These promising future K&B stars will be honored at KBIS 2024

By Elisa Fernández-Arias

Every year, NKBA selects 30 exceptional young professionals from across the kitchen and bath industry to join its prestigious Thirty Under 30 program. Nominees for the program were evaluated on their professional or educational achievements, commitment to excellence in the K&B industry and leadership in their organizations.

“We are very happy to announce our newest class of rising young professionals,” said Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO, NKBA | KBIS. “These talented young individuals will grow into the future leaders of our industry and we hope this honor helps them in their continuing professional development.”

The Thirty Under 30 class are invited to attend KBIS 2024, where they will be introduced on the NEXTStage and meet with industry leaders and luminaries.  They will also choose the annual 30s Choice Awards, which spotlight the “Best of” products and innovations in several categories that are announced during KBIS at the NEXTStage on Thursday, February 29, 2024. 

Congratulations to the following Thirty Under 30 Class of 2024!

• Sophia Amiano, CKBD, Design-Build Specialist, Amiano & Son Construction
• Ruth Barnes, Interior Designer, Hatchett Design/Remodel
• Anna Blinova, Creative & Design Director, VIGO
• Rachel Burger, Lead Interior Designer, JL Design
• Ashley de Boer, Principal Interior Designer, Ashley de Boer Interiors
• Valerie Furazhenko, Owner & Lead Designer, Viola Designs
• Jake Hohman, Product Manager, Connected Products & Innovation, Moen Inc. 
• Kelsey Kinniry, Trade Marketing Manager, Delta Faucet Company
• Samantha Kunka, Cabinet Designer, Bolyard Lumber
• Victor Lebegue, Visionary & CEO, VL Builders
• Kaitlyn Martel, Director of Marketing, IMARK Group
• Olivia McMurtrie, Showroom Manager, Ferguson Enterprises
• Brittany McQueen, Designer, Hometown Homes
• Sydney Melnyk, Designer, Redl Kitchens
• Isaac Musket, Lead Designer, C&K Custom Remodeling
• Chrystalla Neocleous, Interior Designer, The Breakfast Room Ltd.
• Danielle Noah, Marketing Operations & Social Media Manager, AJ Madison
• Alexis Novacek, Public Relations Manager, ZLINE Kitchen & Bath
• Kiersten Reed, CKBD, Interior Designer, Monmouth Building Center
• Priscilla Saucedo, Designer & Outside Sales Builder, Ferguson Enterprises
• Lyndsey Seddon, CKBD, Interior Designer, Seddon Design. Co.
• Thomas Setnan, Senior Sales Manager, Rustic Kitchen & Bath
• Cortney Smith, Interior Designer & Owner, Torgy’s Home Design
• Katie Sneed, Owner & Interior Designer, K. Sneed Design
• Abigail Stojke, Project Designer, Peacock & Company
• Jamie Stoneking, Senior Marketing Manager, Residential Audiences, Wilsonart
• Luke Sweigart, Director of Information Technology, Green Forest Cabinetry/Indigo Strategic Holdings
• Kristin Tabor, Interior Designer, TABOR Design
• Abby Via, Right Bath Assistant Designer, Mosby Building Arts
• Devorah Werner, CKBD, Owner & Designer, WERKI by D

The Thirty Under 30 program was introduced in 2013 to recognize outstanding young kitchen and bath professionals who are the future leaders of the industry.  For more details about the Thirty Under 30 events at KBIS, go here — or to register for the show, go here. NKBA members get a discounted rate and can save even more by registering early before December 14.

Expanding on its monthly Government Relations Newsletter, NKBA unveils a new webpage offering members additional resources. 

By Steven Campeau 

Committed to educating its membership on legislative and regulatory issues that affect our professional community and the K&B industry overall, NKBA is pleased to announce the launch of its first-ever government relations webpage. This webpage serves as a one-stop resource for all of your government relations needs and includes: 

• Government Relations News: View the current monthly issue of the Government Relations Newsletter. Past newsletters as well as other government relations articles are also found on this page.

• Policy: Review NKBA’s official approach to determining public policy positions. NKBA’s official position statement on state Interior Design(er) Title and Practice Acts can also be found here.

