Top design professionals enjoyed insightful discussions, trend reports, and a showcase of innovative materials.
By NKBA Staff
The intersection of high-end design and environmental responsibility was the focus of a recent Sustainable Luxury Micro-Conference, presented by Fabuwood and hosted by NKBA | KBIS at Cosentino City in San Francisco. The four-hour event on Thursday, May 29, brought together design professionals for insightful discussions, trend reports, and a showcase of innovative materials.
The afternoon commenced with a welcome address and a trend report from Angela Rath, Director of Brand Development at NKBA | KBIS, offering attendees a glimpse into the future of sustainable luxury design. This was followed by a “Spotlight Conversation” featuring Moses Brach, Head of A&D Partnerships at Fabuwood, who shared valuable insights on current innovations driving the movement. Brach shared, “This is where Fabuwood shines—we’re at the forefront of technological innovation, digitally tracking every component of cabinetry, ensuring there’s never any waste. We also have an entire department dedicated to wood recovery, recycling, and reuse.”
A central highlight of the micro-conference was the panel discussion, “Elevated, Responsible, Beautiful: Designing for a Greener Future.” Moderated by Kelly Buchsbaum, Director of Chapters & Learning at NKBA | KBIS, the panel featured experts Nureed Saeed, Owner/Creative Director of Nu Interiors, and Kathryn Soter, Executive Director of Good Future Design Alliance (GFDA), who explored strategies for incorporating sustainability without compromising aesthetic appeal.
Saeed inspired the designer audience with her signature strategy on beginning every new client meeting with her commitment to reuse furnishings and materials. An award-winning interior designer, Saeed is also NKBA Northern California Chapter President. Soter explained how GFDA prioritizes low-waste design practices to reduce construction waste and aims to educate designers, architects, and builders as well as encourage recycling as a line-item on every bid.
Carolyn Flannery joined Saeed and Soter on the panel and shared the latest news from her charitable organization Make It Home, which she founded in 2020 after working as an interior designer in the Bay Area for 25 years. She saw a lot of waste, such as clients replacing perfectly good furniture, and at the same time she volunteered with foster kids who often had nowhere to go after aging out of the system. She created Make It Home so that the problem of furniture waste could solve the problem of furniture poverty.
Following a brief break, the conference continued with a panel, “The Conscious Luxury Conversation.” Moderated by Alisa Carroll, West Coast Contributing Editor for Veranda—along with luminary designers Kerrie Kelly, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab CEO/Creative Director and NKBA Board of Directors Vice Chair; and Elma Gardner, CMKBD, By Design Owner and Principal Designer—the panel delved into the evolving expectations of discerning clients who prioritize both elegant interiors and environmental consciousness.
Attendees also had the opportunity to engage directly with cutting-edge, planet-friendly products during a “Materials & Innovation Showcase Walkthrough” with Fabuwood. The event concluded with a networking session, complemented by light bites and refreshments, allowing participants to connect with design industry peers, brand representatives, and fellow NKBA members.
The Fabuwood Sustainable Luxury Micro-Conference served as a significant platform for exploring the growing demand for environmentally sound practices within the luxury design sector, providing valuable knowledge and fostering connections among industry leaders committed to a greener future.
To learn more about Fabuwood, please visit fabuwood.com, and for more information on upcoming events or to connect with an NKBA Chapter, please email chapters@nkba.org.
SieMatic Expands Urban Collection: Premium German cabinetry maker SieMatic unveiled its SG6 line, part of its Urban Collection, in North America at the Living Luxe Show in Toronto. Features range from warm finishes and soft, warm lighting to fashion-forward staging for a chic, modern ambiance. Curved corners contrast with the linear handle-free profile. Learn more here.
Leslie Clagett. Image courtesy of KBB.
KBB Editor Honored: Leslie Clagett, managing editor at Kitchen & Bath Business magazine, has won two gold Azbee Awards of Excellence for in-depth reporting on the industry’s most important design trends, including sustainability, lighting and outdoor living. The Abee Awards are bestowed by the American Society of Business Publication Editors for outstanding work in B2B media across 68 categories. More detail here.
Grillin’ N Chillin’ in Washington State: Grab a burger with the Olympic-West Sound Chapter at its annual BBQ and Membership Drive on June 12, 5:30 to 8 pm. Sponsored by Blum, it will be hosted by Signature Design & Cabinetry, 5720 144th St. NW in Gig Harbor, WA. Earn .01 CEU in a hands-on experience with the Age Explorer Suit, used in R&D at Blum, that simulates having arthritis, reduced sight and hearing, and diminished strength. NKBA Members are $25, non-members are $35, and first-time attendees and students are free. More info and registration here.
Surfacing Seminar in Louisiana: The Louisiana/Mississippi/Arkansas Chapter is hosting an insightful CEU event, “Ultracompact Surfacing: Redefining Boundaries of Interior and Exterior Spaces,” at Cosentino Center New Orleans, 5800 Jefferson Hwy, Ste C & D, Elmwood, LA. The event takes place June 18, 5 to 7 pm, and includes drinks, light bites, and time for networking. Ultracompact surfacing is a unique material that combines the look and feel of natural stone with superior durability and design flexibility. There’s no cost to attend but registration is required. Learn more here.
Summer Design Soiree in Georgia: The Georgia Chapter’s Summer Design Soiree takes place June 19, 5:30 to 8 pm, at MSI Surfaces, 7950 Troon Circle, #7758, Austell, GA. Networking, food, drinks, an ice cream station, and presentation by Emily Holle, MSI’s Creative Director, will celebrate the season and kick off the summer. Tickets range from $25 to $45; more details and registration here.
Happy Hour in Minneapolis: Join the Minnesota State Chapter for a complimentary Summer Happy Hour, June 25 from 4 to 7 pm. Mix, mingle, and grab a brew at Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 Tyler St NE in Minneapolis. This is a free event with no registration required. Just show up to join the fun!
Industry News
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
New Home Sales Spike: Sales of new single-family homes jumped 10.9 percent in April compared to March, and were up 3.3 percent from April 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The inventory of new homes for sale at the end of April was 504,000, representing about 8.1 months of supply at the current sales rate, down marginally from 9.1 months in March. The average sales price of new houses sold in April was $518,400, 3.7 percent higher than the March average of $499,700, and 3.6 percent above the April 2024 price of $500,600. More details here.
CEDIA/CIX Registration Open: Registration for this year’s CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX) is open. Conference and trade show, running Sept. 3 to 6 in Denver, is a comprehensive gathering of integrators, installers, designers, and architects in smart-home technology and professional audio/video. The show combines residential and commercial AV systems integration and includes integration of Wi-Fi-enabled home appliances. Educational sessions at the conference run Sept. 3 to 5, and the expo floor is open Sept. 4 to 6 at the Colorado Convention Center. More info here.
Get the latest NKBA member news, products and events.
June 2025
Message from the Chapters Team
Dear Chapter Officers,
Here’s to a successful summer and fantastic start to the second half of the year! Our focus is on Chapter elections, with self-nominations open through July 31 for President, Programs, and Communications Chairs. Please spread the word and share this link with your members: Become a Chapter Leader.
Another focus for the Chapters & Learning team this month is NKBA | KBIS Voices from the Industry (VFTI). VFTI 2026 submissions are due June 30. Selected speakers will be notified August 29, 2025. KBIS 2026 will be held in Orlando, February 17-19 – and be sure to save the date for Leader2Leader on Monday, February 16!
New from our Member Relations team, a place to find out answers to all frequently asked questions on Membership! Check out the FAQs and videos just uploaded to our website this week.
We’re always excited to see the excitement and energy continuing throughout the year – there’s clearly no summer slow-down for NKBA Chapters! Cheers again to Metro New York for another spectacular Casino Night – it was a joy to be there! Coming up this month: Alaska 7th Annual Trivia Night; Baltimore/Washington Home & Design Awards Gala; Central Coast & Valleys Summer Sous Vide CEU; Rocky Mountain Peak Awards Gala; and so much more! Kudos to NKBA Chapter Officers for creating such outstanding, engaging, interesting programs!
Looking ahead, NKBA will soon announce Fall Market plans, as well as celebrate our return to High Point. Please read the exciting news from NKBA Global President & CEO Bill Darcy: NKBA and High Point Market Authority.
Be sure to enter the annual NKBA | KBIS Design Competition, now open through July 25 – and please remind your Student members to enter the Student Design Competition this week! We look forward to celebrating all of your great work at KBIS 2026 and throughout the year!
“Here’s to a successful summer and fantastic start to the second half of the year! Our focus is on Chapter elections, with self-nominations open through July 31 for President, Programs, and Communications Chairs.“
NKBA is proud to partner with the Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) on a new research initiative exploring how technology integration is transforming residential design —and we want to hear from you.
Invitations to the survey are going out this week! As always, your participation is critical to the success of the research and we hope you’ll lend your voice! This research will focus on how design professionals are incorporating smart home features, connected products, and integrated systems into their projects.
The survey takes just 20 minutes, and as a thank-you, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one of five $500 gift cards!If you have any questions please reach out to marketresearch@nkba.org. Also as a reminder – if you are not yet a member of the Kitchen & Bath Pro Hub, you should be! Connect with peers, access exclusive research, and earn rewards — all for free! Register now.
Marketing
Voices from the Industry (VFTI) sessions are now available. Click here to view, and remember to sign in with the same email address as your KBIS registration.
NKBA presents the following Design + Business webinars in June with registration links below. Webinars begin at 12 PM ET with 0.1 CEU per webinar.
The 2025 Excellence in Education Award is based on student submissions to NKBA’s 2023-2024 Student Design Competition. The award is given to schools with at least three entries, from three separate students, scoring 80 points or better. This year, NKBA is excited to present this award to an unprecedented number of schools. Please join us in congratulating them!
University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Lakeland College, Vermillion, AB, Canada
Century College, White Bear Lake, MN
Cañada College, Redwood City, CA
Bow Valley College, Calgary, AB, Canada
Georgian College, Barrie, ON, Canada
Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
The Ellen Cheever Award is presented to students pursuing a course of study related to the kitchen and bath industry. Students apply for this award by submitting information, including their grade point average and an essay highlighting their educational achievements and work outside of the classroom. NKBA is pleased to share the list of winners for 2025, who will each receive a complimentary badge program and resource bundle.
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 on NKBA.org.
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, for any specific questions.
New Members are vital to the success of NKBA and our Chapters. Please send prospective members to membership@nkba.organd 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. There is an updated 2025 membership application with new rates.
Please encourage your members to communicate any changes directly to info@nkba.org and the team will be happy to help!
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 is Aislinn Galvin-Keil who looks forward to working with our Chapters!
VFTI offers a highly coveted platform for professionals to share their knowledge and insights on industry-relevant topics. The program seeks dynamic speakers who can offer strategies, best practices, trends, and innovations to help attendees succeed in their careers. This year’s topics include Building and Remodeling, Leadership & Management, Design, K&B Trends, Marketing, Technology, and Sustainability.
Proposals must be submitted by June 30, 2025. Individuals can submit up to three proposals with different topics, choosing between a 1-hour presentation or a 1.5-hour workshop format. Selected speakers will be notified by August 29, 2025.
NKBA | KBIS will evaluate proposals based on content relevance, practical applications, delivery methods, variety of speakers, and previous evaluations (if applicable). The conference will feature over 50 sessions in both the 1-hour and 1.5-hour formats.
Speaker Benefits:
Two presenters per program receive a complimentary KBIS registration VIP package.
Access to the speaker ready room.
Exposure on event webpages and marketing materials.
Evaluation and feedback after the conference.
NKBA members receive 0.3 CEUs for speaking.
Changes for 2026: The VFTI conference will offer a limited number of on-demand recordings. Presenters will be notified if their session is selected for on-demand availability. A curated list of on-demand offerings will be released after the live event.
Interested professionals can submit their proposals at by clicking here.
NKBA | KBIS’s Global President and CEO breaks down Home Depot’s Q1 earnings and the outlook for the home remodeling market.
As I shared in my recent interview with Yahoo! Finance, our industry is navigating a period of short-term uncertainty driven by tariffs, rising material costs, and high interest rates. These factors are understandably causing many homeowners to hit pause on their renovation plans. For our NKBA members this uncertainty is making it more difficult to price products and guide clients accordingly.
Despite these headwinds, I remain confident in the long-term strength of the remodeling market. The home—especially the kitchen and bath—continues to be the center of our lives. For homeowners considering a remodel, my advice is to continue with your planning. Work closely with your designer or specifier, ideally an NKBA member, who can help you make informed decisions. NKBA members are doing their best to absorb rising costs. While the current environment may feel unstable, these challenges are temporary—and the benefits of investing in your home will far outlast the moment we’re in now.
Tune in to listen to the Yahoo! Finance interview below:
BSH’ New EDC: BSH Home Appliances, a division of the Bosch Group and parent of Thermador, Bosch, and Gaggenau premium appliance brands, has opened an Experience and Design Center in Washington, DC. The 7,0000 square-foot space in the upscale CityCenterDC complex has a neoclassical ambience, reflecting the city’s architecture, and serves as an immersive showcase for its luxury appliances, offers cooking and training sessions, and design inspiration. This is the 10th BSH EDC in North America, including locations in Beverly Hills and Irvine, CA; Chicago; New York; Miami; Houston; Toronto; Vancouver, and Montreal. Learn more here.
Cyncly’s New Websites: Cyncly, a leading provider of design software solutions, has launched Cyncly Websites, a website platform that helps K&B designers, retailers, and remodelers enhance the shopping and design experience for their clients.The platform helps businesses grow by attracting more customers, improving and protecting online presence, and showcasing their expertise and product offering with features including an AI design tool, a project gallery, lead generation, a product catalog and more. Cyncly was formed in 2022 after Compusoft and 2020 merged in 2021. Discover more here.
