December 7, 2023

Ken Williams, President & CEO of Caesarstone the Americas, has been elected Chair of the NKBA 2024 Board of Directors, effective January 1. He succeeds Jan Heck, President & CEO of Miele USA.

Jan Heck, as well as Kristen Elder, VP of Residential Builder & Showrooms at Ferguson Enterprises, completed their four-year terms and will be leaving the NKBA Board of Directors at the end of 2023.

“I am deeply honored to assume the role of Chair of the NKBA 2024 Board,” said Williams, who is serving his third year on the board. “Reflecting on my time serving on the Board for the past two years, I’ve seen firsthand the remarkable efforts dedicated to cultivating new opportunities and the next generation of talent for our industry. I look forward to this next chapter with the NKBA to further drive innovation and excellence.”

Bill Darcy, named Global President & CEO of NKBA | KBIS at the association’s November board meeting, expressed a warm welcome to Williams and thanked the board members for their contributions. “They all bring a unique perspective from different sectors and roles in the industry, and NKBA benefits from the intelligent exchange of ideas that comes from this collaboration,” said Darcy, whose new title reflects the growing influence and importance of NKBA and KBIS in the international market. “I’d also like to thank our outgoing chair, Jan Heck, for his efforts in 2023.”

In addition to Williams, NKBA | KBIS also elected returning board member, Louis “Lou” M. Rohl, Founder of The House of ROHL, as Vice Chair, and returning board member Kerrie Kelly, Founder and CEO + Creative Director of Kerrie Kelly Studio, as Secretary/Treasurer. Rohl will be in his fourth and final year on the board, while Kelly will be serving out her second year.

New 2024 board members include John Barkhouse, CEO of Cabinetworks Group, and Nicola Bertazzoni, COO of Bertazzoni Group, Italy & CEO Bertazzoni North America Inc., and both will serve four-year terms. Bertazzoni is the first-ever Board member to be based outside of North America, again underscoring the increasing global impact of NKBA and KBIS.

Below is the complete list of the 2024 NKBA Board Members, whose tenure begins on January 1, 2024.

2024 BOARD OFFICERS

KEN WILLIAMS, Chair | President & CEO, Caesarstone the Americas, Charlotte, NC

Williams joined the company in 2016 as president of Caesarstone Canada, before being promoted in 2019 to 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, Rehill Company Ltd., and Thorn Stevenson Kellogg Management Consultants.

LOUIS “LOU” M. ROHL, Vice Chair | Founder, The House of ROHL, Irvine, Calif.

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.

KERRIE KELLY, Secretary/Treasurer | CEO & Creative Director, Kerrie Kelly Studio, Sacramento, Calif.

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.

2024 BOARD MEMBERS

RANDY WARNER | VP of Sales, LG Electronics, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

After leading the sales team for both Signature Kitchen Suite, LG’s luxury kitchen appliance division, and LG Builder, in May 2022 Randy was promoted 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. Afterwards, he was named president of distribution of the West and Southwest for Sub-Zero, overseeing sales, marketing, operations and customer service. Warner holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of South Florida.

MIKAEL ÅKERBERG | CEO, nobilia North America, Miami, Fla.

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, which is Europe’s leading Kitchen manufacturer based in Gutersloh, Germany, Åkerberg held executive positions at Saint-Gobain S.A. and Jeld-Wen Inc. Åkerberg earned his MBA at IHM Business School in Sweden.

KEN ROBERTS | President, Atlas Roofing Corporation, Atlanta, Ga.

Ken Roberts joined Atlas Roofing company as president August of 2023. Prior to that, Roberts was with Delta Faucet Company for 29 years. Known for his ability to build teams and manage complexity, Ken has held a variety of leadership positions over his career in sales, international business development, manufacturing, engineering, forecasting, purchasing and logistics. He also spent three years overseas developing Delta Faucet Company’s China operations. Roberts holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as well as a Master’s of Management in Manufacturing degree from Northwestern University.

EDUARDO COSENTINO | EVP Cosentino Group & CEO, Cosentino Americas, Miami, Fla.

Eduardo Cosentino is the Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Sales and CEO of Cosentino Americas. In the former, he oversees the Group’s sales efforts on a global scale, where he utilizes his multicultural background and sales experience to propel the company’s product design and R&D forward. In addition to his global sales role, he became CEO of Cosentino’s North America operations in 2010, leading the company’s growth in one of largest and most important markets for the organization. Eduardo has developed a substantial career within Cosentino Group, working his way up by serving in multiple roles that allowed him to profoundly understand the business. Prior to his current roles, he worked in multiple divisions, from workshop and commercial operations to sales and senior management roles both at the regional and international level. He is also a member of Cosentino’s Steering Committee, Executive Committee and Company Board. Since 2002 he has been VP of the Andalusian Marble Association, and in 2023 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce, serving as Vice President. Eduardo is motivated by finding solutions to complex problems and developing the talents of his team while helping them develop professionally. Guided by his entrepreneurial spirit, intuition, and creative problem-solving, Eduardo is a key piece in the continued growth and success of Cosentino globally.

JOHN BARKHOUSE, CEO, Cabinetworks Group, Livonia, MI

John Barkhouse is the Chief Executive Officer of Cabinetworks Group, the largest privately held cabinetmaker in the United States. Under John’s leadership, Cabinetworks Group serves an expansive network of major home improvement centers, independent dealers, distributors and multi-family home builders as well as consumers, with the industry’s most comprehensive choice of cabinetry—including leading brands such as KraftMaid®, Medallion® and Merillat® cabinetry. John has spent over 25 years leading global mid and large-cap companies in the industrial, energy, and services sectors. Prior to joining Cabinetworks in 2021, John held leadership roles with Caterpillar, Newalta Corporation, Clarios, and Brookfield Asset Management. John has a proven track record of transforming and growing companies through service and manufacturing innovation, operational excellence, and teamwork while keeping customers at the heart of the business. John holds an MBA from Bradley and an Engineering degree from Dalhousie University.

NICOLA BERTAZZONI, COO Bertazzoni Group, Italy & CEO, Bertazzoni North America Inc., Guastalla, Italy

Bertazzoni holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Modena, Italy. Nicola started his professional career in the automotive business, working for the joint venture between General Motors and Fiat, prior to holding management positions at Fiat Group in Italy, and Toyota Europe HQ in Belgium.

In 2008 he joined the 6th generation family-owned major appliance business. After serving in multiple roles, he assumed the position of VP Sales in 2012 with a focus on global sales, and set up subsidiaries for the corporation throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas as part of a business development strategy in the key markets. Nicola is President/Director of all subsidiaries, including Bertazzoni North America Inc., the US & Canadian business unit.

In 2021 he assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer for the entire Bertazzoni Group overseeing the company worldwide.

Photos: NKBA