NKBA Announces 2014 30 Under 30 Award Recipients

The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) will recognize the 2014 30 Under 30 group at the upcoming Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS®), to be held Feb. 4 – 6, 2014, in Las Vegas. The NKBA will not only acknowledge these talented young individuals, but also help them immerse and apply themselves to new opportunities for growth and development in support of the industry. ­

“We are excited to present our 30 Under 30 young professionals at KBIS 2014 for the second year in a row,” says Nancy Barnes, NKBA Director of Learning. “The program launch in 2013 was a huge success with the group, which included enthusiastic entrepreneurs, forward-thinking CEOs, and cutting-edge designers, all in their 20s.”

In a program called “Introductions to the Industry,” the 2014 30 Under 30 group will make its debut on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Center Stage, NKBA Booth #N2163. 2014 NKBA President John Petrie, CMKBD, will introduce these young achievers to the extensive gathering of industry professionals at KBIS.

“Introduced last year, the 30 Under 30 program is designed to capture the voice of the next generation of kitchen and bathroom professionals,” says Petrie. “The group scours the show floor for innovations, trends and new technologies, as well as sustainable business practices and emerging business models and then shares these insights with attendees.”

At KBIS 2014, the newly inducted group will work on obtaining valuable information on a specific topic from exhibitor feedback and share their findings during a Featured Speaker presentation on Feb. 6. In this lively session, the 30 Under 30 group will present their research on critical kitchen and bath industry topics and answer questions regarding any issues that professionals face in their businesses.

The candidates selected for the 30 Under 30 program at KBIS 2014 include: Moe Abbas, Ottawa General Contractors; Jessica Sterling Altman, Hatchett Design/Remodel; Carolyn P. Andrews, Preston Feather Building Company; Molly Christina Barr, Erskine Interiors; Danielle Burkhardt, MBA,  Robern - A Kohler Company; Felix Antonio Capitulo, Aeon Stone and Tile; Challaigne Cole, The Home Depot; Alexa Dorsey, KraftMaid Cabinetry; Mark Eglington, MBA, Euro-Line Appliances West; Neshi Frankforter, Utica Avenue Plumbing Supply; Brittany Gardner, CKD, American Woodmark Corp. – Timberlake Cabinetry; Danielle Gundrum, Oasis Showrooms by APR Supply; Ashley Kasper, Kitchen & Bath Concepts; Jennifer Kowalski, Best Plumbing Showroom; Corey Laurysen, MBA,  Laurysen Kitchens Ltd.; Lauren Lawless, Giorgi Kitchens; Alicia Lowe, Stone Source, Inc.; Alicia Meeker, Pacific Rim Cabinets; Cassandra Nordell-MacLean, William Standen Co. Design; Vanessa Pinelli, Troico Home Solutions and Manufacturing; Courtney Rogers, Renewal Design-Build; Andrew Saladino, Just Bath Vanities; Stephanie Stead, Willis; Ebony Stephenson, Criner Remodeling; Molly N. Switzer, AKBD, Precision Countertops; Kristy Weber, Apex Surfaces; Kristin Whalen, The Home Depot; Robert Willis, Whitehaus Collection; Kristi Wittmann, Inside Outside; and Megan B. Zimny, AKBD,  The Kitchen & Floor Shoppe.