Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2018 - 55

SPECIAL SECTION
It's KBIS Time!

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

Find out what's on tap for making this the best show yet
The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is already the world's biggest
expo dedicated to this thriving industry, and we at the National Kitchen &
Bath Association (NKBA) have been working and planning for an entire
year to make this the best show yet.
For the fifth year, the NKBA is co-located with the National Association
of Home Builders' International Builders' Show (IBS) for Design & Construction Week® (DCW). All attendees have access to KBIS and IBS and an
unprecedented number of resources, vendors and innovative product across
all areas of remodeling, design and building. We're delighted to showcase
more than 100 new companies among our 600 exhibitors in 400,000 square
feet at KBIS alone and welcome back major players like Samsung and Míele.
We've lined up a speaking program of top talent and executives, along
with a robust slate of educational opportunities, all designed to give you the
information you need to run your business better.
This year's DCW opening ceremonies will kick off with keynote speaker
Terry Bradshaw, the only NFL player with a star on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame. The four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, Hall of Famer and current award-winning broadcaster on "Fox NFL
Sunday" will launch the show at 8 a.m. on Jan. 9.
Later that day, at 1:30 p.m., Cindy Allen, editor in chief of Interior Design,
will deliver KBIS' keynote. Allen, who has helmed the magazine since 2001
and served as chief design officer of parent Sandow Media since 2015, is
regarded as one of the interior design industry's key influencers. In "Pop
Goes the Future: Top Trends Bursting onto the K&B Scene,"she'll cover
topics of critical interest to the kitchen and bath remodeling industry and
directional trends for the year ahead.
The State of the Association update starts at 9 a.m. on Jan. 10. As we
continue our organizational transformation in 2018, we look forward
to filling you in on initiatives begun and goals met in the past year, all
our forward momentum and on objectives for the next 12 months. Immediately following, we'll present the State of the Industry panel.
Moderator Melissa Francis, Fox News anchor, will lead an engaging
discussion on themes like the crisis in skilled labor, digital and social
media marketing, new technologies critical to our business, fluctuating economic markets and more. She'll be joined by top thought
leaders from key sectors of the industry: David Kohler, Kohler Co.;
Scott Culbreth, American Woodmark Corp.; and Rick Hasselbeck,
GE Appliances.
Also on the topic of the skilled labor shortage, master carpenter and
DIY TV pioneer Norm Abram will address the issue at the opening
ceremonies of DCW and start this year's fundraising drive benefitting
the Skilled Labor Fund, which aims to inspire young people to choose
career paths in remodeling and construction-related fields to help close
the skills gap. Norm and the team from "This Old House,"including host
Kevin O'Connor, will be in the KBIS Backyard area on Wednesday, from
4 to 5 p.m. - be sure to stop by!
Finally, we'll be unveiling our fantastic mobile-first website, filled with
industry information and resources, as well as a search engine-optimized
Prosearch tool - sort of a LinkedIn-meets-Pinterest-meets-Home Advisor - that connects designers, consumers, manufacturers, dealers and
other industry pros. Two years in development, the upgrade has been
guided by your suggestions for how to help you do business better, faster
and more efficiently.

But to make it the best site it can be, we need your help: Log onto NKBA.
org to complete your member profile, or stop by our booths - W1821 and
S3820 - to see the new site in action and fill in your information. If you aren't
able to attend KBIS, keep clicking on NKBA.org for full reports on the show.
Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead!

http://AtlasToTheTrade.com http://AtlasToTheTrade.com

Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2018