The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has inducted Zach Elkin, president of Beko Home Appliances, into its Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame as the sole member of its 2022 Hall of Fame class. The honor was bestowed upon Zach during last night’s NKBA 2022 Design Competition and Industry Awards at the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Orlando, Fla., and attended by his family and lifelong colleagues and industry friends.
Considered the most prestigious lifetime achievement award in the home appliance industry, the NKBA Hall of Fame honors individuals who not only embody the spirit of the industry but actively contribute to its growth throughout their careers.
“To say I am humbled and thankful does not give the gravity of this honor the justice it deserves,” said Elkin. “For four decades, I have dedicated my life to the kitchen and bath industry, following in the footsteps and standing on the shoulders of the titans who came before me. My journey is a culmination of all that I have learned and applied to the incredible brands I’ve worked with and had the honor of leading. My deepest gratitude to the Hall of Fame committee, my family, former and current colleagues.”
During his illustrious 44-year career, Zach has become an undisputed industry leader known for using innovative marketing, product design, positioning strategies and a passion for great home and kitchen design to build global businesses and brands. In his current role as president of Beko U.S., Inc., he leads the fastest-growing and most sustainable home appliance brand in the U.S.
A subsidiary of Arçelik, one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturers, Beko is utilizing its global pedigree in wellness and sustainability to launch the Beko Healthy Kitchen – an industry-first collective of products, people and partnerships exploring the emergence for the American kitchen as the new intersection of personal and planetary health at KBIS 2022.
Zach got his start in the industry in 1978 as a member of Sears Holdings Corporation, where he was continually promoted for achievement in various sales, marketing, and operations roles over a 27-year span. At Bosch Siemens Home (BSH) Appliances Corporation, he was responsible for helping one of America’s first and most iconic appliance brands, Thermador, reclaim its cooking prominence using an innovative blend of marketing, promotional, PR and influencer strategies while shoring up its dealer network. In an executive leadership role at Signature Kitchen Suite® (SKS), part of the LG family, Zach was responsible for forming the first-ever SKS design council that brought together seasoned design professionals to create a platform for collaboration on product development, industry trends and brand growth.
“Zach’s role as a leader and passionate advocate for the kitchen and bath industry truly sets him apart and makes him absolutely deserving of this honor,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA chief executive officer. “His peers selected him because his vision and insight have made a significant difference for not only the brands he has worked for and represented but for the industry and the hundreds of people he’s led and mentored throughout the years.”
This honor comes on the heels of Zach’s induction into the 2022 Dealerscope Magazine Hall of Fame this past January. Inductees were recognized based on their career contributions to the consumer technology industry.
