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
Sheldon Goodman, President, Spectrum Diversified Designs, Inc.

Committee Chairperson
Jim Zimring, President, Kane Industries Corp.

Committee Members
Guy Ben Zur, Zevro
Andy Berger, Axis International Marketing, Ltd.
Valerie Desautels, Delta Marketing International, LLC
Jim Giffin, BioStrike Filters
Steve Greenspon, Honey-Can-Do
Theo Prins, Escali, LLC
John Roberts, Kitchen Supply Co.
Heather Schall, Lifetime Brands Inc.
Bob Slater, Handi-Foil Corp.
Katie Sotor, Crane USA, 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

Committee Members
Eileen Bara, Tablecraft Products Co.
Bob Barnett, Telebrands Corporation
Sherry Blazy, Saeco USA, Inc.
Sarah Chung, Magic Chef
Jamie Cohen, DKB Household USA Corp.
John Connell, Arden Companies
Dale Cooley, Whitmor Home Storage & Organization
Kristen Copeland, The Onecare Company
Caroline Cowsky, Oliso, Inc.
Marie Doerrbecker, Lifetime Brands Inc.
Erich Duerr, Venta Airwasher
Amy Higgins, Zak Designs, Inc.
Galina Igolnikov, The Faucet Queens
Jill Jaruzel, HMS Mfg. Co.
Shawn Kovach, Taylor Precision Products Inc.
Michael McLean, Pandigital dba Sourcing Network Sales LLC
Eric Robinson, Conimar Corp.
Josie Seeberger, Handi-Foil Corp.
Jim Zimring, Kane Industries 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, President, Jura Capresso, Inc.

Committee Chairperson
Brad Straka, Director Creative Sur, Jarden Consumer Solutions

Committee Vice-Chairperson
Nancy Michael, Director of Marketing, TAG - Trade Associates Group, Ltd.

Committee Members
Guy Ben Zur, Zevro
Brenda Bennett, Libbey Inc.
Mary Beth Dukes, Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
Eliot Fishman, Conair Corp.
Sal Gabbay, Gibson Overseas, Inc.
Doug Kellam, Zero Technologies LLC
Michael McDonald, The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg
Melissa Palmer, All-Clad Metalcrafters, Groupe SEB USA
Michael Silverman, Butler Home Products, LLC
David Skinner, KitchenAid
Doug Taeckens, Jokari/U.S., Inc.
Dave Tavacol, Meyer Corporation
Philippe Trudeau, Trudeau Corporation

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
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
Melissa Palmer, All-Clad Metalcrafters, Groupe SEB USA
Karl Pfitzenreiter, Zwilling J. A. Henckels
Bruce Roberson, KitchenAid
Scott Severinson, Wusthof-Trident of America, Inc.
David Shull, Jura 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 Holdings LLC

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.
Shimul Shah, Myson Products LLC
Michael Silver, Silvermark
Ed Spitaletta, Lola Products
Cathy Suttmeier, Oneida Ltd.
Heida Thurlow, Chantal Corp.

Housewares Export Council (HECNA)
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
Barry Harper, President/CEO, Harper Brush Works, Inc.

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

Committee Members
Ed Aghajanian, EZ Brite Brands
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 Holdings LLC
Steve MacDonald, Range Kleen Mfg. Inc.
Mark Meyer, Jaccard Corp.
Timothy Morgan, Le Creuset Of America Inc.
James Schmidt, Whitney Design, Inc.
David Sunset, Jarden Consumer Solutions

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, VP, Sls., KitchenAid

Council Members
Dick Dale, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Alan Epler, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Rod Ghormley, ShopKo Stores
Craig Gourley, JC Penney Co., Inc.
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
John Morioka, Target Stores
Mike Nemoir, Bon Ton Stores
Chris Nielsen, Amazon.com
Don Polsi, Imperial Distributors Inc.
Dan Roehl, Winn Dixie Stores Inc.
Jack Serota, Golub Corp./Price Chopper Supermarkets
Robert Weiser, Macy's Home Store
Mona Williams, The Container Store
Doug Wurl, Sears, Roebuck and Co.