Modern Home Builders Issue 128 August 2023 | Page 14

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Furthermore , in 2013 , Bill helped establish NKBA ’ s Thirty Under 30 Program to spotlight millennial kitchen and bath professionals , including independent designers and remodelers , rising in their careers . “ Each year , we search for 30 outstanding young professionals across all market segments who possess the passion , creativity and brilliance to be the voice of the next generation of kitchen and bathroom experts .
“ Our Thirty Under 30 initiative is designed to celebrate the future rockstars of our industry and propel their careers forward with opportunities to help identify significant trends , innovation and technology , sustainable business practices , and emerging business models at KBIS . We now have 330 alumni that continue to engage and represent the future of our industry . We are excited to expand this group to 360 when they arrive at KBIS 2024 in Las Vegas ,” he shares .
Remain agile
In the meantime , the industry is working to overcome a few hurdles that have resulted since the impact of the pandemic . Consumers can expect prices of kitchen and bath products to increase slightly in 2023 , with dealers estimating an increase of two percent . However , price increase expectations are down from previous highs .
Additionally , NKBA ’ s Q1 2023 Kitchen and Bath Market Index indicated that slowing demand and additional manufacturing capacity has allowed manufacturers to catch up on backlogs and reduce overall lead times . “ Our index reports that ten weeks is the longest consumers will wait for kitchen and bath products , with appliances having the longest average lead time ,” says Bill .
There is also the global labor shortage . “ I was invited to join the Operating Committee of the National Housing Endowment ’ s
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