• Legislative & Regulatory Tracking: This subpage features an interactive map that makes it easy to identify the legislation and regulations that NKBA is tracking in each state. Federal proposals are also included. Check out the issues that are important to you!

• Get Involved: Want to express your point of view on a topic that interests you or impacts your profession? NKBA offers resources to identify your elected officials along with their contact information, sample correspondence and tips on communicating effectively.

NKBA will continue to monitor relevant legislative and regulatory developments at the state and federal levels, providing information to members concerning any pertinent developments. Check the new webpage often for updated content. If you have any questions regarding NKBA’s government relations activities or the new webpage, please contact NKBA Governance Manager Steven Campeau at scampeau@nkba.org. 

EVP & CSO Suzie Williford shared the latest research with international brands exploring North American opportunities at SICAM, the international kitchen and bath components event, in Pordenone, Italy.

By Dianne M. Pogoda

NKBA joined SICAM (Salone Internazionale Components, Accessories and Semi-Finished Products) for its annual trade fair in Italy to share information about the North American kitchen and bath market and the benefits of joining the NKBA Global Connect program.

SICAM, a Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partner, hosted October’s four-day showcase of European interior and kitchen furniture, hardware and technology in Pordenone, just north of Venice in northeastern Italy — the heart of the Italian furniture manufacturing region. Some 500 components exhibitors participated in the expo, which attracted an international audience of about 20,000 from all over Europe and Asia.

The Market Outlook

Suzie Williford, NKBA’s EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, presented “Understanding the North American Kitchen and Bath Market” to manufacturers and trade organizations exploring opportunities in the U.S., and brought them up to speed with the latest economic research and exclusive data from NKBA’s own research department.

“We prepare an extensive annual economic outlook and update, as well as the quarterly Kitchen and Bath Market Index [KBMI], in collaboration with the highly regarded John Burns research firm. This gives us real-time data across the entire kitchen and bath channel,” Williford began. “It helps us to gauge the current and future health of the market and provide growth estimates. We poll a wide cross-section of manufacturers, dealers, builders and designers to analyze changes in consumer spending patterns and shifts in the housing market that affect remodeling, and provide keen insights about potential impacts of recession. It’s invaluable research that our members can act on quickly and stay ahead of shifting market dynamics.”

Williford shared that the updated market outlook revealed that short-term prospects for new construction, professional installation, repair and remodeling all show single-digit declines, “although the market is still stronger than it was even pre-pandemic,” she noted.

“The long-term outlook remains strong, thanks to aging housing stock,” Williford added. “More than 22.4 million homes are in their prime remodeling years of 20 to 39 years old, and that number is growing by an additional 2.2 million over the next five years. Plus, homeowners are sitting on record levels of home equity that they can tap into once rates normalize.”

The overall forecast for 2023 kitchen and bath spending in North America is projected at $179 billion — slightly down from 2022, but 21 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels. While new construction spending is currently outpacing remodeling because of the ongoing housing crunch ($110.8 billion compared to $68.2 billion), remodeling typically drives greater profit margins and has bigger budgets.

“We’ve found that higher-income households tend to shop for better products at independent kitchen and bath specialty showrooms — not at the big box retailers,” Williford observed. “This indicates a ripe market for new and interesting brands coming into the market at a better price and quality level.”

Further, K&B pros are looking for a rebound in 2024. Designers and dealers expect revenues to be 50 percent stronger than 2023, and manufacturers project revenue levels 60 percent higher.

The Global Connect Advantage

Williford explained the benefits of the omni-directional Global Connect program, including access to NKBA research, access to Global Connect advisors and subject matter experts who can help brands navigate entering and doing business in the North American market, and important networking and learning opportunities throughout the year and especially at KBIS, taking place Feb. 27 to 29 in Las Vegas.

NKBA has designed a Global Connect lounge at KBIS in the heart of the international area, where delegations may meet, mingle and make connections with buyers and distributors in North America. Among the Global Connect activations are smaller kiosks for new-to-KBIS brands to test the waters, product spotlights and presentations, panel discussions with designers and distributors, dedicated educational programming and much more.

Learn more information about NKBA’s Global Connect program here.