With this latest attempt to start licensing the design profession (a license for which you will most not likely be eligible), the interior design lobby seeks to reserve for themselves the right to submit construction documents and specifications and require that local code enforcement officials accept those plans for permits.

Read more on the proposed bill at the following Link

The local chapter of NKBA will speak in opposition to Senate Bill 120 at a hearing scheduled for this Thursday, February 16th. We are asking you to take action in support of NKBA’s opposition to this bill as follows:

Send a Message to Senate Committee Members voicing your opposition to Senate Bill 120

It will literally take 3 minutes of your time to go to NKBA’s web site and send a message to the members of the Senate Committee telling them to oppose unnecessary restrictive design licensing in the State of Colorado by Clicking this Link.

Plan on attending the State Senate hearing scheduled for this Thursday, February 16^th

Join your local NKBA representatives at the Senate hearing to show support and witness the legislative process in action. The hearing on Senate Bill 120 is scheduled for February 16th at 9:30 a.m. in Senate Committee Room 353, on the 3rd Floor, East side of the State Capitol building located at 200 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. We hope to see you there!

Thank you,

Your Rocky Mountain Chapter NKBA Executive Committee

Questions?    Contact Mary Jo Hren, VP Government Relations

To offer your company the most qualified candidate the Internship Guidelines and an Internship Request Form are attached allowing you to provide the students with a specific job description.

If you plan to attend this quarter’s Internship Fair on March 2nd, please RSVP Carol Lundin at clundin@aii.edu by Wednesday, February 22nd. We only have space for 25 companies, so please RSVP early to reserve your spot.

RSVP by sending:
1. Who from your company will be attending. (Please keep to 2 interviewers per internship.)
2. Your completed Internship Request form. (Let us know if you have attended in the past and would like to keep the information that is on file.)

RSVP early if you are interested in an intern for Spring 2012!

Please CALL  303-824-4921 if you need to cancel, so that we might fill your space with someone else.

We hope to see you on March 2nd! Thank you for your continued support of The Art Institute of Colorado!

We will be creating study groups in the beginning of June for the CKD and CBD exams for spring.  Stay tuned for more information to follow.

NKBA members, be sure to register for the free webinar, Selling Your Expertise, available on February 28 and March 13 at 1:30 p.m. EST.

Selling Your Expertise provides an interactive platform to discuss selling your current expertise and credentials. This course will also discuss the importance of establishing a personal brand and crafting a mission statement. You’ll have opportunities to complete a personal analysis to identify strengths and development opportunities, create an action plan, and determine your next steps.

This webinar is only free to NKBA members who’ve renewed for 2012. To register for Selling Your Expertise on either February 28 or March 13, please contact NKBA Customer Service at 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522). Don’t delay- space is limited!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Annette Gray
Manager of Media Relations
(908) 813-3773
agray@nkba.org

Hackettstown, N.J. (January 24, 2012) – The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is proud to announce that it has served as the professional resource for kitchen safety and planning in this year’s HGTV Dream Home 2012.

A 4,000-square-foot modern Western ranch house has been constructed outside of picturesque Park City, Utah, and HGTV adhered to the NKBA’s kitchen planning guidelines with access standards, in creating sound, high-functioning, and enduring spaces.

The 31 Kitchen Planning Guidelines cover all areas of the room, some of which include the work triangle traffic, seating clearance, dishwasher placement and cooking surface ventilation, to oven landing area, electrical receptacles and lighting.

“We are proud to continue our relationship with HGTV, and offer the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines as a respected industry resource in the creation of functional and sound kitchen and bath spaces,” said Certified Kitchen Designer Alan W. Zielinski, 2012 NKBA President. “The NKBA is honored to be part of this exceptional project.”

Each year over the past 16 years, HGTV has selected a new location as the site for the HGTV Dream Home House Planner Jack Thomasson has headed up a team of experts that construct the home over the course of only six months. Each home is featured on HGTV.com through periodic blog updates, time lapse photos and video chronicling the exterior progress of the project.

Entrants have the opportunity to enter twice daily – once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com through February 17, 2012, at 5 p.m. ET, with the entry period having launched on December 30, 2011.

Now that the home is completed and HGTV Dream Home Interior Designer Linda Woodrum has put her finishing touches on the interior and exterior spaces, the NKBA is proud to add its seal of approval on the kitchen that was constructed with the incorporation of NKBA-generated planning and safety guidelines. Additionally, the NKBA is glad for the opportunity to continue the relationship with HGTV and House Planner Jack Thomasson, who spoke at the NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in 2010, and served as a judge for the Best of KBIS Awards at KBIS 2011. “Knowing that our kitchen adhered to NKBA guidelines gave us the assurance that our kitchen was well planned, safe and accessible, in addition to being beautiful,” confirmed Thomasson.

