HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — One of the original founders of the American Institute of Kitchen Dealers, now the National Kitchen & Bath Association, Robert L. Wieland died on Aug. 20 in his hometown of Allentown, PA. He was 91.

After graduating from Penn State University, he began a lifelong career as an award-winning kitchen designer at his family’s business, Kitchens by Wieland, in Allentown. In 1963, he helped to found the AIKD, serving as its  second president and presiding over the first kitchen dealers’ show, which grew to become the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).

In 1968, Wieland became the industry’s first Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), which he earned after helping to develop the program with the University of Illinois. He also spearheaded the program to create the Kitchen Industry Technical Manuals.

Over the course of his career, Wieland won 47 NKBA Design Competition awards, including the 1990 James Foster Memorial Award. In 1990, he was inducted into the NKBA National Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame.

About the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS), as part of Design and Construction Week ® (DCW). With nearly 50,000 members in all segments of the kitchen and bath design and remodeling industry, the NKBA has educated and led the industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The NKBA envisions a world where everyone enjoys safe, beautiful and functional kitchen and bath spaces. The mission of the NKBA is to inspire, lead and empower the kitchen and bath industry through the creations of certifications, specialty badges, marketplaces and networks. For more information, visit www.nkba.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).

KBIS® and NKBA® are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association