26 YEARS AGO ON THIS DATE: AUGUST 17, 1997

By Mark Rosenhaus— In 1997, interior designer Colette Whitney, of Whitney Interiors, and a few determined colleagues began organizing what would eventually become the Manhattan Chapter of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). At that time, individual members, businesses, CKDs, and CBDs (the only appellations at that time) belonged to the Metro New York Chapter. Most of its large membership was located on Long Island, New York.

Click here to read our Mission Statement and meeting notice from April 17, 1997.

To attend meetings, Manhattanites needed to endure heavy rush hour traffic, often several hours, and pay for dinner. For fast-paced city people, this was untenable. All the necessary facilities are right here in Manhattan, was the battle call. 

We petitioned the NKBA. Metro, understandably, did not want to lose members. We insisted. We persisted. We are New Yorkers. We don’t take NO for an answer. We negotiated!

Metro would retain the boroughs of Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. We would be Manhattan only. The NKBA and Metro reluctantly finally relented.

Our first volunteer officers included President Colette Whitney, Nancy Mullan, Sue Kasten, Ann Morris, Mark Rosenhaus, Michael K. Storms, Reeva Locker, Lisa Lipsky, and David Linzer. We penned a Mission Statement. Success came on April 17, 1997, and the Manhattan NKBA Sub-Chapter's first official meeting took place at B&B Italia showroom, in the iconic NYC A&D Building.