iha committees

The Committees and Councils listed below act as advisory resources to IHA’s Board of Directors, staff and the housewares industry and provide valuable services to IHA members. Take a look at what they’re doing.

Business Solutions Committee
Credit Committee
Exhibitor Trade Show Advisory Committee
Gourmet Retailer Advisory Council
Gourmet Trade Development Advisory Council
Government Affairs Committee
Housewares Export Council (HECNA)
Industry Education Committee
Retailer Advisory Council

Business Solutions Committee
The Committee strives to improve efficiencies and reduce the cost of doing business by identifying value-added solutions to members’ operational issues.

Board Liaison
Barry Harper, Pres/CEO, Harper Brush Works, Inc.

Committee Chairperson
Jim Zimring, President, Kane Industries Corp.

Committee Members
Andy Berger, Axis International Marketing, Ltd.
Valerie Desautels, Delta Marketing International, LLC
Jim Giffin, BioStrike Filters
Sheldon Goodman, Spectrum Diversified Designs, Inc.
Joe Kim, Design Ideas
Theo Prins, Escali, LLC
John Roberts, Kitchen Supply Co.
Heather Schall, Lifetime Brands Inc.
Bob Slater, Handi-Foil Corp.
Katie Sotor, Wachsmuth & Krogmann, Inc.
Barb Wolf, Anchor Hocking Glass

Credit Group
An industry-specific network of credit professionals, managed by Riemer Reporting Service, specialists since 1965.

Board Liaison
Ad Hoc

Group Officers:
President
Colleen Hughes, Arrow Plastic Mfg. Co.

Vice President
Pam Lancaster, Mabis Healthcare/Duro-Med Industries

Counselor
Mary Ann Pradd, Handi-foil Corp.

Credit professionals from all IHA Regular member companies in the U.S. are invited to join this growing group:
All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC
Arden Companies
Aroma Housewares Co.
Chaney Instrument Co.
Conimar Corp.
The Evercare Company
The Faucet Queens
Kane Industries Corp.
Lifetime Brands
Lodge Mfg. Co.
Saeco
Tablecraft Products Co.
Telebrands
Venta Airwasher
Zak Designs, Inc.
Zyliss USA Corp.

Exhibitor Trade Show Advisory Committee
The Committee provides exhibitors’ perspectives on trade show issues, including trade show planning, execution and measurement.

Board Liaison
Richard L. Boynton, Sr. VP/GM, Capresso, Inc.

Committee Chairperson
Philippe Trudeau, President, U.S. Div., Trudeau Corporation

Committee Members
Gigi Arnold, The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg
Brenda Bennett, Libbey Inc.
Carole Cottrill, Candle-lite
Mary Beth Dukes, Hamilton Beach / Proctor-Silex Inc.
Eliot Fishman, Conair Corp.
Christian Jarry, World Cuisine, Inc.
Nancy Michael, TAG - Trade Associates Group, Ltd.
Melissa Palmer, All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC
Steve Pridemore, Greenbrier/Scentex
Sue Resnicoff, Furitechnics USA Inc.
Michael Silverman, Butler Home Products, LLC
David Skinner, KitchenAid
Brad Straka, Jarden Consumer Solutions
Doug Taeckens, Jokari/U.S., Inc.

Gourmet Retailer Advisory Council
The Council provides specialty retailers’ perspectives on trade show issues and input on trade show and product planning, execution and measurement.

Board Liaison
Karl Pfitzenreiter, President, Zwilling J.A. Henckels

Council Members
Renee Behnke, Sur La Table
Robert Boren, Cost-U-Less
Dominic Cimilluca, Dominic's Kitchen Store
Mary Rose Gearon, Crate and Barrel
Doug Huemoeller, Kitchen Window
Janis Johnson, Gourmet Catalog Inc. - Buying Group Association
John LaPierre, Wegmans
Mary Moore, The Cook's Warehouse
Lawrence Oates, KitchenArt
Martin Rayner, Lakeland Limited
William Snyder, William Glen

Gourmet Trade Development Advisory Council
The Council works to support the growth and profitability of the gourmet products community.

Board Liaison
Bill Reibl, President/CEO, Progressive International Corp.

Committee Chairperson
Robert Laub, VP, Sls/Mktg, Harold Import Co., Inc.