Designed by: Rachel Hills. Photo by: Kat Alves
Design Competition Open: The professional NKBA | KBIS 2026 Design Competition is accepting entries through July 25. More than $150,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs, including $25,000 each for Best Overall Kitchen and Best Overall Bath winners. New this year: Winners who are NKBA Certified Designers win a $25,000 bonus. For all details and an entry packet, click here.
Chapter Updates
Aloha in Las Vegas: Join the Southwest Desert Chapter at Inspired Closets, 6445 W Sunset Road in Las Vegas, for “Say Aloha to Summer.” Earn a CEU as you learn “How to Communicate Your Value With Branding,” presented by Home Designer Marketing. You’ll also test drive the newest AR technology in a live demo with Envision to see your client’s dream closet before it’s built. Enjoy Hawaiian sliders and summer cocktails at the event, sponsored by Hydro Shield, on May 28, 5 to 8 pm. It’s free for NKBA members, $15 for non-members. Details here.
Bean Bags on the Cape: For its June meeting and membership drive, the Northern New England Chapter is hosting a cornhole tournament on June 10 at Kam Appliances, 6 Aggregate Way in Hyannis, MA, on Cape Cod. The event is sponsored by JennAir and is free to attend. To participate in the tournament, teams of two may register for $25. Info here.
Industry News
New Silica Safety Guidance: The Natural Stone Institute and the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) have released new medical surveillance guidance and announced expanded silica safety research efforts aimed at enhancing workplace safety. Guidance includes information on air respirator selection and use as well as studies evaluating the effectiveness of silica safety best practices through employee air sampling and medical surveillance data. This important update builds on ongoing efforts to improve health and safety practices industry-wide and provides actionable guidance for employers and fabricators. Learn more here.
Energy Star Program in Danger: The Trump Administration is preparing to eliminate two key divisions of the Environmental Protection Agency that are focused on climate change and energy efficiency. These include the Energy Star program, which certifies energy-efficient appliances and helps consumers find products and tax credits to reduce the cost of buying and using household appliances. Since Energy Star began under President George H.W. Bush in 1992, it has helped save consumers more than $500 billion in energy costs and 5 trillion kWh. The White House also proposed eliminating the EPA’s climate change division and climate protection partnership division, both of which sit within the agency’s office of air and radiation. These moves will impact several climate programs, including the greenhouse gas reporting program and EPA’s partnerships on methane emitted from burning fossil fuels. Read more here.
Prices Up, Sales Down for Existing Homes: Sales of existing homes fell 5.9 percent in March from February, and were off 2.4 percent from March 2024, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales fell in all four major U.S. regions. At the same time, the median price for these homes rose 2.7 percent YOY to $403,700, an all-time high for the month of March and the 21st consecutive month of YOY price increases. NAR said elevated mortgage rates are contributing to the sluggish environment, and that housing inventory was up 8.1 percent from February and up almost 20 percent YOY. More details here.
Tariff Update: A lot of products, components, and raw materials used in the kitchen and bath industry are imported, especially from Canada, China, and Mexico, the three largest trading partners of the U.S. And the mercurial nature of tariff negotiations, along with other variables emanating from Washington, mean the situation is far from stable. Sunderesh S. Heragu, Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University, explores factors including increased costs, inflation, interest rates, and the labor shortage, in an in-depth article in KBB.
Applications are now open for the next generation of Association leaders.
By Nicholas Tamarin
NKBA | KBIS chapter officers directly contribute to and benefit from the growth of the kitchen and bath industry’s leading Association. Officers serve as member advocates and peer representatives to the Association and the industry, as well as a mentor for student members to develop potential and build skills.
Through leadership training, officers also gain the tools and skills necessary to become a stronger manager. This knowledge can be invaluable to your own business and the experience is a great addition to your personal portfolio.
Chapter Meeting Benefits
Being active at the local level builds business through networking and gives members an opportunity to learn successful ideas and exchange business leads. Chapter officer positions provide an excellent opportunity for members to significantly impact the industry, Association, and local communities. By taking on a leadership role within the association, you can influence the direction of your chapter, network with other professionals, and gain invaluable experience.
Self Nomination Form
This election cycle includes the three positions below. All current incumbents of these positions must self-nominate if they wish to be considered for a new term, as there is no automatic continuation of the role.
Programs Chair
Communications Chair
President
The chapter officer self-nomination form can be accessed by clicking here. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of becoming a chapter leader, please click here. All NKBA members, with the exception of students, are eligible to self-nominate for these positions.Note: Self-nominations for chapter officer positions opened on May 15 and will run through July 31. All elections are conducted at the chapter level.
Soself-nominate today! And if you have any questions about Chapter Officer Elections, please contact info@nkba.org.
Get the latest NKBA member news, products and events.
Become a Chapter Leader
As a chapter officer for the NKBA, you directly contribute to and benefit from the growth of the kitchen and bath industry’s leading Association. You serve as a member advocate and a representative of your peers to the Association and the industry, as well as a mentor for student members to develop potential and build skills.
Through leadership training, you gain the tools and skills necessary to become a stronger manager. This knowledge can be invaluable to your own business and the experience is a great addition to your personal portfolio.
NKBA chapter officers are recognized as leaders in the industry by both consumers and peers, which is certain to enhance your business or career.
Influence the Association and the Industry
As a chapter officer, you’ll gain influence over NKBA programs. These programs often affect not only the association, but the entire kitchen and bath industry.
Chapter Meeting Benefits
Being active at the local level builds business through networking and gives members an opportunity to learn successful ideas and exchange business leads.
Chapter Officer Benefits
To ensure that the National Kitchen & Bath Association continues to meet the needs of kitchen and bath professionals, the NKBA encourages our members to serve as officers in their local NKBA chapters. In that role, you’ll be uniquely positioned to network with other kitchen and bath professionals in your area.
Thank you for your volunteerism and leadership in NKBA. Chapter Officer self-nominations are closed for 2026. If you have any questions, please email chapters@nkba.org.
Industry Pros Report Flat Revenue, Muted Consumer Demand in NKBA / John Burns Q1 2025 Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) Report
Designed by: Elma Gardner. Photo by: Kenny Tjay of IFP Media.
By NKBA Editorial Staff
While the kitchen and bath industry had been poised for a modest rebound in 2025, industry professionals are revising and slightly tempering their projection for growth this year, according to key findings in the NKBA / John Burns Q1 2025 Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) report.
The Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) dipped to 55.1 in Q1 2025 from 59.7 in Q4 2024 as consumer demand for kitchen and bath products weakened amid concerns about economic uncertainty and the impact of new tariffs and other policy shifts. Kitchen and bath firms in three of the four segments surveyed downgraded their ratings, reversing the upward trend previously seen across all segments last quarter.
