FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ/LAS VEGAS — (February 18, 2019) — The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the
authority on all things residential kitchen and bath, kicked off the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show 2019 with its
annual Design Competition and Industry Awards ceremony. The opening-night festivities honored NKBA’s rich
history and loyal members, including three designers who are marking 50 years of certification this year.
NKBA also inducted three new members into the NKBA Hall of Fame, and formally introduced the 2019 Chairman of the Board of Directors, Steve Joseph. Joseph is CEO and co-founder of Smart Home Products and a former president of Dacor luxury appliances. Held at the Encore Ballroom of the Encore Hotel, well-known designer and HGTV personality Kelli Ellis hosted the event alongside Bill Darcy, CEO, NKBA.
The honors began with the introduction of three designers whose membership goes back to the earliest years of the association, and who each earned their certifications in 1969.
50 Years of Certification Honorees
Robert M. Baker, CKD, who was a member of the board of the NKBA from 1966 to 1980, helped start three local
NKBA chapters and served as National president from 1977 to 1979.
Peter Knobel, CKBD, whose family’s company, Kitchens and Baths by Knobel, was founded by his father in 1933, joined NKBA in 1968, and is still a member today. Knobel has been active in the Chicago Midwest chapter of NKBA, and held several offices, including chapter president, and served on the national Board of Directors.
Theodore Bogusta, CKD, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, started his business, Bogusta Designs Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling in Hawthorne, and was an active member of the Northern New Jersey Chapter.
Chairman’s Award
NKBA’s outgoing Chairman, Lorenzo Marquez, presented the annual Chairman’s Award. Marquez, who served two terms — 2017 and 2018 — is president and founder of Marqet Group. The Chairman’s Award, formerly known as the President’s Award, was created in 2009 to recognize leading companies the Chairman deems to have had a positive impact on the Association and its initiatives, and that share a commitment to our industry. The NKBA presented this year’s award to John Petrie of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry.
“I am humbled and honored to accept this award,” Petrie said. “Not only on my behalf, but on behalf of all the dedicated NKBA professionals who have directed and guided me along the way. As my involvement in the industry grew, I was fortunate to be instrumental in helping to form of our local chapter, and serve in most of the local officer positions. It was also a pleasure to become involved as a regional director, eventually to be elected to the Board of Directors, and, subsequently, as President of the association 2014. NKBA has provided me with opportunities and success in an industry I love, and will do the same for you. All you have to do is get involved and realize the all of the opportunities before you.”
Hall of Fame
The NKBA Hall of Fame award honors individuals who have contributed to the growth and professionalism of the association and the kitchen and bath industry as a whole. Whether recognized for their service to the industry; inventing a new product, manufacturing process or marketing technique; developing a groundbreaking technology, or otherwise affecting some aspect of our business, these individuals are game-changers. Their impact will be felt for years to come, and this prestigious award acknowledges their profound influence.
The NKBA proudly recognized one of its own with the induction of Suzie Williford, NKBA’s Executive Vice President of Industry Relations and Chief Strategy Officer. Williford has been in the industry for 35 years and has served the association and the industry in several capacities. She started her career in a showroom in Texas, working her way up to vice president of sales, managing kitchen and bath companies catering to both the trade and consumer markets, and cultivating depth of industry knowledge along the way. Her volunteer efforts for the NKBA go back well over a decade, with 10 years on the board of directors and serving as national President in 2009.
Since joining the NKBA staff in 2012, she has played a key role in developing many of the initiatives that are helping the NKBAs membership and exhibitor community thrive and prosper. Now, with the launch of the NKBA Global Connect program, the association is poised to reach beyond its North American borders in a meaningful way.
“I am truly humbled to be in the company of so many industry giants inducted before me,” said Williford. “I believe the only way to achieve success in any business is to surround yourself with good people. Together with our team at NKBA headquarters, we have accomplished so much in the last few years. They work so hard and have such devotion and enthusiasm to make sure each of our members get benefit from being a part of the NKBA. This is the best team ever, and I am thankful every day for the privilege to work with them.”
The association posthumously honored the designer Ann Morris, CMKBD, CAPS, CfyH, who died last April. Morris was a longtime instructor and supporter of the NKBA. Her design career began in the 1970s in New York and was punctuated by a passion for color. Joseph E. Feinberg, CGC, owner of Allied Kitchen and Bath, who worked with Morris, accepted the award in her honor.
“I had the privilege to work with Ann for 15 years,” said Feinberg. “She was a personal friend, dedicated employee and a talented designer. Her passion was color, and she shared her passion with so many. Ann leaves a legacy of so many accomplishments, but more importantly, is how she inspired others to be successful and live with passion.”
Finally, the association called upon Bill Woodall, a third-generation member of a venerable kitchen and bath family, to honor his father, William “Skip” Woodall 3rd, a 41-year member of the NKBA. After serving in the U.S. Marines, Skip Woodall joined the family’s company, Vent-A-Hood, in the factory. He became president in 1992 and was named CEO in 2006. The company was started by his father, Miles Woodall Jr. — who is also in the Hall of Fame — 85 years ago in Dallas. Skip holds five U.S. patents in kitchen ventilation, he started “Vent-A-Hood University,” a factory training program created to educate dealer salespeople from all over the U.S. and Canada in the sound principles of kitchen ventilation.
“It is especially meaningful to me to be a second-generation recipient of this award,” said Skip Woodall. “I am very honored to be here tonight and want to express my deepest appreciation to the NKBA. The core of our company is our desire to be the best at what we do. So we follow industry leads, innovate, update, and constantly strive to produce a product that reflects the highest standards of manufacturing. Without this incredible extended team of employees and distributors, I would not be standing here tonight.”
Please find images here:
Hall of Fame honorees: https://nkba.imagerelay.com/fl/08662b7e0f0641159b6ecb3422032148
Chairman’s Award Recipient John Petrie: https://nkba.imagerelay.com/share/387a2e394ddc4a46adbea8406d0f30fc
About the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS), as part of Design & Construction Week® (DCW). With nearly 14,000 member companies representing tens of thousands of members in all segments of the kitchen and bath industry, the NKBA has educated and led the industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The NKBA envisions a world where everyone enjoys safe, beautiful and functional kitchen and bath spaces. The mission of the NKBA is to inspire, lead and empower the kitchen and bath industry through the creations of certifications, marketplaces and networks. For more information, visit NKBA.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).
KBIS® and NKBA® are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
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