By Dianne M. Pogoda
MEMBER NEWS
DRYER DRAWER LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK: Nic White-Petteruti, founder and CEO of Dryer Drawer and a new NKBA member, is in the process of taking his invention, the Dryer Drawer, from fully functioning prototype to market. White-Petteruti, a mechanical engineer by trade, invented the Dryer Drawer, a watertight, vented enclosure installed under the counter to quickly dry wet dishes and utensils. He’s crowdsourcing feedback from K&B designers to help refine the product, and created a five-minute survey (click here), offering $50 for the first 30 valid responses, $25 for subsequent responses.
APPLIANCES CONNECTION’S NEW TRADE PROGRAMS: Appliances Connection has expanded its trade programs for designers, builders, architects and cabinet dealers. Design Pro+ and Builder Pro+ members receive special pricing, a dedicated account manager, free delivery and package-finding service designed to specs, with access to 300+ appliance brands and thousands of SKUs — in stock and ready to ship nationwide. Intuitive tools and product specialists help choose appliances filtered by brand, style, color, price and more — from different manufacturers — to get the best value for their residential or commercial projects.
THOR’S SUSTAINABILITY HONOR: Thor Kitchen’s 30-inch and 36-inch Professional Electric Cooktops have won a 2022 Green Good Design Global Sustainability Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Thor’s cooktops offer increased energy efficiency for all-electric cooking, transferring 74 percent of energy directly to the food compared to 40 percent efficiency when cooking with gas, the company says. The Green Good Design Awards recognize products and leaders in the quest toward a healthier and more sustainable future, and are an extension of the original Good Design awards, founded in 1950 by iconic designers Eero Saarinen and Charles and Ray Eames.
INDUSTRY NEWS
CEDIA NAMES KEYNOTER: Greg Durkin, founder and CEO of Guts+Data, will deliver the keynote address during CEDIA Expo 2022. The show runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, with educational conference days on Sept. 28-30. Durkin’s theme will be “Entertainment Evolution 2022: Content Overload,” and will explore opportunities for integrators in the changing digital media landscape, the proliferation of content, streaming platforms and hardware, and how integrators can meet the challenges of this new content ecosystem and help their clients. Register for CEDIA here; early-bird rates are available through July 29.
STUDIES SAY GAS IS HEALTH HAZARD: A new study published by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health said besides contributing to climate change, natural gas contains 21 polluting compounds known to pose health risks, including benzene, Xylene and ethylbenzene. Some 20 states and a growing number of cities have banned new residential gas lines to address climate concerns. Designers and NKBA members Jackie Schagen and Sharon Sherman discuss the topic in a Forbes article by Jamie Gold, CKD.
CABINET SALES SPIKE: The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association reported overall cabinet sales spiked 20 percent in May compared to May 2021, with custom cabinet sales jumping 20.9 percent, semi-custom cabinets up 15.4 percent and stock cabinet sales rising 23 percent. KCMA’s latest monthly Trend of Business Survey revealed that month-to-month comparisons were also strong, up 8 percent overall from April, although YOY supply edged down 0.8 percent.
PLUMBING FORECAST IS BULLISH: The U.S. Behind-the-Wall Plumbing Market is projected to Increase 8.1 percent annually, expected to reach $17.9 billion by 2025, according to market research firm ResearchAndMarkets.com. Though demand in real terms will be more moderate, real growth in the market will result from a rebound in commercial building construction, a continued high level of new housing construction — including a trend toward larger bathrooms — and continuing high levels of home renovation begun during the COVID-19 pandemic. A shift toward plastic behind-the-wall pipe and fittings — the most widely used and less expensive than metal products — is expected to restrain even faster value growth.
PEOPLE NEWS
NARI NAMES CHIEF: The National Association of the Remodeling Industries has tapped Christine Melendes as its new CEO, after a six-month search to find a successor to David Pekel. Melendes, a Certified Association Executive, brings more than two decades of experience working with associations, most recently as SVP of Events & Strategic Projects at the Association for Corporate Growth, and as Director of Membership Marketing for the Professional Convention Management Association and Operations Director at the Women’s Foodservice Forum. NARI experienced a shakeup in 2021, with several chapters breaking away from the national organization.
STRASSER TAPS MEEHAN: Jeff Meehan has been named president of Strasser Woodenworks, a manufacturer of high-end vanities based in Woodinville, Wash. An industry veteran, Meehan has had a long career in building products and distribution, including sales leadership roles at Canyon Creek Cabinet Co., Wellborn Cabinet, Richelieu Hardware, Kohler and most recently, as general manager for Encore Cabinets & Millwork. In his new post, Meehan will focus on growing the business by refining operations, adding technology and increasing capacity.
CHAPTER NEWS
SEE THE SISTINE CHAPEL: Drop in to the West Michigan Chapter’s Sistine Chapel Tour at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Ah-Nab-Awen Park at 303 Pearl St. NW in Grand Rapids on July 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no registration necessary). Guests who come between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. receive a sack lunch sponsored by Cosentino and picnic next door at the park, and the $5 fee helps cover the cost of discounted tickets to the museum, the special exhibition and lunch. The exhibition includes images painstakingly re-created from the original ceiling paintings of one of Michelangelo’s greatest works, detailed explanations (audio guides are available to rent) and visitors may get up close to take photos of the iconic work — something you can’t do at the Vatican.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN’S PURPLE BAG CHALLENGE: Join the Rocky Mountain Chapter for a unique Purple Bag Design Challenge. To participate, register to pick up or have a bag delivered, and incorporate the mystery items in the bag in a design of your choice — any design is eligible, from jewelry or furniture to decorative items, clothing and more. Bring your completed design (or come along to watch) to Granite World, 1780 E. 66th Avenue in Denver, July 28 at 5:30 p.m., for judging, prizes, networking and a tour of Granite World’s new state-of-the-art facility. NKBA Members: $25, Non-members: $35, more info and to register, go here.
