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Four New Directors Elected to IHA Board of Directors

Four new directors have been elected to the board of directors of the International Housewares Association (IHA), the full-service trade association for the housewares industry.

The new directors are: Mark Buss, CEO, govino, LLC; William Endres, President, Select Brands; Melissa Kieling, CEO, PackIt, LLC; and Kristine Malkoski, President, Global Business, and Chief Commercial Officer, World Kitchen, LLC. Their three-year terms begin Oct. 1, 2016 and end Sept. 30, 2019.

Also elected were new board officers:

  •  Chairman – Gregory Cairo, President, Groupe SEB USA
  • Vice Chairman/Chairman Elect – Brett Bradshaw, President, Bradshaw International, Inc.
  • Treasurer – John (JC) Collins, President, Global Sales and Marketing, Neatfreak

All officers serve one-year terms from Oct. 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2017.

Retiring from the board are: Evan Dash, CEO, StoreBound; Dave Elliott, formerly general manager, KitchenAid Global Small Appliances; Jenna Sellers Miller, President, Architec; and Daniel Oehy, President, Swissmar. Re-appointed for a second three-year term were: JC Collins and Will Symonds, President, DKB Household USA Corp.

Buss was named CEO of govino in March 2014. The company manufactures and markets specialty beverage glassware. Buss has more than 20 years’ experience in the housewares industry, having served in various domestic and international general management roles with Seymour Housewares Company, Hamilton Beach Brands and SAECO International Group, and he has been a member of the board of directors of the SharkNinja Company since 2007. He served as president of IHA’s Housewares Export Group of North American (now the International Business Council) from 2000 – 2004 and also served on IHA’s Government Affairs Committee.

Endres founded Select Brands in 1997. The company designs, develops and markets small appliances. Its brands include Babycakes, Kitchen Selectives and TRU, as well as the Disney and Toastmaster brands. Endres has more than 46 years’ experience in the housewares industry, beginning his career as a sales manager with Corning Glass from 1970-76. He then worked 22 years for Rival Mfg., serving as senior vice president, sales and marketing.

Kieling created PackIt in 2009. The company manufacturers freezable lunch bags and coolers that eliminate the need for added ice or gel packs. In 2014, Inc. magazine named the company #28 on its list of fastest growing privately held companies and #1 for a woman-owned business.

Malkoski joined World Kitchen in June 2012 as President, North America, adding Chief Innovation Officer to her responsibilities before being named to her current role. The company’s iconic brands sold around the globe include Pyrex, Corelle, Corningware, Visions, Snapware and Chicago Cutlery. Before joining World Kitchen, Malkoski served as vice president/general manager of the Craftsman brand for Sears Holding Corp., from 2009 – 2012, and as executive vice president, CMO and chief people officer for Ubiquity Brands, manufacturer of salty snack foods including Jays, Krunchers’, Okedoke, Poppycock and Fiddle Faddle from 2005 – 2007.

Cairo, President of Groupe SEB USA since January 2010, currently oversees cookware and small domestic appliances for the All-Clad, Imusa, Krups, Lagostina, Rowenta, T-fal and WearEver brands. He began his career with Groupe SEB USA as vice president of sales beginning in August 2006, with responsibility for cookware and small domestic appliances for the Emeril, T-fal and WearEver brands. Before joining Groupe SEB USA, Cairo served as the vice president for the Calphalon/WearEver Division of Newell Rubbermaid from 2000-04 and then with Global Home Products from 2004-06. He also served on the board of the Cookware Manufacturers Association since 2010 and led the CMA as president from 2013 to 2016.

Bradshaw joined his family-owned company in 1994. A leading supplier of kitchen tools, bakeware and cookware marketed under the Good Cook, Betty Crocker, Bialetti and T-fal brands as well as various retailer private labels, the company was started in 1966 by brothers Doug and Ben Bradshaw and their father, Buzz. Before becoming the fourth generation in the family business, Bradshaw was a key account manager for Nestle from 1990-93.

Collins joined Neatfreak in 2008. The company designs, manufactures and distributes innovative home organization and laundry products globally. Prior to becoming a partner at Neatfreak, Collins worked in the sporting goods industry with world-recognized brands including Nike Inc. He also served as a board member of the Canadian Hardware & Housewares Manufacturers Association.

Also serving on the IHA Board are Hildy Abrams, CEO, Gourmet Settings Inc.; Fred Dohn, CEO, Arc; Richard Joseph, Managing Director, Joseph Joseph; Robert Kay, Chairman/CEO, Taylor Precision Products, Inc.; Anthony E. Kircher, President, Winix America & Winix Europe; Alejandro Peña, President, USA, Jarden Consumer Solutions; Paul Rowan, Co-Founder, Umbra LLC; David Sabin, CEO, The Fuller Brush Company; Gary Seehoff, Chairman, Sophistiplate, LLC, and immediate past IHA chairman; Howard Steidle Jr., CEO, John Ritzenthaler Co.; and Philippe Trudeau, President, Trudeau Corporation.

Serving on the executive committee of the board are Gregory Cairo, Brett Bradshaw, John (JC) Collins, Gary Seehoff, Howard Steidle Jr. and Philippe Trudeau.