Front Range Community College has three campuses and is the largest community college in Colorado. They are committed to technical education with strong ties to various industries. The kitchen and bath program will be offered at the Fort Collins campus only.  Ms. Claudia Romero serves as the department chair and Ms. Nowell Vincent serves as the full time faculty program director.

Has your company considered offering internships to students?

There is always a need for internship opportunities and it’s a great way to give industry experience to future kitchen and bath designers.  Interns can also benefit your company by raising awareness of your company on campus, and providing a great way to recruit potential employees.  By providing your expertise to the educational community you can elevate your reputation in the industry.  Learn more about the NKBA internship program at: http://www.nkba.org//Participate/Intern/Overview.aspx. Chapter members are encouraged to list jobs/internship openings and opportunities on the NKBA website at www.nkba.org/students_careers.aspx. Students can get career information at www.nkba.org/students.aspx.

Here’s to a great 2012 and we look forward to assisting with the success of both our industry and student members.

DeaAnna Call

VP Academic Relations

NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter

By the time you will be reading this newsletter, I will have been sworn in as our  NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter President.   Please know that I am honored by my position and vow to do my best for our chapter.

Joining me in leading our chapter’s business is a wonderful group from last year and five new Officers – Julie Pero, moving to lead our Strategic Planning; Mary Jo Hren, taking on Government Relations; and Nowell (pronounced NoEL) Vincent, taking on Professional Development; Emily Cathcart, taking over as Treasurer; and DeAnna Call taking on Academic Relations.

Special recognition needs to be given to Emily and Nowell as they both live in Fort Collins and will be traveling to our Board of Directors and Chapter meetings!

Carolyn Spottsville remains as our chapter Secretary, Jan Neiges as Programs VP, Angie Lawrence as our IT guru, James Manu as our Communications go to person, Theresa Colllins as our Membership leader, and Pam Fischer as our Chapter Representative.

Join us at our January Chapter meeting on January 26^th – BAC (Builders Appliance Center, Englewood, CO), where we will introduce ourselves as your 2012 Board of Directors for the NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter.   The topic for the meeting is “How To Get Published”.

I am pleased to announce that Front Range Community College (FRCC) has passed the muster to become an accredited college within the NKBA accreditation program.  Our thanks to Nowell Vincent, who is FRCC’s Interior Design Program Director and spearheaded this action.

On December 4^th, 2011, our chapter held its annual Gala.  This was combined with a fundraiser for our first scholarship fund.  Please read Jan Neige’s article – Programs VP – to view our success!

As I am writing this in advance of the new year, I am speculating that the ASID and CIDC have, or are planning, to introduce a form of “registration” (title or practice act) legislation for Interior Designers.  See Mary Jo Hren’s information on our NEW Government Relations page.  Bookmark that page to keep informed on the latest information.

Please read Julie Pero’s article about our newly revised sponsorship program.  As a Chapter Sponsor your company will enjoy numerous benefits that far outweigh the revised cost.

The items and events mentioned above are just a few things that we (your Board of Directors and committee members) are working on or recently accomplished.  Both Regionally and Nationally, your Rocky Mountain Chapter is leading the way by developing a great website for our members and consumers, publishing a quarterly Newsletter, holding chapter meetings that are viable and important learning venues, and working diligently on your behalf to create and maintain an organization that you are proud to be a part of.  Please contact me or one our Board members with your comments, ideas, or wanting to know how you can participate more actively!

Michael Luzier, CKD

NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter – 2012 President

Attention NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter Members!

Please be sure to complete the end of year member survey you received.  It was sent on 12/30/2011.  We want to know your thoughts on the NKBA Rocky Mountain Chapter as well as the NKBA National Organization.  Every voice makes a difference!

If you did not receive the survey please contact Theresa Collins.

If you are of a particular religion, the Holidays mean something different for you versus someone of another religion.  Be it Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanza, the Holidays do have a few things in common: Gift Giving, Generosity, and attempts to make others happy.

Here’s a gift that costs you very little: Smile at others.

It may pain your face if you haven’t smiled in awhile, but your smile generally gets returned by those you smile at, and when that happens, you return their smile a little wider.

Smiles make people feel better, they help reduce stress (who couldn’t use less stress these days), and best of all, they cost very little.

Why do I say they have a cost?  Because you have to take a moment to consciously act to make a smile.  A little precious moment that interrupts your thought processing about you and what is happening to and around you.

Having trouble making a smile?  Try this: Think about something you really enjoy.  Unless you are Dexter, a hint of a smile emerges when you think about something truly enjoyable.  What is really amazing is that when you think a happy thought around others, they smile and maybe even a group laugh emerges.  How Fun!

Share the Holidays and SMILE

(Versions: 2020, Auto Kitchen, Chief Architect)

DENVER Exam Date:  Thursday, March 8, 2012

(Application deadline 12/31/2011)

Learn more about NKBA  certifications.