Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2018 - 26

ORLANDO
JANUARY 10-12
2017

It's a Small World

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

Making global connections - at KBIS and beyond
The NKBA had a landmark year in terms of
broadening awareness of our association and
brand on an international level. In the past 15
months, senior leadership has traveled to London
(twice), Milan and Shanghai to participate in local design festivals and trade shows, host special
events for designers and media in these international locations, present research and spotlight the
work of the association and service to our membership for a worldwide audience.
NKBA leadership has journeyed around the
world many times in the past - New Zealand,
South Korea, Milan, among other places - but in
September 2017, we formalized our global initiative.This past September, the program expanded
and morphed into the NKBA Global Connect
when we returned to London and hosted a "meetup" event, connecting local and North American
designers, brands, journalists and influencers. In
Milan in April, we partnered with Cosentino
for an event that brought industry professionals from all corners of the globe together. Both
events sparked some great conversation about
the industry around the world and how we can
all work together.
The confluence of all this activity is the foundation of the NKBA Global Connect initiative, through which we hope to inspire more
discussion and an exchange of ideas, as well as
business collaborations on a worldwide level. To
put these ideas into action and to make KBIS
even more attractive to an international audience, NKBA Global Connect will comprise
a series of programs and events here at home
and around the world. At KBIS in Las Vegas in
February, we're distributing a show floor map of
more than 50 NKBA member companies that
are headquartered outside of North America,
dubbed the NKBA Global Connect Design
Trail. The purpose of this is to help dispel a notion that KBIS is solely focused on the North
American industry.
The business is global - and KBIS should be
an even greater reflection of the international
integration that's a core component of doing business in the 21st century. We are taking a leadership role in bringing the worldwide kitchen and
bath industry together. Designers, brands, buyers,
journalists and influencers from all over the world
should be exposed to all the great companies -
regardless of origin - that showcase the best and
most innovative products and technologies the
industry has to offer. The way to encourage in-

ternational visitors to travel to our show is to highlight our relevance on a
global stage. As one of our international colleagues noted, the vast resources
at the show make KBIS truly a sourcing solution for the industry in all parts
of the world.
We're also engaging designers and influencers from other countries in an
NKBA meetup at the show, as well as in conversations with international
speakers and discussions located in the KBIS tent.The State of the Industry
panel discussion at KBIS will also cover business issues concerning international commerce and trade and potential ramifications for our business. Fox
News/Fox Business anchor Melissa Francis will host the panel, which will
include Dr. Markus Miele, co-executive director and co-proprietor of the
Miele Group; Kevin Murphy, CEO of Ferguson Enterprises; Nick Fink,
president of Fortune Brands' Global Plumbing Group; and Mark Stoever,
CEO of 2020.The discussion takes place immediately following the State of
the Association address, starting at 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 20 in Room N109-110
at the Las Vegas Convention Center and will surely share a global perspective with our attendees.
It's critical that the NKBA brings these topical issues to our membership
and the industry at large, providing a global exposure to the resources of the
entire kitchen and bath business - and KBIS is the platform that facilitates
this international visibility.

Kitchen & Bath Business / NOV.-DEC. 2018 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

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