Changes in senior leadership throughout the industry, at private companies as well as trade associations. Here are some highlights in NKBA’s Year in Review series, sponsored by Samsung.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
PEOPLE NEWS
DAVID KOHLER ELECTED CHAIR: The Board of Directors of Kohler Co. elected David Kohler as Chair and CEO, following the death of his father, executive chairman Herbert V. Kohler Jr., on Sept. 3. David Kohler now chairs the board and executive committee and remains CEO. He has been with Kohler for more than 31 years and was named president and CEO in 2015, after serving as president and Chief Operating officer since 2009.
BERTAZZONI NAMES OPERATIONS CHIEF: Nicola Bertazzoni, a sixth-generation family member of high-end Italian appliance maker Bertazzoni, was named chief operating officer. He was previously vice president of global sales. Under his direction, the company expanded into numerous international markets and more than doubled the size of its business.
FORTUNE ADDS TO C-SUITE: Fortune Brands Global Plumbing Group (GPG) named two executives to its senior leadership team: Ashley George, previously vice president of finance, was promoted to chief financial officer and senior vice president of global finance, and Chris Fallon joined GPG from Starbucks Coffee Co. as chief information officer.
SCHUBERT NAMED COO AT BSH: Lars Schubert was named Chief Operating Officer and joined the Board of Management of German appliance giant BSH, succeeding Dr. Silke Maurer, who left the company.
NEW MD AT LIEBHERR: Liebherr named Dr. Tim Gerhardt as a managing director of Liebherr USA Co., sharing leadership responsibilities for U.S. operations with Kai Friedrich. Gerhardt succeeded Dr. Torben Reher, who served Liebherr USA, Co. since its inception in 2016 and returned to Germany.
PAGEL TAPPED AT ALVIC: Alvic USA, a manufacturer of cabinet doors and panels, named Tobias Pagel as its first CEO to lead expansion in the U.S. Alvic USA, based in Auburndale, Fla., is a division of Grupo Alvic Spain.
DURVIT NAMES DOWNIE: Duravit NA named Robert “Bob” Downie president of its North American operations. Downie was most recently at LIXIL Water Technologies Americas.
KÉRÉ WINS PRITZKER PRIZE: Diébédo Francis Kéré won the 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize, becoming the first African to capture the prestigious award since its inception in 1979. His projects include schools, health centers and public buildings across Africa in the Republic of Benin, Kenya, Togo, Mozambique, Mali, Sudan and Burkina Faso.
SIMPSON TO LEAD FRONT RANGE: Dr. Colleen Simpson was named president of Front Range Community College, part of the Colorado Community College System. FRCC is an NKBA Affiliated School with an extensive Interior Architecture & Design program that has produced numerous NKBA Student Design Competition winners.
FANTINI NAMES MANAGING DIRECTOR: Javier Korneluk was named managing director of North America for Fantini, an Italian maker of kitchen and bath fixtures. Among its latest collections, this year Fantini introduced the Sailing line, its first North American collaboration designed by Yabu Pushelberg.
STRASSER TAPS MEEHAN: Jeff Meehan was named president of Strasser Woodenworks, a manufacturer of high-end vanities based in Woodinville, Wash. Meehan most recently was general manager for Encore Cabinets & Millwork.
ASSOCIATION EXECS
AHAM TAPS MARIOTTI: The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers named Kelly Mariotti to succeed Joseph McGuire as president and CEO, who retired.
DOWDELL ELECTED AT AIA: Kimberly Dowdell was elected 2023 First VP and 2024 President-elect of the American Institute of Architects. Dowdell, Marketing Principal at HOK Architects and an AIA member since 2007, will be the organization’s 100th president and its first black woman leader. She was president of the National Organization of Minority Architects from 2019 to 2020. AIA’s 2022 president is Daniel Hart, FAIA, PE, and Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, is its 2023 president.
CHANGES AT ASID: Khoi Vo, ASID, IIDA, CIDA, IDEC, IDECF, was named CEO of the American Society of Interior designers, succeeding Gary Wheeler, FASIE, FIIDA, who retired after a two-year term and more than three decades as a member. Vo, a longtime member of the association, was previously VP of Industry Relations at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
NARI’S NEW CHIEF: The National Association of the Remodeling Industries chose Christine Melendes to be CEO, succeeding David Pekel. Melendes, a Certified Association Executive, previously served as SVP of Events & Strategic Projects at the Association for Corporate Growth, among other roles.
