Getting to Know NKBA Board of Director Member Lou Rohl. By Steven Campeau
The Board of Directors leads the Association in carrying out its strategic plan and focuses on matters of the Association policy at a high level. This important national volunteer role is composed of nine individuals who serve four-year terms. The 2022 national election cycle, happening now through September 30, will include two open positions for the Board of Directors. If interested in applying for one of these open positions, please go here. Today we’re featuring Lou Rohl, Chair & Founder of House of Rohl.
How did you get your start in the kitchen and bath industry and/or NKBA?
While attending college I worked as a material handler and wood shop fabricator at St. Charles Kitchens in St. Charles, Ill.. After graduation, I took a job as an apprentice in Switzerland working for KWC Faucets. Upon my return my father, who was acting as KWC’s US partner, needed help with warehousing and logistics. With the addition of my two brothers we became a family business under the brand name of ROHL, LLC. During those years I was heavily involved with the local SoCal and NorCal chapters of the NKBA. In 2016, Fortune Brands Home and Security acquired us along with four other luxury brands, and we became The House of Rohl.
What National Committee are you currently on and why did you want to volunteer for it?
I’m on the NKBA Board of Directors. I have always had a long standing relationship with NKBA leadership and fully support their efforts, especially with the association’s manufacturing partners. I’m always ready to help, so I took the board opportunity when it became available two years ago. I think it’s a wonderful way of giving back to an organization that has completely supported me over the years.
What is your favorite part of being an NKBA member and/or national volunteer?
The people associated with this amazing industry. Few careers offer the opportunity to mix design and creativity with beautiful, durable goods while helping customers to achieve their individualistic design goals. We are profoundly making a difference in people’s lives.
Do you have a current trend or product that members just have to know more about?
Luxury kitchens and baths are becoming very much the “must have” for homeowners. Never before in my 40 years in this industry have I seen such an interest of investment in this area. While this trend has been growing over the years, the pandemic has been a seminal event and it’s not going away anytime soon. Safety, security and comfort is the new focus. The kitchen is the heart of the home and the bath is the sanctuary.
What inspires you about the kitchen and bath industry and/or in your life?
The endless amount of creativity that this industry offers both to the members and consumers. I’ve seen an industry evolve from being seen as the functional supplier to the home to one that is now the cutting edge in design and fashion. You know you have really hit the big time when Hollywood focuses as much on the kitchens and bathrooms as it does the movie stars. (Think any Nancy Meyers movies as an example.)
Bonus Questions:
Where is your favorite vacation spot and does that influence your home decor?
The Amalfi Coast in Italy and Italian Coastal Cool. For our home décor we were greatly influenced by the Dodler Grand hotel in Zurich, Switzerland. The hotel was originally built in 1899 however the 2008 renovation and enlargement was led by Norman Foster (hyperlink – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Foster,_Baron_Foster_of_Thames_Bank) which greatly informed our current aesthetic.
What are you most looking forward to this year, personally or professionally? (or both!)
Can’t wait for KBIS 2023. Vegas, Baby! In all seriousness, the 2023 Design and Construction Week has the makings of being the best KBIS ever. Post- excitement,increasing industry demand, and the addition of The National Hardware Show® (NHS) along with NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) will create the greatest trade show draw ever.
What topic or area are you most passionate about in the kitchen and bath industry?
Attracting and training the next generation of professionals. I used to joke that nobody grows up wanting to sell kitchen and bath products, however it is our opportunity to make the case that this is a wonderful, rewarding and very lucrative industry to make a career.
About Lou Rohl
Lou served as Chair and Founder of House of Rohl. In this position he acted as the strategic thought leader in the U.S. and was responsible for relationships with key vendors and customers. Rohl started his career nearly four decades ago, working at St. Charles Kitchens in St. Charles, IL., and at KWC Faucets in Switzerland before becoming a founding member of ROHL. He is an industry partner at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), an Interior Design Continuing Education Credited(IDCEC) Instructor, and a member of the executive coaching organization, Vistage International. Rohl is a graduate of Western Illinois University and the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business executive leadership training program.
