Retail Observer

MAY 2024 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 23 • Benefit 1: Community — NKBA | KBIS is made up, first and foremost, of the kitchen and bath community. Whether it's kitchen and bath professionals from across the country gathering at KBIS, chapter members enjoying an architecture-focused excursion in their community together, or an industry pro attending an educational event to find out more about kitchen and bath, our members are what make NKBA | KBIS. In addition to providing members with a community through their local NKBA | KBIS chapter, the association also offers programs, such as Women to Women (W2W) and Thirty Under 30, which provide networking and educational opportunities to K&B professionals who want to connect with like-minded colleagues and make their mark onthe industry. Finally, NKBA | KBIS has student chapters – free to join. • Benefit 2: Research — Throughout its over 60 years in the industry, NKBA | KBIS has carried out and published industry-relevant research, providing leading insights on incoming design trends, economic indicators of the industry, the growing popularity of sustainability and more. These reports are all free to NKBA | KBIS members. Every year, the association releases reports on the economic state of the kitchen and bath industry, including its K&B Market Outlook and quarterly KBMI reports, as well as its Kitchen Trends and Bath Trends reports. In addition to these flagship studies, the association conducts proprietary research on specialty topics. One of the specialty research reports to be released in 2024 includes "Kitchen and Bath Lighting." • Benefit 3: Education — NKBA | KBIS provides the kitchen and bath industry with the NKBA | KBIS Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines, the most complete collection of illustrations and planning recommendations available from one source for design professionals dedicated to the planning and installation of code-compliant and beautiful kitchens, baths and more. The association also offers certifications that help kitchen and bath professionals stand out in the industry marketplace, including the Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer (CKBD), which specializes in the design, planning, and execution of residential kitchens and bathrooms, and the Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer (CMKBD), the pinnacle of the K&B industry's certification. Badges are also available, as are opportunities to earn CEUs to maintain certification. The association has an Affiliated Schools Program; by being a member, an affiliated school can help their students prepare for employment in accordance with NKBA | KBIS standards. • Benefit 4: Summits and Events — NKBA | KBIS' summits bring to the forefront trends impacting our industry, delving into NKBA | KBIS research, speaking with leading experts in a panel, or conducting informative one-on-ones. These summits, some live and some online, are dynamic and engaging and often offer attendees a chance to ask questions at a following Q&A. Last year, NKBA | KBIS hosted its second Design + Tech Summit, in partnership with Samsung, at the brand's experience store in New York on July 25, 2023, with a main focus on how designers and technology integrators can be better partners. This was one of the many summits and events from the year, which also included a Sustainability Summit and numerous celebratory 60th Anniversary events hosted by NKBA | KBIS chapters. • Benefit 5: KBIS — Finally, there's KBIS! The largest and most comprehensive trade show in North America for the kitchen and bath industry, KBIS offers tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors the opportunity to gather to learn, network, exchange ideas, and showcase new products and services. NKBA members who exhibit with KBIS receive discounted booth space rates – and NKBA member registration pricing is heavily discounted or even free! KBIS provides industry professionals with more than an opportunity to discover new products and make new connections. The trade show offers many educational events, like panels on the NEXTStage, a chance to expand your network internationally through Global Connect and of course, the Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards, where you could potentially be a winner! Enter the competition to win cash prizes, make new industry connections, and enjoy a celebratory evening at KBIS 2025. Applications start this May. By Elisa Fernández-Arias RO "Small But Mighty," by Jaque Bethke, of JAQUE in Scottsdale, AZ, for which she won Best Overall Bath and First Place in the Secondary Bath category. Photo: Phil Johnson/Provisuals Media. The show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center at KBIS 2024. Photo: PWP Studio

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