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The NKBA, the leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry and owner of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), today announced its 2023 Board of Directors. Jan Heck, President and CEO of Miele USA, was elected NKBA Board Chair, succeeding Basil E. Larkin, Senior Vice President of Sales at Hestan Commercial Corp.
“As NKBA helps to drive the kitchen and bath industry forward in North America as well as establish a global presence, we’re very pleased to welcome Jan Heck as our new board chair,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO. “Jan and several of our current board members have first-hand experience in the international market, which is invaluable to the NKBA as we continue to grow around the world. We are grateful to our board for their commitment to this industry and their invaluable insights.”
NKBA Board Officers
In addition to Heck, Kristen Elder, Vice President of Residential Builder & Showrooms, Ferguson Enterprises, has been elected Vice Chair, and Ken Williams, President and CEO of Caesarstone North America, was named Board Secretary/Treasurer.
Newly elected 2023 board members include Eduardo Cosentino, EVP Cosentino Group & CEO of Cosentino America, and Kerrie Kelly, CEO & Creative Director of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab. Both are slated to serve four-year terms.
“Having served on NKBA’s board for the past few years, I am truly honored to take on the Chair role,” said Jan Heck, President and CEO of Miele USA. “The NKBA has accomplished many great achievements and I hope to encourage many more. As the Chair, I will do my best to ensure that the Board, as a whole, plays a full and constructive part in the development and determination of the National Kitchen & Bath’s strategy and overall objectives.”
Basil Larkin, Senior Vice President of Sales at Hestan Commercial Corp., and Jan Neiges, CMKBD, Principal of Jan Neiges CKD LLC have both completed their four-year terms and will depart the board at the close of 2022.
Below is the complete list of the 2023 NKBA Board Members, whose tenure begins on January 1, 2023.
2023 NKBA BOARD OFFICERS
Jan Heck, Chair
Named President and CEO of Miele USA in 2016, Jan Heck oversees US operations and sales growth, for the largest family-owned German appliance manufacturer, to ensure the company maintains the status as the leading premium appliance brand. In his responsibilities, he oversees business with a national network of premium appliances retailers and trade partners, and the management of 10 Miele Experience Centers throughout the US. Prior to his US leadership, Jan Heck assumed the role of President of Miele Canada in April 1999. During his tenure, the company became the leading appliance brand in Canada and had grown sales by more than 400%. Previous to Miele, Jan Heck had multiple leadership roles including President of Bizerba Canada and Managing Director of Bizerba UK, a global leader in weighing technology. He is also the chairman of the board of the German American Chamber Commerce New York.
Kristen Elder, Vice Chair
An accomplished consumer product sales and marketing leader, Elder joined Ferguson in 2019 as Senior Director of Appliance Business Development. Elder, currently responsible for showroom and builder strategy and execution, has worked closely with the business groups, sourcing, category management, marketing, and the branch network to boost the sales and profitability of Ferguson’s appliance business. Before joining Ferguson, she spent 20 years in the retail industry at well-known brands such as Sony Electronics, Circuit City and Monark Premium Appliance Company.
Ken Williams, Secretary/Treasurer
Williams joined the company in 2016 as president of Caesarstone Canada, before being promoted in 2019 to the president of Caesarstone North America, a newly created region that combined the U.S. and Canadian operations. Previously, he held various senior executive-level positions, including Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing in several Masco Corporation divisions and general management roles at Fortune Brands, Redhill Company Ltd., and Thorn Stevenson Kellogg Management Consultants.
2023 NKBA BOARD MEMBERS
Mikael Åkerberg
Åkerberg, who has been CEO of nobilia North America since 2017, has over 20 years of experience as an international executive supplying products and services to the construction and remodeling market. At nobilia, he has focused on building sales and expanding logistics to fulfill the demands of the retail and wholesale markets as well as the construction industry in multiple countries. Prior to joining nobilia, Europe’s leading Kitchen manufacturer based in Gutersloh, Germany, Åkerberg held executive positions at Saint-Gobain S.A. and Jeld-Wen Inc.
Eduardo Cosentino
In his current position, Cosentino oversees global sales efforts, using his multicultural background and sales experience to drive the company’s product design and R&D forward. In 2010, he expanded his role at the company to include CEO of Cosentino’s North American operations, responsible for growth in one of its biggest markets. Cosentino is also a member of Cosentino’s Steering Committee, Executive Committee, and Company Board. Since 2002, he has been vice president of the Andalusian Marble Association.
Kerrie Kelly
Kelly is an award-winning and nationally recognized interior designer whose work elevates everyday design, bridging the gap between design principles and life well lived. An author, product designer and multimedia consultant, Kelly is also an NKBA Global Connect Advisor. In addition, she is a Fellow, Design Luminary Award recipient and Past-Chair to the National Board for American Society of Interior Designers (ASID); a Houzz Advisory Board Member; and a Zillow Interior Design National Spokesperson.
Louis M. “Lou” Rohl
Before retiring in February 2022, Rohl served as The House of ROHL’s 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.
Ken Roberts
Promoted to President in 2018, Roberts has been with Delta Faucet Company for 22 years. Prior to his current position, he had been President of Masco Canada. Roberts has held a variety of leadership positions at Delta Faucet Company in sales, international business development, manufacturing, engineering, forecasting, purchasing and logistics. He also spent three years overseas developing Delta Faucet Company’s China operations.
Randy Warner
After leading the sales team for both Signature Kitchen Suite and LG Builder, Warner was promoted in May 2022 to Vice President of Sales for LG Electronics. Previously, he was Vice President of Sales for the Luxury Division of Samsung where he successfully integrated the Dacor brand into the parent company. An Ohio native with three decades of experience in appliances, Warner began his career at Maytag where he worked for 15 years in sales and sales management roles in the U.S. He then joined Electrolux where he launched and oversaw the West Coast Builder Division as well as managed the National Buying Groups. Afterward, he was named president of distribution of the West and Southwest for Sub-Zero, overseeing sales, marketing, operations and customer service.