K&B industry revenue growth was flat at +0.2% year over year (YOY) in Q1 2025, reversing the trend from Q4 2024 when sales rose. Industry pros say they expect this trend to continue: in Q1 2025, K&B firms’ 2025 revenue growth expectation averaged +3.1%, down from +3.7% in Q4 2024. However, if, as expected, prices rise by a similar or higher amount this year, flat or even negative unit sales volumes could become a reality.
The Kitchen & Bath Market Index Survey, which is the basis for the KBMI findings, is conducted jointly by the NKBA and John Burns Research and Consulting. The Q1 2025 report is based on findings from 734 members of the NKBA community across four primary industry segments: design; building and remodeling; retail sales; and manufacturing.
Here are some additional insights about the uncertain start to 2025 and the industry’s latest outlook for 2025:
A Significant Rise in Input Costs
K&B retail and distribution firms report that their suppliers raised prices by +5.2% YOY in Q1 2025, reversing previous progress on kitchen and bath product inflation. Markups in Q1 2025 were highest (+7% YOY) for appliances, which have heavy exposure to countries impacted by recent tariff policy shifts.
Many firms had no choice but to raise prices in response. Kitchen and bath builder and remodeler pricing grew to +5.2% on average in Q1 2025. Lead times in Q1 are extending for key products, including cabinets, vanities and major appliances.
Tariff Policy Uncertainty Looms Large
K&B professionals now rate trade issues as their number one concern impacting the industry. Retail segment firms are already reporting an uptick in product costs. The industry expects supply chain disruptions to increase and pricing to continue to drift upward as tariffs reshuffle the international trade balance.
Consumer behavior is being impacted by uncertainty around changing tariff policies. Two-thirds of K&B firms (68%) reported that consumers either held steady on product quality or downgraded to lower-grade products in Q1 2025, reflecting caution in the planning of kitchen and bath renovations.
Insights into Adaptive Strategies
For the first time, the Q1 2025 KBMI report includes insights from K&B firms about how they are coping with their greatest industry concerns, specifically regarding the cost of materials, trade issues and fear of a recession. Their strategies range from seeking out alternative products and suppliers to lowering their profit margins.
“There’s no doubt that uncertainty around tariff policies and other macroeconomic factors is heavily influencing the K&B industry’s more muted outlook for 2025, as well as consumer behavior,” said NKBA I KBIS Global President & CEO Bill Darcy. “As we wait for more answers to come into focus about the extent and longevity of these impacts, we know that our industry will continue to be resilient and find ways to meet these evolving challenges.”
The industry-leading organizations announce a long-term partnership designed to enhance service to the design community through custom experiences, brand connections and industry education.
Left to right: Tammy Covington, President & CEO of High Point Market Authority and Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO of NKBA | KBIS.
Bethlehem, PA – (May 14, 2025) –The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA | KBIS), the world’s leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry and owner of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), today announced a strategic alliance with the High Point Market Authority (HPMA), the official sponsor and organizer of High Point Market, the world’s largest home furnishings trade show held every April and October in High Point, N.C. This partnership marks a convergence of the kitchen and bath sector with the furnishings industry, expanding both organizations’ influence among the design community and growing focus on the whole home.
“Our partnership with High Point Market Authority represents a powerful alignment between two organizations committed to inspiring, empowering, and supporting the interior design community,” said Bill Darcy, Global President and CEO of NKBA | KBIS. “At NKBA, we’ve seen kitchen and bath design trends expand their influence across the entire home, driving new ideas and inspiration for the broader interiors industry. Through this alliance with High Point Market Authority, we’re excited to share NKBA’s unique brand experiences, educational resources, and foster business-driving connections that add value to the design community as a whole.”
“High Point Market is the platform by which the future of our industry is tested, tried, and solidified. It’s where the principals connect and the changemakers push. It is a biannual convergence of the best and brightest in our industry,” said Tammy Covington, President and CEO of High Point Market Authority. “The conversations that happen here lay the groundwork for the years ahead. There have always been elements of kitchen and bath here in High Point, but this alliance with NKBA will allow us to bring it forward, to highlight it, and to serve the industry in new and exciting ways.”
The NKBA’s first presence at High Point Market was in 2018 when they offered members a day and a half long event blending Market tours with conference-style education. They returned again last October with “The Tent,” which played host to educational programming led by kitchen and bath designers and manufacturers. In partnership with HPMA, the two united in NKBA’s mission to deliver cutting-edge trend analysis, valuable educational resources, and innovative product showcases—all aimed at empowering designers and their businesses to thrive. Most recently at Spring Market, NKBA hosted a panel at The Point with leading designers Michel Smith Boyd and Sharon Sherman discussing emerging trends in kitchen and bath design. As the kitchen opens up to the whole home and bath spaces expand, sharing industry knowledge is critical to supporting designers both well-versed in and new to kitchen and bath design.
“As the owner of an interdisciplinary design firm, I understand the importance of integrating kitchen and bath into the High Point conversation,” said Christi Barbour, Chair of the High Point Market Authority’s Board of Directors and founder and partner of Barbour Spangle Design. “Designers have long looked to High Point for education, inspiration, and innovative products. Having NKBA here to spotlight the opportunities in the kitchen and bath space—and to connect designers with new brands and partners—is both exciting and a natural evolution of what High Point offers to our design community.”
Kerrie Kelly, Vice Chair of the Board for NKBA and CEO + Creative Director of Kerrie Kelly Studioadded, “Designers today are shaping experiences across the entire home, and that holistic view demands collaboration between all facets of the industry. NKBA’s partnership with High Point Market Authority underscores the Association’s commitment to helping designers navigate new opportunities in kitchen, bath, and beyond — bringing inspiration, innovation, and valuable connections to the forefront at every turn.”
By solidifying a long term partnership, NKBA and HPMA combine forces for the overall success of the design industry. Together, they offer unique educational programs, inspire innovation, and deliver on the goal to ensure support for the design community throughout the whole home. As part of the partnership, NKBA will offer its valuable research and expertise to the design community at High Point Market with an expanded presence at Fall Market.
“We’re proud to bring our partnership with High Point Market Authority to life at the upcoming Fall Market to highlight new and exciting brands through elevated, immersive experiences,” said Heather Shannon, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications, NKBA | KBIS. “I look forward to reconnecting with and reaching new designers through our activations that showcase the latest innovations and inspiration for the home, rooted in kitchen and bath, but expanding well beyond.”
NKBA | KBIS is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS). With 55,000 members in all segments of the kitchen and bath industry, the NKBA has informed, educated and supported the industry since the association was founded in 1963. The mission of the NKBA is to inspire, lead and empower the kitchen and bath industry through community, professional certification and learning, and events. For more information, go to NKBA.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522). KBIS® and NKBA® are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
About the High Point Market Authority
The High Point Market Authority is the official sponsor and organizer of the High Point Market in High Point, N.C. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style, and price point, and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries twice each year, High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry. Find High Point Market online at highpointmarket.org, and follow on social media using the hashtag #HPMKT.
The new Mondial Style Collection from SieMatic. Courtesy of SieMatic.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
Company News
SieMatic’s New Line: Premium German kitchen maker SieMatic has introduced the Mondial Style Collection of kitchen cabinetry, workspaces, and storage solutions. The line is characterized by its minimalist geometric forms, luxe finishes, and handle-free door systems. Shapes include cubed glass-front cabinets, semi-circular bars, round tables, customized drawer inserts and varying cabinet elevations. Learn more here.
LOTTE Links with EKO: LOTTE Chemical, a manufacturer of high-end engineered quartz surfaces under the Radianz Quartz brand, had entered a deal with EKO Stone to promote, sell, and distribute Radianz across the Midwest U.S. market. LOTTE has facilities all over the world with an office in California. EKO, which manufactures and distributes quartz and natural stone surfaces, is headquartered in the Chicago area. The deal will make Radianz more readily available to the Midwest and cut lead times. Learn more about Radianz here and EKO here.
A Launch and a Purchase for Wilsonart: Engineered surfacing giant Wilsonart has introduced a new series in its Thinscape® Composite Tops collection. Sixteen new designs of the durable composite material are available, including woodgrain, stone, solid, and textile patterns. Ultra-thin (half-inch thick) surfaces are available in multiple sizes and are certified eco-friendly. Wilsonart also acquired Virginia Tile’s woodworking products distribution business. The acquired operations are headquartered in Kansas City, KS, with branches in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK; Wichita, KS; and Springfield, MO. These locations distribute decorative surfaces, cabinet accessories and decorative and functional hardware. More detail here.
Courtesy of Officine Gullo.
Officine Gullo Opens in Dallas: Florence, Italy-based luxury Italian appliance and kitchen manufacturer Officine Gullo, an NKBA Global Connect member, has opened a showroom in Dallas. The 4,000 square-foot space on Oak Lawn Avenue was previously an art gallery and it retains the “artistic atmosphere” to showcase each product “like a piece of art,” according to Matteo Gullo, managing director. This is the company’s seventh flagship gallery in the U.S. It has two locations in New York, and galleries in Boston, Miami, Palm Beach, and Los Angeles. KBB has more.
Chapter Updates
Win Big With Metro New York: The Metro New York Chapter is hosting its annual Casino Night on May 22, 6 to 9 pm, at UMI Stone, 3 Dubon Court, Farmingdale, NY. Enjoy blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker tables, catered food and cocktails, and chances to win raffles and giveaways and a three-night stay at a luxury beach resort in Panama. The evening is free for NBKA members, $40 for non-members. Register here.
Sharp Showers With West Michigan: Learn about Schluter with the West Michigan Chapter on May 28, 5 to 7 pm, at the new Floor & Decor showroom at 4250 28th Street SE in Grand Rapids. Casey Bossard from Schluter will demonstrate how to install the Schluter Kerdi system for a great-looking, high-performance shower. Pasta dinner is included with registration, which is $20 for NKBA members, $30 for non-members. Info and registration here.
Industry News
New Home Sales Spike: Sales of new single-family homes jumped 7.4 percent in March over February, and were 6 percent over March 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Part of this can be attributed to the median sales price of a new home falling 1.9 percent in March from February, as mortgage rates held steady in March, with the 30-year rate hovering just under 7 percent. Housing permits also edged up 1.6 percent in March from February, but starts were down 11.4 percent on a monthly basis. More detail here.
Design by Jenni Jacobs. Photo by Regina Mallory Photography.
As of this writing, the news of significant, new tariffs on products from U.S. trading partners — and their potential impact on the American economy, companies and individual consumers — continues to make headlines. The ultimate outcome of this fundamental reshaping of U.S. trade policy is still to be determined. In the meantime, the K&B industry is contending with yet another element of uncertainty, something that tends to adversely affect short-term growth.
Going into 2025, industry pros expressed cautious optimism about a return to gradual growth for the residential kitchen and bath market following two consecutive years of decline. Our NKBA Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook Reportprojected that U.S. residential kitchen and bath spending would grow by +0.8% to $235 billion in 2025, up $2 billion from last year.
I mentioned in my State of the Association address at KBIS that we would be keeping our eye on two big unknowns that represent downside risk to our 2025 forecast. The first is what will happen with the so-called “missing middle,” the large group of homeowners who are chomping at the bit to start mid-range renovations but have held off, in large part, because of stubborn borrowing rates. They remain the key to a full recovery in K&B remodels.
The second unknown is the impact of tariffs and changes to immigration policy. We are still waiting to see how much these factors will change the cost of K&B materials and labor – and how those increases will alter consumer behavior.
We do have some early indications, based on findings in our latest 1Q25 NKBA Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) report. In short, uncertainty about tariff policy is heavily influencing the K&B industry’s more muted outlook for 2025 – professionals now rate trade issues as their number one concern impacting the industry.
A few important tariff-related insights:
Tariff-related concerns and fears of a recession impaired consumer and business confidence in 1Q, diminishing the industry’s ability to plan.
K&B manufacturers’ orders rose +4.4% YOYin 1Q25, due in part to pre-buying by downstream firms anxious about pending tariff-related price increases.
Input costs rose significantly in 1Q, adding to inflationary pressures.
K&B retail and distribution firms report that their suppliers raised prices by +5.2% YOY in 1Q25, reversing previous progress on kitchen and bath product inflation.
Markups in 1Q25 were highest (+7% YOY) for appliances, which have heavy exposure to countries impacted by recent tariff policy shifts.
Many firms had no choice but to raise prices in response. Kitchen and bath builder and remodeler pricing grew to +5.2% on average in 1Q25.
Two-thirds of K&B firms (68%) reported that consumers either held steady on product quality or downgraded to lower-grade products in 1Q25, reflecting caution in the planning of kitchen and bath renovations.
The industry expects supply chain disruptions to increase and pricing to continue to drift upward as tariffs re-shuffle the international trade balance.
While NKBA isn’t a lobbying organization, we do have an important role to play in facilitating dialogue and surfacing data and other insights from our members – both here in North America and in other global markets — about how federal policies are affecting the health of our industry.
To that end, I encourage you to register for our new webinar – airing May 2 at 12 pm (Eastern Time) – featuring the perspective of Nishu Sood, Principal of Research, at John Burns Research & Consulting, about the major macroeconomic events we are all closely following. Among other insights, Nishu believes the glaring headlines about tariff policy changes may be having an inflated impact, and that there’s reason for some optimism that business and consumer sentiment will ultimately improve based on actual experiences.
Nishu’s presentation will be followed by an overview of key findings from the new 1Q25 NKBA Kitchen and Bath Market Index (KBMI) report about K&B consumer and business sentiment.
It’s a volatile period for our industry, which means that now, more than ever, it’s essential to stay informed and connected.
