Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2023 40 The NKBA, the leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry and owner of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), 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. 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. Below is the complete list of the 2023 NKBA Board Members, whose tenure began on January 1, 2023. 2023 NKBA BOARD OFFICERS Jan Heck, Chair President & CEO, Miele USA, Princeton, NJ Named president and CEO of Miele USA in 2016, Jan Heck oversees U.S. operations and sales growth for the largest family-owned German appliance manufacturer to ensure that the company maintains its status as the leading premium appliance brand. Heck oversees business with a national network of premium appliances retailers and trade partners, and the management of 10 Miele Experience Centers throughout the U.S. Prior to his U.S .leadership, Jan assumed the role of president of Miele Canada in April 1999. During his tenure the company became the leading appliance brand in Canada and grew 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 chairman of the board of the German American Chamber of Commerce, New York. Kristen Elder, Vice Chair Vice President of Residential Builder & Showrooms at Ferguson Enterprises, Newport News, VA An accomplished consumer product sales and marketing leader, Elder joined Ferguson in 2019 as senior director of appliance business development. Elder is currently responsible for showroom and builder strategy and execution and 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 President & CEO, Caesarstone North America, Charlotte, NC Williams joined the company in 2016 as president of Caesarstone Canada, before being promoted in 2019 as 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 Chairman & CEO, nobilia North America, Miami, FL 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 EVP Cosentino Group & CEO, Cosentino America, Miami, FL THE NKBA ANNOUNCES 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jan Heck, president & CEO of Miele USA, elected board chair JAN HECK A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S

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