Council Members
Marty Armstrong, KitchenAid
Sharon Bounds, William Bounds, Ltd.
Frank Brady, Brady Marketing
Evan Dash, Prepara
Linda Graebner, LGA Inc.
Jack Igarashi, Kershaw Knives
Alex Lee, OXO - Helen of Troy
Tim Morgan, Le Creuset Of America Inc.
Daniel Oehy, Swissmar Imports, Inc.
Melissa Palmer, All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC
Karl Pfitzenreiter, Zwilling J.A. Henckels
Scott Severinson, Wusthof-Trident of America, Inc.
David Shull, Capresso, Inc.
Philippe Trudeau, Trudeau Corporation
Katherine Waymire, Talisman Designs

Government Affairs Committee
This Committee plays an integral role in policy development and implementation by providing recommendations and direction on federal legislative and regulatory issues and on initiatives that could impact the business interests of the housewares industry. It also provides guidance on long and short-term grassroots action plans.

Board Liaison
Bruce Kaminstein, President, Casabella

Committee Chairperson
Dale Matschullat, VP/General Counsel, Newell Rubbermaid

Committee Members
Richard Agresta, iSi North America, Inc.
John Breeden, Demeyere N.A, LLC
Allen Darwin, Lifestyle Home, Div. of Golden Tadco Int'l.
Jean-Rene Gougelet, Burnes Home Accents
Linda Graebner, LGA Inc.
Michael Karyo, SiliconeZone
Scott Meyer, Zak Designs, Inc.
Thomas Nichols, Pretika Corporation
Patrick O'Connor, Range Kleen Mfg. Inc.
Chris Pupo, New Advanced Products, Inc.
Bill Reibl, Progressive International Corp.
Erik Reid, Kyocera Advanced Ceramics
Calvin Scott, Polder, Inc.
Michael Silver, Silvermark
Caterine Suttmeier, Oneida Ltd.
Heida Thurlow, Chantal Corp.

Housewares Export Council (HECNA) 2005-2006
The Housewares Export Council is a special interest group of IHA members, dedicated to helping its membership market and sell their products internationally by sharing information, providing networking opportunities and offering programs to assist, support and educate.

To see a complete listing of HECNA Board members click here.

Industry Education Committee
The Committee acts as the sounding board for educational product development and provides direction regarding potential industry research products.

Board Liaison
Bill P. Reibl, President/CEO, Progressive International Corp.

Committee Chairperson
Rick Breiling, Nat'l Sls. Mgr., U.S. Poly Enterprise, Inc.

Committee Members
Ed Aghajanian, EZ Brite Brands, Inc.
Marcia Andis, Andis Company
Robert Appelbaum, Cadie Products Corp.
Ann Marie Armaly, Armaly Brands
Ken Cox, World Kitchen, LLC
Gary Darwin, The Zrike Company, Inc.
Laura Engel, Angel Sales Inc.
Gerry Linda, Neat-Oh International, LLC
Christi Lowell, Tailor Made Products, Inc.
Carol Luckhardt, Casabella
Steve MacDonald, Range Kleen Mfg. Inc.
Ingerid Mohn, Linden Sweden, Inc.
Timothy Morgan, Le Creuset Of America, Inc.
David Sunset, Jarden Consumer Solutions
Eric Wangler, Jaccard Corporation

Retailer Advisory Council
The Council provides customers’ perspectives on trade show issues and input on trade show and product planning, execution and measurement.

Board Liaison
Marty Armstrong, Dir., Worldwide Sls., KitchenAid

Council Members
Dick Dale, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Alan Epler, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Rod Ghormley, ShopKo Stores
Craig Gourley, JC Penney
Steve Grossman, GM Partners
Jonathon Jesse, Kohl’s Dept. Stores
Tom Ketelhut, Ace Hardware
John Martin, Big Lots Stores, Inc.
Robin Milman, Publisher's Clearing House
Chris Nielsen, Amazon.com
Don Polsi, Imperial Distributors Inc.
Dan Roehl, Winn Dixie Stores, Inc.
Jack Serota, Golub Corp./Price Chopper Supermarkets
Scott Silver, Linens 'n Things
Robert Weiser, Macy's Home Store
Mona Williams, The Container Store
Doug Wurl, Sears, Roebuck and Co.