One of the most active members of NKBA | KBIS, Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, CLIPP, CACC, is an inspirational speaker, designer, writer, creativity guru, educator, coach, and serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in kitchen and bath design. As the founder of Timeless Kitchen Design, she is a passionate leader with numerous awards, including the NKBA Lifetime Ambassador achievement in 2017.
Kennedy actively contributes to the industry through speaking engagements, teaching, curriculum development, mentoring, and writing, focusing on creativity, innovation, technology, wellness, and inclusive design. Available through December with on-demand access, Kennedy is the host of the Voices from the Industry session “Hydrotherapy to Hydration: Enhancing Home Wellness with Water Solutions,” which delves into the transformative power of water in residential design, exploring the benefits of including whole-home filtration systems, steam, and hot- and cold-water treatments to understand how to integrate these into home environments for optimal wellness. Kennedy is a graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle with a degree in interior design and has been featured in multiple national publications. She told us about her journey to NKBA Certification.
You didn’t begin your career as a designer, how did it come about?
Design is my second career—after spending years in corporate America at Microsoft, I left feeling burnt out and yearning for a more creative life. As a third-generation entrepreneur and someone surrounded by creatives on both sides of the family, it was almost inevitable that I’d eventually follow a similar path—though I was the first to make a professional career out of creativity.
Looking back, the signs were always there: I had more fun rearranging Barbie furniture than playing with the dolls, and when we went camping, I’d draw house plans in the dirt. I was the kid who eagerly helped my mom decorate every time we moved, and whose bedroom was always ready for a proud display, complete with a pink gingham canopy bed and tidy matching decor.
How did you get into design?
After leaving Microsoft, I enrolled at the Seattle Art Institute and graduated in 1998 with a focus on residential design. My career started at an established kitchen and bath design/build firm, but it was a product rep from Sub-Zero—who hosted my class at their local showroom—who first introduced me to the world of kitchen and bath design and to the NKBA.
That same rep invited me to a local NKBA Chapter lunch, and I was hooked! I initially thought kitchen and bath work would be a stepping stone to full-service design, but 27 years later, I’m still in love with it. It’s become my area of deep expertise, and only recently have I begun to expand into furnishings for my clients.
What was the NKBA Certification process like for you?
Certification came through community, perseverance, and a lot of studying. I was fortunate to be part of a vibrant NKBA chapter in Seattle and joined a group of designers who were also preparing for the exam. We gathered in a little study room, sharing knowledge and encouragement. This was back when everything was done via a hardcopy binder—you mailed in your assignments for grading! I still have that binder as a reminder of the journey. A Certified member even hosted a mock exam for us.
I was on the fast track, completing my education hours and hitting the minimum work experience right in time to sit for the exam. Back then, it was an all-day, in-person experience with both written and practical components. It was intense—but I passed on my first try. I’ll never forget the early mentors who shaped my NKBA journey—Jim Kringle, Mary Jo Peterson, Kathleen Donahue—who modeled what it means to give back to the profession. Since then, I’ve had the joy of facilitating local study groups myself.
Why did you feel the need to be NKBA Certified?
I’ve always been a lifelong learner—it’s part of who I am. My drive to grow personally and professionally stems from a desire to better serve my clients. With so many designers in the Seattle area, I knew I needed to differentiate myself by deepening my expertise and building my credibility. Certification through NKBA was a clear step toward that goal.
How has NKBA Certification helped you as a designer and business owner?
Becoming certified has empowered me to truly stand in my expertise. It’s a credential my clients recognize and respect, giving them confidence in my ability to lead their projects. Beyond client work, the certification has opened doors for me to teach at two local colleges and to speak nationally through NKBA’s Voices of the Industry at KBIS, as well as for NKBA Chapters across the country.
It’s been a foundational piece of my career as a speaker, educator, and designer. I’ve had the honor of serving on national NKBA committees and contributing to the latest edition of the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Guidelines. Today, I proudly hold the title of NKBA Subject Matter Expert, and I’m deeply committed to giving back to the next generation of designers. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today—professionally or personally—without the support and growth I’ve found through NKBA.
If you’re interested in learning more about benefits and options, check out our NKBA Certification page.
Get the latest NKBA member news, products and events.
NKBA Website Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice (the “Privacy Notice”) relates to National Kitchen and Bath Association (“we”, “us”, “our” or “NKBA”) and can be found at the website NKBA.org website (the “Site”). We take your privacy very seriously and we ask that you read this Privacy Notice carefully as it contains important information on:
Your rights
The personal information we collect about you
What we do with your information, and
Who your information might be shared with.
The end of this Privacy Notice contains additional information for residents of California, Canada and the European Union.
The Site and these all or any portion of these Term of Use policies are subject to change and your use of the Site following any changes means that you accept the revised policies. If we amend any of these policies, where required by law, we will post the changes at least 30 days before the amendment takes effect. Therefore, please periodically check this page for changes. We will also notify Account holders (as “Account” is defined in the Site’s Terms of Use) when these policies change by sending an email to the email address the Account holders used to log into their Account; when required by law, such notice will identify new provisions and changes relative to the previous provisions, the effective date of the change, and the fact that you may terminate your Account or membership in the NKBA in lieu of accepting the changes.
If you need extra help
If you would like help reading or understanding this notice (e.g., it is difficult for you to read or understand this Privacy Notice is in its current font size or format), please contact us.
About Us
The National Kitchen and Bath Association is a non-profit trade group that promotes professionalism in the kitchen and bath industry.
How you can contact us
Please contact us if you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or the information we hold about you.
Write to us at The National Kitchen and Bath Association, 1 West Broad Street, Suite 300, Bethlehem, PA 18018;
If in U.S., call us toll-free at (800) THE-NKBA.
Useful Words and Phrases
Please familiarize yourself with the following words and phrases as they have particular meanings in the EU Data Protection Laws and are used throughout this Privacy Notice:
Personal Data
Means any information from which a living individual can be identified.
This will include information such as telephone numbers, names, addresses, e-mail addresses, photographs, voice recordings. It will also include expressions of opinion and indications of intentions about people (and their own expressions of opinion/intentions).
It will also cover information which on its own does not identify someone but which would identify them if put together with other information which we have or are likely to have in the future.
Special Categories of Personal Data
Means any information relating to:
Racial or ethnic origin;
Political opinions;
Religious beliefs or beliefs of a similar nature;
Trade union membership;
Physical or mental health or condition;
Sexual life; and
Genetic data or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying you.
Process or Processing
This covers virtually anything anyone can do with Personal Data, including:
Obtaining, recording, retrieving, consulting or holding it;
Organizing, adapting or altering it;
Disclosing, disseminating or otherwise making it available; and
Aligning, blocking, erasing or destroying it.
What Information Do We Collect?
We collect different information about Members of the National Kitchen and Bath Association than we do non-members of the NKBA. We also collect information from visitors to our Site including visitors who purchase products from our NKBA store (“Site Visitors”), and the information we collect from Site Visitors may depend on whether the visitor is a Member or non-Member.
