The deadline is Sept. 30 to submit the remarkable individual(s) whose contributions forever changed the kitchen and bath industry.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
Nominations for the Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame are being accepted through Sept. 30, and NKBA is looking for those special individuals whose contributions stand out. Honorees in the Class of 2022 will be celebrated at KBIS in Orlando on Feb. 7 at The Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards, the evening before the expo opens. Registration for the show, which will be held live Feb. 8-10 at the Orange County Convention Center,opens Sept. 1. NKBA members enjoy free registration for the month of September.
The NKBA created the Hall of Fame in 1989. It now includes more than 90 individuals. Some of the HoF members are known for their inventions or for the companies they founded. Many others were honored for their service to NKBA, on local and national levels. Among these are:
- Leon Raider, CKD. The true father of the NKBA, Raider was a Kitchen Kompact independent rep in Philadelphia. He wrote a letter to the editor of Kitchen Business in February 1963 describing the need for a dealer association and outlining a way to set it up. It led directly to the first meeting, and Raider served as unofficial executive secretary throughout that first year. Inducted in 1989.
- John M. Kennedy Jr., CKD. One of the most dedicated of the early officers, John M. Kennedy Jr. was elected third president of AIKD in 1966 and again in 1967. In 1971, he was named Time magazine’s “AIKD Man of the Year.” Inducted in 1989.
- H. Dean Church, the first president of the Association of Independent Kitchen Dealers, which became NKBA. Church’s unbounded enthusiasm was irresistible to new members and made him ideal for the Association’s first president. He operated Kitchens by Church in Swarthmore, Pa. Inducted in 1989.
- Lewis Colbert, CKD, of Champaign, Ill., formed a Midwest chapter in 1964 with practically no other members in the area. He worked with the University of Illinois in developing the Kitchen Industry Technical Manuals and the Certified Kitchen Designer program. Inducted in 1989.
- Robert L. Wieland, CKD. An original founder of AIKD, Wieland was an active member of the Association’s Board of Directors, and was the second president. Recognized as the first Certified Kitchen Designer, he served as Chairman of the Society of Certified Kitchen Designers from its inception in 1967 to 1976. He won 34 national design awards, including the 1990 James Foster Memorial Award, and spearheaded the program to create the Kitchen Industry Technical Manuals in cooperation with the University of Illinois. Inducted in 1990.
- Martha Kerr, CKD, CBD, dedicated her career to the betterment of the K&B industry. She worked on the development of the Bathroom Industry Technical Manuals and assisted in the development of the Certified Bathroom Designer program. Kerr was the first recipient of CBD certification. She was the first woman elected president of the NKBA. Inducted in 1996.
- Suzie Williford, current NKBA EVP of Industry Relations & Chief Strategy Officer. Suzie Williford’s career in the kitchen and bath industry has spanned more than three decades, serving the association and the industry in several capacities. She started her career in showroom sales in Texas, ultimately managing K&B companies catering to both the trade and consumer markets. Her volunteer efforts for the NKBA include 10 years on the board of directors, serving as board president in 2009. She joined the association as a full-time employee in 2012 and was named to her current role in 2018. Williford has been instrumental in the tremendous growth of NKBA, expansion of KBIS and implementation of several of the Association’s successful programs. Inducted in 2019.
All members of the Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame are featured in a special gallery online as well as at NKBA’s New Jersey headquarters. Look for more featured Hall of Famers throughout the month, visit the Hall online, and nominate an outstanding individual for this honor by Sept. 30. For guidelines, click here.
