Member News: Thermador’s Diversity Initiative, Beko’s Green Honor, Training Days and More

Happenings for, about and of interest to NKBA Members.

COMPANY NEWS

• THERMADOR’S DIVERSITY PROJECT: Luxury appliance brand Thermador has revealed the five scholarship winners and mentors for its inaugural Diversity in Design Pipeline Initiative: Winning students include Aleah Mazyck, UNC Greensboro; Kayla Martin, California State University; Raquel Rodrigues, Texas Tech University; Jonathan Martin, University of Northern Iowa, and Chrystal McLeod, Georgia Southern University. The initiative, in partnership with the Interior Design Society (IDS), supports senior interior design students from underrepresented communities in transitioning to successful careers. Mentors were selected by IDS and include Ami Austin, Bria Hammel, Kelley Finley, Liz MacPhail and Jonathan Savage. For more information about the program, visit the Thermador website.
• CHIEF TRAINING: Starting Nov. 10, Chief Architect will offer a four-part training class designed specifically for the kitchen, bath and interior design professionals. The class, which is NKBA CEU-approved, offers live instruction in a virtual classroom and is led by a certified Chief Architect trainer. This interactive course shows how to be more productive and efficient when designing in Chief Architect. Additionally, CA is offering on-demand training videos for purchase. For details and to sign up or buy the training programs, click here.

  

• SUSTAINABLE HONOR FOR BEKO: Beko has earned a 2021 Sustainable Innovation Award for Smart, Sustainable Home Appliances from Good Housekeeping. Experts assessed the entrants for performance and on factors including energy, water and waste reduction; recycled content and recyclability; reusability and functionality of packaging; corporate social responsibility efforts, including goals for carbon neutrality, zero waste and more, as well as labor and gender equity practices. Beko racked up the EPA’s Energy Star accolades, including the Energy Star Emerging Technology Award for refrigeration products. This year marked its third as a winner of the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award. Click here to read more about this year’s winners.
• CEU CONFERENCE IN NYC: The A&D Building, 150 East 58^th Street in Manhattan, is hosting a two-day in-person CEU program, part of its Showroom Series, on Nov. 17 and 18, followed by a building-wide open house on Nov. 19. Brands with showrooms in the building will offer nine live seminars on design trends, product updates, sustainable living, wellness and more. On the 19^th, three additional virtual webinars will run, and during the open house, the Cosentino, SieMatic, Smeg and Snaidero USA showrooms will re-open. For details and to register, click here.

  

• WITHERSPOON TO JOIN KOHLER SUMMIT: Kohler Co. will explore ideas and innovations in a virtual event Nov. 4 and 5. “Kohler Living” will bring together thought leaders from design, art, culture, business and its own corporate corridors to discuss topics and products affecting the way we live and work. Among the headliners is actress Reese Witherspoon, who will join president and CEO David Kohler to talk about championing a personal and professional mission and becoming a force for positive change. The conference will focus on wellbeing, design and inspiration, smarter homes and “Believing in Better.” It will be livestreamed, with sessions available on-demand after the event. For a full agenda and to register, click here.

• EMERALD ACQUIRES AV-iQ: Emerald Holding Inc., parent of NKBA’s show producing partner Emerald, which produces KBIS and CEDIA Expo, has acquired AV-iQ, a product database and integrator service provider in the commercial audio-video space. AV-iQ provides a central database to serve the commercial AV community with a platform for integrators and end users to research, plan and connect with AV brands and their channel partners, according to CE Pro. This further expands Emerald’s commitment to the AV Market. Work is in progress to launch a residentially focused version of AV-iQ in January. For more info, visit av-iq.com.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

• CEDIA’S NEW PRESIDENT: Former GRAMMY exec Daryl Friedman has been named global president and CEO of CEDIA, assuming the post on Nov. 29. Friedman spent more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership roles, having overseen membership, advocacy, industry relations and the technical wing for the 25,000-member Recording Academy, producer of the GRAMMY Awards and representing technical and creative music professionals.
• INGLIS RELINQUISHING ROLE: Susan Inglis will step back from her role as executive director of the Sustainable Furnishing Council, a position she held for 15 years. Business of Home reports she will lead the search for her replacement and remain executive director until the SFC chooses a new candidate in January. Under her leadership, Inglis helped build membership to its current level of nearly 400 wholesalers, retailers and designers while continuing the mission of educating the design and furnishings industry about the importance of sustainability. 

CHAPTER NEWS

• WASTE NOT: The Indiana State chapter is hosting a CEU event focused on recycling and reusing materials. Imagine The Future If Waste Didn’t Exist! takes place Nov. 16 from 5:30 to8:30 pm(EST) at the Kohler Signature Showroom (aka Crescent Supply), 4335 East 82nd Street, Indianapolis. Abi Dickerson from Kohler will discuss sustainability, eco-friendly practices and recycling trends, such as tile backsplashes and tub surrounds engineered and resurrected from waste and cast-off products, which can help efforts to reduce industrial waste. Tickets for NKBA members are $20; non-members are $30. No charge for students/educators. Click here for details and to register.