Personal information provided by you
We collect and Process personal information about you (including contact information such as your name, address, email addresses, mailing addresses and phone numbers (“your Contact Information”) as follows.
When you register as a Member, we use your Contact Information to manage your NKBA membership, log you into the Site, tailor and personalize your experience when using the Site, monitor Site usage to improve our membership services, and notify you of changes to the rules and policies of the NKBA (such as changes to this Privacy Policy, the NKBA’s By-Laws, or the Site’s Terms of Use). We also use your Contact Information to contact you with information about upcoming NKBA events, a service that you may opt out of at any time. Providing the NKBA with your up to date Contact Information is a condition of membership in the NKBA.
If you are a Member or specifically requested a subscription to NKBA’s newsletter, we also use your Contact Information to send you our newsletter, which contains articles, announcements (e.g., NKBA-sponsored or related events) and other items that the NKBA believes may be of interest to its Members. If you are subscribed to the newsletter, as a Member or otherwise, you may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time by clicking the relevant unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us.
Members have the right to post Personal Data to a publicly-accessible page on the Site (“Public Profile Information”). When you opt to display your Contact Information or other Personal Data on your publicly-available profile page on the Site, we store that information for the purpose of allowing Members, Site Visitors, or other third party requesters to find it during a search using the Site’s search functionality (or on occasion with NKBA’s manual assistance), view it in search results, and to view it on your publicly-available profile page.
When you purchase products in the NKBA store, we use your Contact Information for billing and shipping purposes and to send you direct marketing information if you have consented to us sending you such information.
When you visit the Site, the NKBA may use the IP address or Member identification of Site Visitors to store Site navigation information. See the section regarding cookies below for more information. We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Data and will only store it if you provide it as part of your Public Profile Information. If you include any Special Categories of Personal Data in your Public Profile Information, other Members and Site Visitors may view it.
Personal information about other individuals
If you give us information on behalf of someone else, you confirm that the other person has appointed you to act on his/her behalf and has agreed that you can. Why Do We Process Your Data?
We use your Personal Data for the purposes set forth in the section “Personal information provided by you” and the purposes listed in this section. We are allowed to do so on certain legal bases go to section on “How is Processing Your Personal Data Lawful” which provides more detail on how processing your personal data is lawful.
Monitoring and recording communications
We may record communications with you (such as telephone conversations) for the purpose of training and we will advise you on the call if we are recording the call.
Marketing
We may ask you to confirm whether you would like us and other businesses that we specify to send you marketing messages when you tick the relevant boxes when you register as a Member or when you buy products from us in the NKBA store.
If you have consented to receive marketing from us, you can opt out at any time. See ‘Your Rights’ for further information.
Use of cookies and navigation devices
A cookie is a small text file which is placed onto your computer (or other electronic device) when you use the Site. Browsers are typically set to create cookies automatically. You can choose to have your browser notify you when cookies are being written to your computer or accessed, or you can disable cookies entirely. By not using cookies, some of services on the Site may not function properly. To find out more about cookies, visit http://www.aboutcookies.org/.
We use cookies on our Site. We do this to tailor and personalize Member and Site Visitor experience, for authentication and to provide persistent sessions (e.g., keeping Members logged into their account between sessions by storing a hashed code uniquely identifying the Member), and to log technical problems that occur while Site Visitors are using the Site. We may also use cookies to monitor and store, on an anonymized, aggregated or statistical basis: date and time of visit to Site, pages visited on the Site, IP address, browser type and version number (e.g., Internet Explorer 11, Google Chrome 55), platform type (e.g., Windows, Macintosh), referring sites (including search engines used), geographic location, Internet service provider (ISP), screen size, device type (desktop, tablet), new or returning, device type (e.g., MacBook Pro, Samsung Galaxy), and temporary session preferences (e.g., text size, color theme). If you are a Member then we may deduce your navigational behavior on our Site for the purposes of understanding what our Members are interested in and how we can upgrade our Site to accommodate those interests.
Tracking
Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that users can set in their web browsers. When a user turns on DNT, the browser sends a message to websites requesting that they don’t track the user. NKBA does not monitor any privacy preferences stored in DNT and will not therefore respond to or action any Do Not Track preferences that you may log in DNT. For more information about DNT, visit www.allaboutdnt.org.
If you are a Member we monitor your use of our Site through our third-party service providers, so we can both improve our Site and alert you to tasks that you may not have completed on the Site, for example failing to complete a job post in the Members section of the Site.
Third parties (including social media platforms) may collect personal information about your online activities over time and across different websites, including your use of the Site. This Privacy Policy does not apply to, and we are not responsible for, the practices of third parties that collect your personal information.
When Will We Delete Your Data?
The table below provides details about how long we will process your Personal Data.
Data we process
How long this will be held for
Your Contact Information and Public Profile Information as a Member
The life of your Membership plus 3 years unless you are a certified Member in which we case we retain the information that is necessary to prove you attained certification.We do this in case you decide to rejoin NKBA as a certified Member. If you request us to delete your certification information after you cease to be a certified Member then we will do so but if you want to rejoin you will have to go through the whole recertification process again.
If you purchase products from the NKBA store, your name, address and email address
3 years from the date of the purchase
How Is Processing Your Personal Data Lawful?
We are allowed to process your personal data for at least the following reasons and legal basis in accordance with EU Data Protection Law:
Consent
You have given consent, such as opting in. We only send you unsolicited marketing materials if you have consented and opted in.
Contract
It is necessary for the performance of your Membership contract with us, which includes NKBA’s By-laws, Standards of Conduct, Policy Manual and the Site’s Terms of Use. If we do not process your Personal Data then we will not be able to fulfill our obligations to you as a member of NKBA.
It is necessary for the performance of your contract for the purchase of products from the NKBA store; if we do not process your personal data we cannot process your purchase and ship the products to you.
Legitimate interest
Processing your Personal Data is also legal if it is based on our ‘legitimate interests’ for example, we analyze Members’ behavior on our Site to adapt the Site to ensure that we are providing information that is relevant for our Membership and we may send you marketing information about our products and services, To do so, we have considered the impact on your interests and rights, and have placed appropriate safeguards to ensure that we do not intentionally intrude on your privacy more than necessary.
Manifestly public personal data
The data has been manifestly made public for example special categories of personal data that you place on the publicly accessible page.
Legal claims
We are establishing or defending a legal claim.
How We Keep Your Data Secure
We use technical and organizational measures to safeguard your Personal Data. For example, we use secure connections on our website when you register as a new Member or buy anything from our NKBA store and provide your Contact Information. This means that we convert your data into data that makes it harder for hackers to access your Personal Data on our Site (excluding the Personal Data you include in your Public Profile Information).
While we endeavor to use reasonable physical, organizational, technical and administrative procedures to protect to safeguard your Personal Data, no data transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be perfectly secure. For at least this reason, we cannot guarantee the security or integrity of any Personal Data that is transferred from you or to you via the internet. If you have any particular concerns about your information or have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, please contact us.
