Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2017 - 38

IT'S...
Getting the Most out of Your Trade Association

B Y B I L L D A R C Y,
CEO, NKBA

Joining a professional trade association is a great way to help build your business and further your career. And in the kitchen and bath
industry, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) can be the gateway to building your business. NKBA members come from every
segment of the industry - designers, builders, manufacturers, retailers and more.
When speaking with our members over the years, I
have learned that there are as many different reasons
for joining the NKBA as there are members.
One of the biggest benefits of joining a trade association is the opportunity to network with like-minded
professionals. Whether it is joining your local chapter or
attending the many KBIS events, such as the Magic of
Design Opening Party or The Bash, the NKBA provides
numerous ways for members to build their networks.
Another benefit of trade associations is raising the
level of professionalism in an industry. An NKBA certification makes an immediate impression on prospective
clients and employers by demonstrating a commitment
to meeting the highest standards of safety and design.
Continuing education ensures that you remain at the
forefront of the industry. The NKBA offers a Certification + Design curriculum, CEU courses and webinars.
Our high-profile annual design competition celebrates
and elevates best practices.
Trade associations also serve to encourage and nurture the next generation of industry professionals. By
encouraging schools to meet our accreditation standards, the NKBA ensures that design students are gaining the skills they need to be successful. In addition, the
NKBA offers a free membership to students so they can
start their career with a network of peers and mentors
and potentially find internships with member companies. We recognize the best of the next generation
through our 30 Under 30 program, where outstanding
young professionals participate in industry research and
help capture the voice of the next generation of kitchen
and bath professionals. Most recently, our Trade UP
Initiative was created to address the industry-wide
shortage in skilled labor.
Advocating for its industry, as well as its members,
is a major focus for a trade association. The NKBA has
built many beneficial partnerships, from the NAHB,
our Design and Construction Week® co-founder, to
CEDIA, which will help our members stay up-to-date
with the latest smart-home technology. We also tripled
our investment in research so that NKBA members
now have access to economic forecasting, category
studies, designer views and opinions and behavioral
trends - with more to come in 2017.
The NKBA is your partner, your resource and your
advocate at all stages of your kitchen and bath career.
Learn about the many ways the NKBA can help you be
more successful, as well as our many initiatives aimed
at furthering the kitchen and bath industry, by visiting
www.nkba.org.

38

" W H E N I T H IN K AB O UT T H E N KB A AN D O UR
M E M B E R S H IP, I T H IN K AB O UT O UR C O M PAN Y 'S
H IS T O R Y. AT E AC H C H APT E R O F O UR G R O W T H ,
T H E N KB A H AS B E E N T H E R E H E LPIN G US T O B UILD
R E LAT IO N S H IPS W IT H IN T H E IN D US T R Y."
- GR EG R OHL , V P OF M A R KET I NG, R OHL , L L C
" I J O IN E D T H E N KB A B E C AUS E B E IN G AB LE
T O N E T W O R K AN D D E V E LO P IN D US T R Y
R E LAT IO N S H IPS IS IM PE R AT IV E T O T H E
S UC C E S S O F M Y B US IN E S S ."
- NI CHOL E COOPER , OUT SI D E SA L ES,
EX PR ESSI ONS HOM E GA L L ERY
"VOLUNTEERING AND BECOMING INVOLVED WITH
MY CHAPTER HAS HELPED ME IMMENSELY WITH MY
CAREER. I'VE MET SO MANY GREAT MENTORS OVER
THE YEARS AND HAVE HAD JOB OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN UP AS WELL. I NOW HAVE 10 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE AND HAVE BECOME A MENTOR TO
YOUNGER DESIGNERS. THE CYCLE CONTINUES - YOU
GIVE AND GET WHEN BEING A MEMBER OF NKBA!"
- BRITTANY ZACKS, CKD,
TIMBERLAKE CABINETRY, A DIVISION OF
AMERICAN WOODMARK CORP.

