HISTORY OF NKBA NZ

The first meeting of the Steering Committee for the proposed NZ Chapter of the American Institute of Kitchen Dealers was held on Monday 23rd March 1981 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Affiliation was approved in 1982 when a group of New Zealand delegates attended the Dallas Convention and then in 1983 the name was changed to National Kitchen and Bathroom Association (NZ) Inc in line with the USA changes.

David Bass was elected our first National President and Ellen Cheever visited in June 1983 to present a series of seminars. She represented the USA Association and presented a framed Affiliation Agreement and the formal agreement for signing.

• Four regional chapters set up in November (Auckland, Christchurch, Waikato and Hawkes Bay)
• 15 designers achieved the CKD/CBD qualification
• First Executive Officer appointed in February – Bob Wright
• Design competition set up with Trends Publishing (Gordon Dryden & David Johnson)
• Judy Bark ran first training courses
• Wellington Chapter joined (fifth Chapter)
• National Board representatives elected from Regional Chapters
• Central North Island, Nelson, & Bay of Plenty Chapters set up
• Michael Grace took over as Executive Officer
• SOE (Seal of Excellence) Scheme set up
• First Life Members – David Bass and Jack Clarke
• Michael Grace and Judy Bark attended meeting in Hawaii and annual Affiliation fee set at $1500 payable into an interest bearing account in NZ to be used to further relationships between USA and NZ
• Judy Bark elected as Education Officer
• Nelson Chapter set up – Top of the South
• Certified Designers Society formed
• Michael Timmins took over as Executive Officer
• Bay of Plenty Chapter set up
• SOE (Seal of Excellence) scheme terminated
• New industry publication – Kitchen & Bathroom Focus later to become Forum
• Hall of Fame started in NZ – Judy Bark, David Bass and Bob Wright Gary Sheffield (IPP NKBA USA) attended NZ conference Chapter Rules and CDS Rules agreed
• Jim Krengel (IPP NKBA USA) attended NZ Conference
• New Cabinetry Standards released
• Linda Eyre-Smith took over as Education Director
• Judy Bark became a Life Member
• 1999 – Taranaki Chapter set up
• New Executive Director – Linda Eyre-Smith
• 2002 – New Education Director – Jill Carrol
• 2003 – Frances Robinson took over as Education Director
• David Corbett and Colin Vaughan made Life Members
• Members 2004 – Linda Eyre-Smith made a Life Member
• Retail publication issued – Kitchens & Bathrooms With Confidence
• New Executive Director – Nicki Mills
• Marykate Coles, Wellington – New Education Facilitator
• Julie Walker CKD/CBDNZ became a Life Member
• Al Pattison (USA President) Visits NZ to attend annual conference
• Milvia Hannah (NZ President) and Nicki Mills (Exec Director) invited to USA
• KBIS conference Las Vegas USA
• Sara Ann Busby (USA President) visits NZ to attend Annual Conference
• Milvia Hannah received Masters CMKDNZ/CMBDNZ
• Milvia Hannah became a Life Member
• New Executive Director – Suzie Rees
• Debra DeLorenzo received Masters CMKDNZ/CMBDNZ
• Frances Robinson received Masters CMKDNZ/CMBDNZ
• Frances Robinson became a Life Member
• 2017 – Peter King became a Life Member

NATIONAL PRESIDENTS: