improvement Group Inc, Color, California Capital
Bibiana Vargas, Casa Bella Remodeling Services, Remodeling, Carolina
Derick Vaden, CTS&I Inc, Floor Plans & Specification, Virginia State
Derick Vaden, CTS&I Inc, Cabinetry, Virginia State
Elizabeth Hartman, Universal, Rocky Mountain
Zach Magnuson, Norsebuilt LTD, Remodeling, Ottawa
Felicia Marte, Home Depot, Cabinetry, Central Florida
Melody Lane, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Greenville, Cabinetry, Piedmont Blue Ridge
Brendan Gregga, Eastbank Contractor Appliances, Remodeling, Columbia River
Gabriella Mendoza Hercules, Front Range Community College, Cabinetry, Rocky Mountain
Katie Lussier, Home Depot, Universal, Puget Sound
Shelly Maydole, Bigfoot Builders LLC, Color, Puget Sound
Joshua Monaghan, Chief Architect Software, Cabinetry, Palouse
Katie Lussier, Home Depot, Lighting, Puget Sound
Katie Lussier, Home Depot, Remodeling, Puget Sound
Derick Vaden, CTS&I Inc, Appliance, Virginia State
Derick Vaden, CTS&I Inc, Color, Virginia State
Loren Boyer, J.S. Brown & Co, Sustainability, Central Ohio
Member
Relations
New Members are vital to the success of NKBA and our Chapters. Please send prospective members to noelle@nkba.org and we will send detailed information on member benefits, membership cost, certification, badges and more.
Please reach out to Gerri Klein (gklein@nkba.org) with any NKBA membership structure questions.
NKBA Membership Signup. Please share this link. If anyone needs a hard copy of the application, please email info@nkba.org.
Member Companies are invited to post job openings on our NKBA.org job portal! This benefit is available to all active members and is included with your membership. Reach out to us for details at info@nkba.org.
NKBA’s Member Relations team is always available to assist our Members and Chapters. Contact Gerri Klein, Sr Manager, Member Relations at 610-988-6030 or email info@nkba.org. Also part of the Member Relations team are: Kevin, Elizabeth and Aislinn who look forward to working with our Chapters!
NKBA Chapter Relations Department Contact List
1-800-843-6522
Chapters@nkba.org
(Chapter Officer Inquiries on Responsibilities)
info@nkba.org
(Membership Inquiries)
Kelly Buchsbaum, 201-972-0182
Sr Manager, Chapter Relations – kbuchsbaum@nkba.org
Kristin Shechter, Chapter Engagement Manager
kshechter@nkba.org | 610-988-6035
Gerri Klein, 610-871-8181 x104
Sr. Mgr Member Relations and Chapters
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 .