Who Will Have Access To Your Personal Data?
We may disclose your personal data to NKBA’s service providers for the purpose of obtaining their assistance with the Site and managing Member-related data. Key service providers who may access your Personal Data are:
Amazon web services (“AWS”) AWS host the Site and provide us with certain technical support services; and
Intercom and Mixpanel provide data analysis services to us to help us tailor the Site for our Site Visitors and Members and provide relevant messaging and marketing to our Site Visitors and Members.
The above service providers are data processors which means they process Your Personal Data on our documented instructions only.
We also share your Personal Data with Shopify who process your payment information when you buy something from the NKBA store. We pass your name, address and payment card information to them. They are a data controller of your Personal Data in their own right as a payment process provider. Please see their web site at https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy for a copy of their privacy notice.
The NKBA is based in and your Personal Data is primarily stored in the United States. As such, and to the extent it is lawful, your Personal Data may be disclosed to or accessible by United States federal or state law enforcement.
The NKBA may aggregate and/or anonymize the Personal Data it collects and provide the aggregated and/or anonymized data to third parties for analytic or marketing purposes.
Transfers of your information out of the EEA
As NKBA’s primary servers are located in the United States, your Personal Data will be transferred to the United States or another country located outside the European Economic Area, for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. This transfer is necessary in order for us to manage membership in the NKBA.
Notice To European Union Residents
Definitions
NKBA is a “Data Controller” for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016/679 (“”EU Data Protection Laws”).
A “data controller” means any person who determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, any personal data are processed.
A “data processor” means any person who processes data on behalf of the data controller.
“Information Commissioner” means the UK Information Commissioner who is responsible for implementing, overseeing and enforcing the EU Data Protection Laws.
If you are a data subject for the purposes of the EU Data Protection Law you have the following rights under that law.
The right of access to Personal Data relating to you
The right to correct any mistakes in your Personal Data
If technically feasible, the right to have a copy of your Personal Data ported to you
The right to ask us to stop contacting you with direct marketing
Rights in relation to automated decision making
The right to restrict or prevent your Personal Data being processed
If technically feasible, the right to have your Personal Data ported to another Data Controller (e.g. if you decide to contract with a different organization)
The right to erasure
The right to withdraw consent
These rights are explained in more detail below, but if you have any comments, concerns or complaints about our use of your personal data, please contact info@nkba.org. We will respond to any rights that you exercise within a month of receiving your request, unless the request is particularly complex, in which case we will respond within three months. Please note that exceptions apply to some of these rights which we will apply in accordance with the law.
Right to access personal data relating to you
You may ask to see what Personal Data we hold about you and be provided with:
A copy;
Details of the purpose for which it is being or is to be processed;
Details of the recipients or classes of recipients to whom it is or may be disclosed, including if they are overseas and what protections are used for those oversea transfers;
The period for which it is held (or the criteria we use to determine how long it is held);
Any information available about the source of that data; and
Whether we carry out an automated decision-making, or profiling, and where we do information about the logic involved and the envisaged outcome or consequences of that decision or profiling.
Requests for your Personal Data must be made to NKBA via GDPR form in writing and a copy will be retained on your file. If and to the extent the Site provides such functionality, you may also be able to obtain a copy of your information via such functionality.
To help us find the information easily, please give us as much information as possible about the type of information you would like to see.
If, to comply with your request, we would have to disclose information relating to or identifying another person, we may need to obtain the consent of that person if possible. If we cannot obtain consent, we may need to withhold that information or edit the data to remove the identity of that person if possible.
There are certain types of Personal Data which we are not obliged to disclose to you, which include personal data which records our intentions in relation to any negotiations with you where disclosure would be likely to prejudice those negotiations.
Right to correct mistakes in your information
You can require us to correct any mistakes in your Personal Data which we hold free of charge. If you would like us to do this, please:
Email, call or write to us as described in the section below regarding “How can you contact us?”
Let us have enough information to identify you, such as the email you provided if and when you registered as a Member, and
Let us know the information that is incorrect and what it should be replaced with.
If you are a Member, you may also be able to correct the mistake by logging into the Site and navigating to the page that lists your Contact Information or Public Profile Information. If the information is not correctable via the Site, you may correct it as described above.
Right to ask us to stop contacting you with direct marketing
You can ask us to stop contacting you for direct marketing purposes. If you would like to do this, please see the section on “Right to withdraw consent”
Rights in relation to automated decision taking/making
We do not currently carry out any automated decision making.
Right to prevent processing of personal data.
You may request that we stop processing your Personal Data temporarily if:
You do not think that your data is accurate. We will start processing again once we have checked whether or not it is accurate;
The processing is unlawful but you do not want us to erase your data;
We no longer need the Personal Data for our processing, but you need the data to establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or
You have objected to Processing because you believe that your interests should override our legitimate interests.
Right to erasure
You can ask us to erase your Personal Data where:
You do not believe that we need your data for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice;
You have given us consent to process your data, you have withdrawn that consent and we cannot otherwise legally process your data;
You object to our processing and we do not have any legitimate interests that mean we can continue to process your data; or
Your data has been processed unlawfully or has not been erased when it should have been.Copies of your personal data (Data portability)You may ask for an electronic copy of your personal data which we hold electronically and which we process when we have entered into a contract with you. You can also ask us to provide this directly to another party.
Right to withdraw consent
You have the right to withdraw consent you have given us at any point. This is a vital and necessary aspect of consent, and we are aware that you may wish to withdraw consent at any time. The following table lists the various ways in which you may withdraw your consent.
Depending on the applicable jurisdiction, you may be entitled to compensation for damage in the event your right of privacy is breached. By way of example, if you are a resident of the EU, you may be entitled to compensation for damage caused by contravention of the Data Protection Laws.
Complaints to the regulator
It is important you read this Privacy Notice – and if you do not think that we have processed your data in accordance with this notice – you should let us know as soon as possible. Similarly, if you are a resident of the European Union you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, in which case information about how to do this is available on the website at www.ico.org.uk.
Notice to California Residents
Under California law, California residents may request a list of all third parties to which we have disclosed certain personal information (as defined by California law) during the preceding year for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes. If you are a California resident and would like to receive such a list, please contact us at the mailing address listed in the “Contact” section of the Site. For any such request, include the statement “California Privacy Rights” in the body of your request, as well as your name, street address, city, state, and zip code. Please provide enough information for us to determine if this applies to you. You must also attest to the fact that you are a California resident and provide a current California address for our response. Please note that we will not accept requests via the telephone, email, or by facsimile, and we are not responsible for notices that are not labeled or sent properly or that do not have complete information.
Notice to Canadian Residents
In certain Canadian jurisdictions you may have the right to request access to any of your personal information that we hold about you. You may withdraw consent to our further use of your personal information subject to legal and contractual restrictions at any time. To enquire about your right to request access or to withdraw consent please contact NKBA’s privacy officer at privacy@NKBA.org.
