Kitchen & Bath Business September/October 2023 - 12

HAPPENINGS
Cheers to 60 Years!
NKBA marks its 60th anniversary in 2023 with a full slate
of celebrations to commemorate the occasion
A LOT OF BIG THINGS happened in 1963. " Surfi n' USA " by the Beach Boys
was the #1 song, the L.A. Dodgers won the World Series, " My Fair Lady "
was the Oscar winner for Best Picture ... and the National Kitchen & Bath
Association was born. Technically, it was the American Institute of Kitchen
Dealers, but it would eventually grow into NKBA, North America's largest
trade association serving the kitchen and bath industry and owner of KBIS.
NKBA is unique in that it is an all-industry association, serving the
entire spectrum of kitchen and bath market segments - from designers,
retailers, remodelers and manufacturers to distributors, fabricators, installers
and other industry professionals. As one of North America's largest trade
associations with more than 50,000 members, NKBA is laser-focused on
community, partnerships and learning.
" Everything - and I mean everything - we do is designed to enable our
members to be the best at what they do, " said Suzie Williford, EVP &
chief strategy offi cer of NKBA. " We create programs, off er benefi ts and
provide tools that strengthen their expertise and knowledge while forging
partnerships and communities that raise the industry as a whole. Th is
includes research, thought leadership, professional certifi cations, continuing-education
units, summits, government updates and, of course, KBIS! "
And NKBA's 60th Anniversary celebration is no exception. Th e yearlong
festivities kicked off at KBIS 2023 in Las Vegas with a surprise appearance
by Kool & Th e Gang at NKBA's professional Design + Industry
Awards Gala. It continued throughout the show with a 1963-themed
booth, and at the show's conclusion, it was celebrated with a dedicated toast
on the NEXTStage by Williford and NKBA CEO Bill Darcy.
MEMBERS CELEBRATE WITH CHAPTER ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
Th is spring, NKBA invited all 71 chapters to participate in a 60th Anniversary
Events Competition for the chance to celebrate. Th is series of 60th
Anniversary-themed special events will lead up to KBIS 2024 in Las Vegas
from Feb. 27-29. Th ese events are tailored to each chapter and/or region and
off er members the opportunity to celebrate NKBA's 60 years of supporting
the kitchen and bath industry. In April, after entrants submitted impressive
proposals, the association revealed the winners: the Olympic-West Sound,
Puget Sound, Northern New England, Mid-Atlantic, Manhattan, Northern
California, Georgia and Baltimore/Washington chapters.
Th e fi rst of the chapter events kicked off in August with the Olympic-West
Sound and Puget Sound chapters celebrating in Seattle. Th e event
was held aboard the MV Skansonia, a historic ferry docked on Lake Union.
Next came the Northern New England Chapter's clambake in Norwood,
Mass., and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter's event at the Grounds for Sculpture
Garden in Hamilton Township, N.J., both also held in August. Th e
celebratory events, sponsored by Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS), featured
current and past chapter presidents, prizes and giveaways and highlighted
key moments in the history of NKBA and each chapter.
12
/ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023
ABOVE Heather L. Kirk,
principal/interior designer,
Kirk Riley Design and Paula
Kennedy, CMKBD, owner
of Timeless Kitchen Design,
celebrate NKBA's 60th
Anniversary aboard the MV
Skansonia on Lake Union at
the Olympic-West Sound and
Puget Sound chapters 60th
Anniversary event. Photo by
Andy Pinnell, Studio 517
Th e Manhattan Chapter will have its event,
hosted and sponsored by Dacor, on Oct. 26. Th e
Northern California Chapter will celebrate on
Nov. 2, immediately following its Design Awards
ceremony, with an afterparty sponsored by SKS;
another event will take place with the Manhattan
Chapter on Dec. 7, also sponsored by SKS. Th e
Georgia Chapter event will take place on Nov. 16
in Atlanta, following its Awards Gala. And last
but not least, the Baltimore/Washington Chapter
will mark NKBA's 60th birthday on Jan. 18, 2024.
Each month, readers can also take a trip down
memory lane when they visit the NKBA 60th
Anniversary Landing Page, going back in time
to view highlights from NKBA's seven decades.
Th is page features the K&B trends, innovations
and cultural events that defi ned each decade,
including some iconic kitchens and baths featured
in movies and TV across the years; NKBA
milestones; a look at the association's past leaders
and volunteers; and weekly giveaways.
And as the association's birthday party comes
to an end, the fun is just beginning for KBIS,
which marks its 60th anniversary next year. Stay
tuned ... much more is in store!

By Julia Gillespie, NKBA director of marketing
Kitchen & Bath Business September/October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business September/October 2023
