KBB - March 2013 - (Page 8)

SHOW DIRECTOR’S NOTE When Pigs Fly Jim Scott has more than 35 years of diverse experience as a senior executive and leader, retiring as president of the Plumbing Products Division at Elkay. With a focus on positive change and growth, Scott has helped develop organizations in North and South America, as well as in Asia. Always active, Scott and his wife Ann enjoy a large family with eight energetic grandchildren. He is an avid golfer, skier, chef, reader and photographer. With a lifelong interest in motorcycles, Scott has traveled from Chicago throughout the U.S. and Canada. “The S&P/Case-Schiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed home prices rose 4.5% for the 10-City Composite and 5.5% for the 20-City Composite in the 12 months ending November 2012.”—Standard & Poor’s. • “It appears that Americans’ desire to own their homes has survived the financial distress of the recession.”—The Demand Institute, “The Shifting Nature of U.S. Housing Demand.” • “After languishing for several years, the U.S. remodeling industry appears to be pulling out of its downturn, and a renewal of the nation’s housing stock is underway.”—Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. • “Since reaching a low in January 2011, construction employment has grown by 296,000, with one third of the gain occurring in the last four months.”—BLS News Release. • “Privately owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 954,000. This is 12.1% above the revised November estimate of 851,000 and is 36.9% above the December 2011 rate of 697,000.” —U.S. Department of Commerce. • “The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) today announced an agreement to co-locate the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas beginning in February 2014.”—IBS release. Reading these announcements and more, I am reminded of the commercial featuring the pig on an airplane ready to take off. When the flight attendant asks the pig to turn off his smart phone, he tells her he just paid his insurance bill on his mobile device. In response, she rolls her eyes and says,“I’ll believe that when pigs fly.” The pig looks across the aisle at another passenger and says,“Did she really just say what I thought she said?” We are encouraged the U.S. housing economy—our lifeblood—is again moving in the right direction. At the November KCMA meeting in Indianapolis, I enjoyed an excellent presentation by Dr. D. Jeffery Dietrich, senior analyst with ITR Economics. Presenting a very positive view of the economy for the next few years, he said,“If you are waiting for everything to improve, you will be a year behind.” The more than 400 exhibitors you will see at KBIS 2013 in New Orleans have decided not to wait.They are fully invested in the housing economy and you, our audience. These manufacturers bring new products, trends and market insights to the kitchen and bath dealer/ designer channel. They are committed to the success of the small businesses, design professionals, architects, builders and remodelers who specify their products and services every day. Come to New Orleans, a city that represents the power of renewal and new growth, and learn, network and hey, have a little fun. Things are looking up. I think I saw a flock of pigs overhead just this morning. I could not help but smile. See you in April. n Jim Scott Managing Director, KBIS jim.scott@nielsen.com 8 8 Show Letter_rev.indd 8 + K BB Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) 2013 April 19-21,2013 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA www.kbis.com CONTACT US 1145 Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 355 Alpharetta, GA 30009 Ph: (770) 569-1540, (800) 241-9034 Fax: (770) 569-5105 Nielsen MANAGING DIRECTOR, KITCHEN AND BATH SHOW Jim Scott (630) 240-9326 jim.scott@nielsen.com SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Joe Randall joe.randall@nielsen.com VP KITCHEN AND BATH GROUP Brian Pagel (770) 291-5438 brian.pagel@nielsen.com SALES MANAGER April Hayslip (770) 291-5434 april.hayslip@nielsen.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Maria Hill (770) 291-5419 maria.hill@nielsen.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Diana Gallagher (770) 291-5436 diana.gallagher@nielsen.com MARKETING MANAGER Rebecca Corbett (770) 291-5459 rebecca.corbett@nielsen.com SENIOR OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Bruce Wilson (770) 291-5425 bruce.wilson@nielsen.com NKBA President John K. Morgan President-Elect John A. Petrie, CMKBD Vice President Carolyn Cheetham, CMKBD Treasurer Debra Robinson, CMKBD Secretary Denise Dick, CMKBD Immediate Past President Alan Sielinski, CMKBD Chief Executive Officer Bill Darcy Senior Director of Finance Stephen Graziano General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs Edward S. Nagorsky Director of Business Development and Member Relations: Suzie Williford Director of Learning Nancy Barnes March 2013 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com 2/13/13 4:50 PM http://www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - March 2013

KBB - March 2013
Contents
Online Contents
Editorial
Show Director’s Note
KBIS Special Section
Web Savvy
Trends
Products
Design Feature: Beach Formal
Design Feature: Luxury in the Large
2013 Brand Preference Study
Ad Index
Last Word

KBB - March 2013