Today we’d like to introduce you to NKBA Texas North Plains. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), originally the American Institute of Kitchen Dealers, was founded in 1963 in Philadelphia, PA. As it grew, the NKBA began to offer certification in both Kitchen and Bath Design, as well as technical manuals for industry standards. Today, the NKBA is the premier kitchen and bath association supporting the $147 billion residential kitchen and bath industry. The Association is comprised of 14,000 companies representing tens of thousands of industry professionals. Currently, there are 71 local chapters across North America. As the Texas North Plains Chapter, we are honored to serve our local area with networking events, education for both business and personal development, local design competitions, and service opportunities throughout the year. The local NKBA chapter is typically led by a council of 5. Current council members are Nicole Raynes, President; Rebecca Sutton, CKBD, CKBR, Programs; Brianne Bowers, Secretary/Treasurer; and Andrew Risinger, CMKBD, Communications with Tameka Waller as the incoming Secretary/Treasurer.
Fun fact: we host an annual Kitchen + Bath Month event in October, historically at the Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove showroom in Dallas to celebrate the NKBA, local chapter, which is free and open to the public. This year, 2022, was our 10th Annual event which showcased our 3rd Annual Kitchen + Bath Award (KABA) design competition winners. So, everyone better mark your calendars for next October – we’ll be back and bigger than ever!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Much like a small business, one of the challenges of a local chapter like ours is getting the word out about us. The word that we are here and exist and are a resource and asset to both industry members and the end consumers. The word that we are run 100% by volunteers and have so many opportunities available for members to give back to their local kitchen and bath community. The word of promoting our events and reaching more people in the industry to bring them together and grow our chapter. Fortunately, have been growing at a measured pace, and we thank everyone that has helped in the success of our chapter.
With each council chair term being two years, with a four-year maximum, the council has a revolving flow of new faces coming in and subsequently rolling off. It is challenging to maintain the goals and vision for the future of the chapter going and moving forward. Each year though, with implementing new processes and organizational tools, the transition becomes a bit easier as they more easily see the goals and vision for the future while bringing fresh ideas to the table, and without losing much traction.
Our other biggest struggle has been promoting to the local DFW consumer community! As much as we are an organization for our members, we also have to help promote what the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) is to the end user and explain the benefits of working with NKBA-certified, badge-holding, and active members at large.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about NKBA Texas North Plains Chapter?
While our chapter reaches over North Texas (north of Waco and through the panhandle), most of our meetings take place around the Dallas area. We have regularly held events in Dallas, Addison, Richardson, and Plano. We are hoping to grow our event list in Fort Worth in the coming years.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
First, most consumers don’t even know what the NKBA is! The National Kitchen and Bath Association is the world’s leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry. Its vision is to provide the world with safe, beautiful, and functional kitchen and bath spaces. It also owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) which is the largest trade show in the world for the kitchen and bath industry, partnering with several other shows to form Design Construction Week (DCW), held annually. The NKBA is compromised of Certified professionals as well as industry experts, with some of those people living right in our local community! We are here to help homeowners design the spaces in their homes to meet guidelines the NKBA has spent years identifying, and certified professionals are trained on how to correctly lay out spaces that make sense for your day-to-day.
Second, our local chapter is exactly that: local. We service the whole of North Texas, but the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is home. Our council members are very passionate about the NKBA and our industry and want to bring that to both members and consumers. A lot of thought, heart, and time is volunteered by our council. Currently, we are working to spread the word about our chapter’s local design competition, the KABA’s (Kitchen + Bath Awards), and 2022 marks our 3rd year hosting this. It’s a great opportunity for our local designers to receive recognition for their beautiful work.
Finally, outside of our NKBA work, all of our council members are active in both industry, and non-industry, related work. Nicole owns and runs her own design company, Nicole Anthony Designs, and off hours she enjoys pilates, paper crafting, and dreaming of drag racing the Chevelle she will one day own. Rebecca is a lead designer and social media coordinator with Kitchen Design Concepts, and spends her free time playing soccer, reading, cheering for the Hokies, and enjoying a good flight at the closest brewery. Brianne is a trade representative with Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, and in her spare time, she works out, spends time with her family like watching her older daughter play water polo, and enjoys a good wine tasting. Finally, Andrew is a Co-Owner and lead designer with Kitchen, Bath & Home, and after work he enjoys being with his wife and two daughters, volunteering at his church, and camping every chance he gets.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nkba.org/chapters/texas-north-plains
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nkba_texasnp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NKBATexasNorthPlainsChapter/
- Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/nkba-texas-north-plains-17953919812
Image Credits
Victor Raynes
Cannon Tubb