" I'V E ALWAY S R E C O G N IZ E D T H E N KB A AS A
S T R O N G O R G AN IZ AT IO N T H AT S E T A S TAN D AR D
O F E X C E LLE N C E F O R IT S M E M B E R S . I J O IN E D
T H E N KB A B E C AUS E I WAN T E D T O B E C O M E A
B E T T E R PR O F E S S IO N AL."
- D A NI EL L E B UR GER , OW NER ,
KI T CHEN V I TA L I T Y D ESI GN
" T H E N KB A IS A PR O F E S S IO N AL,
W E LL- C O N N E C T E D AN D IM PAC T F UL
O R G AN IZ AT IO N . T H E Y T R ULY C AR E AB O UT
H E LPIN G M E M B E R S G R O W T H E IR B US IN E S S E S ."
- A L EX SKOB EL , D ESI GNER ENGA GEM ENT
L EA D ER , M ONOGR A M

" IN 1986, I F O UN D N KB A AN D T O O K M Y F IR S T B AS IC KIT C H E N - PLAN N IN G
C LAS S . I R E ALIZ E D T H E N T H AT B E C O M IN G C E RT IF IE D AS A KIT C H E N AN D
BAT H R O O M D E S IG N E R WAS C R IT IC AL T O O UR C O M PAN Y 'S S UC C E S S . B E IN G
A N N KB A M E M B E R M E AN S T H AT W E S UB S C R IB E T O A S E T O F S TAN D AR D S AN D
A C O D E O F C O N D UC T. O UR C LIE N T S LO O K F O R AN D VALUE O UR C E RT IF IE D
DESIG N E R S F O R T H E IR AB ILIT Y AN D KN O W LE D G E , AS W E LL AS T H E IR E T H IC S .
THAT C O M B IN E D W IT H T H E AB ILIT Y T O C O N T IN UE M Y E D UC AT IO N T H R O UG H
N KB A AN D T H E KB IS C O N F E R E N C E , AS W E LL AS AT T E N D KB IS T O S TAY O N
TO P O F ALL T H E N E W PR O D UC T S AN D T R E N D S IN O UR IN D US T R Y, M AKE S M Y
M E M B E R S H IP PR IC E LE S S ."
- J OHN PET R I E, CM KB D CA PS, M OT HER HUB B A R D 'S CUST OM CA B I NET RY

" AS A G R O W IN G
COMPAN Y, I N E E D E D
HEL P W IT H S TAF F IN G .
THR OUG H N KB A, I WAS
AB L E TO C O N N E C T
WITH S T UD E N T S IN
ACCR E D IT E D PR O G R AM S
AND ULT IM AT E LY E N D E D
UP HIR IN G O N E . I ALS O
PARTICIPAT E IN M Y
L OCAL N KB A C H APT E R .
THE EDUC AT IO N AL
OPPORT UN IT IE S
AVAIL A B LE T O US AR E
JUST T R E M E N D O US . I T H IN K IT 'S R E ALLY
GOOD F O R B US IN E S S , AN D IT 'S G R E AT F O R
B UIL DI N G C O N TAC T S IN O UR IN D US T R Y."
- JOHN Y UN, CM KB D ,
MR. FL OOR KI T CHEN A ND B AT H

" T H E E X PE R IE N C E
O F B E IN G S E LE C T E D
AS A 2016 30 UN D E R
30 R E C IPIE N T H AS
B E E N IN C R E D IB LY
VALUAB LE . I'V E B E E N
AB LE T O M E E T S O M E
G R E AT PE O PLE ,
N O T O N LY F R O M M Y
G R O UP B UT F R O M
PR IO R YEARS AS WELL,
AND I'M LO O KIN G
F O R WAR D T O M E E T IN G
T H IS Y E AR 'S G R O UP.
IT WAS G R E AT T O B E A BL E T O P RE S E N T O N
N E W AN D IN N O VAT IV E P RO D U C T S AT K BI S
AN D T O S PE AK AB O UT E M E RG I N G T RE N D S. "
- J E N N I FE R B E AV E R S ,
NOR M T E S S I E R C AB I N E T S

Kitchen & Bath Business / FEB.-MARCH 2017 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)
http://www.nkba.org http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com
Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2017

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