A Dartmouth College graduate, Ken Peterson, CKD has over 50 years of experience in the kitchen and bath industry, including 23 of those years as a sales designer and president of Signature Kitchen & Bath, Inc. In 1976, he pioneered a new, faster way of selling projects where he engaged clients to interactively and transparently develop a kitchen redesign budget. This educational process was so meaningful to consumers that they would retain Peterson in half the time it typically took to earn a client commitment. He leveraged this unique selling system to scale a small family kitchen business into four Connecticut showroom locations, generating $4.2M in 1987 company revenue ($10.8M in today’s dollars) at 51.5% gross profit margins.

In the early 1990s, Peterson served as an industry consultant, business/sales trainer, conference speaker, and trade magazine columnist before launching the industry’s first buying group in August of 1994. Today, the SEN Design Group counts nearly 200 members from coast-to-coast, as well as 50+ of the industry’s leading manufacturers as vendor partners. With over 40 educational assets and services available for membership use, SEN is considered by many as the industry’s best resource to help grow a business owner’s top and bottom lines. He is proud of the operational team running the company today, several of whom he has personally hand-picked and groomed as business instructors and coaches.

In 2015, Peterson assembled two dozen industry professionals as a consortium to finance an industry-specific technology services company, called operateIT. As co-founder and chairman, Peterson has helped lead the company into developing DesignAlign, an exciting new software program that automates his original interactive budgeting methodology. Introduced in late 2020, DesignAlign is the perfect antidote to the pandemic economic crisis, furnishing a remote and mobile platform to regain lost sales fast, while increasing closing percentages by 75%, revenue 2-3x, and gross margins by up to 40%.

Semi-retired today, Peterson continues to serve as a strategic advisor and mentor to both the SEN Design Group and operateIT management teams. He enjoys vigorous daily exercising, reading, and traveling to distant lands with his wife Barbara.

Contact Ken at kpeterson@sendesign.com

Dan Luck joined the SEN Design Group in January 2017 as its Education Manager and currently serves as the Senior Vice President. This role was created specifically for him, trusting Luck to eventually lead all educational initiatives for the kitchen and bath’s first and largest buying group.

A lifelong Madison, WI resident, Luck has over 40 years in the industry. He is the owner and President of Bella Domicile, a 53-year old kitchen and bath firm. Dan was inducted into Remodeling Magazines “Big Fifty Hall of Fame” in 1993. And, an inductee in Kitchen & Bath Design News Top Innovators for 2019. As a charter member, Dan was part of a small group that was instrumental in organizing the Madison Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).

A SEN Design Group Full Member since 2002, Dan has embraced and incorporated into his own business many of the business principles that SEN teaches. An early adopter of both the three-year budgeting process and the client three column budget analysis, Dan now teaches these same principles to dealers around the country.

A protégé of Ken Peterson, the founder of the SEN, Dan adds his own voice and passion for the industry in carrying out the mission and vision of SEN into the future.

He is certified with the Paterson Center as a StratOp professional guide, and plans to use this specialized education to give back to the kitchen and bath industry as a strategic planning facilitator.

As a speaker, he has presented at dealer gatherings for cabinet manufacturers, and industry events, including VFTI at KBIS. And, his articles on business education are featured in Kitchen & Bath Design News publications.

He continues to leverage his experience to mentor industry newcomers and veteran business owners, and uses his Bella Domicile business as a laboratory to test out new systems, programs and techniques.

Contact Dan at dluck@sendesign.com

Tom joins SEN Design Group in the role of Development Associate (Bathroom & Project Management Specialist and Business Coach)

In 1983, Tom Blau entered the industry from the bathroom side of the business. In the early 80’s, the Blau family opened a 4500 sq ft showroom with 7 complete & functioning high end bathroom displays. The company also started the manufacturing of a private-labeled whirlpool tub line called Dynawhirl, with a network of dealerships in Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. The firm also retailed hot tubs and spas, and became southeast Wisconsin’s hot water capitol.

In the early 90’s, Tom purchased the business from his father and partner, and set up the company to concentrate on high end, turn-key kitchen and bath remodeling. In 1994, Blau became the first kitchen and bath dealer in the United States to join a buying group, and remained active in the SEN Design Group presenting his systems and management programs to other members in the group during the semi-annual conferences. In 1995, he was appointed to the first SEN Advisory Council, serving multiple terms. In 1997, Blau was presented with the first M. A. Peterson Best Businessperson of the Year Award.

In 2005, Tom sold his kitchen and bath business and re-located to the east coast of North Carolina. He joined the SEN Design Group as its VP of Education and Dealer Development, and was involved in the introduction of educational programs, boot camps, and online programs for the group and the industry. After managing production for a large K&B dealership in Naples Florida for a number of years, Tom moved back to his hometown of Milwaukee WI and works with a design/build company on integrating production software to increase productivity and profit.

Contact Tom at tblau@sendesign.com

Bryan Winemiller, SEN’s Director of Vendor Development, has an extensive background in the kitchen and bath industry with 13 years’ experience. Prior to joining SEN, Bryan worked as a designer and helped several kitchen & bath dealerships and building supply companies expand and grow their kitchen & bath sales. Bryan subscribes to the Good, Better, Best sales approach because he was instrumental in developing a 3-level cabinet brand selling system for a building supply company with 30+ branches. He is also well versed on many of the kitchen and bath brands and products available on the market.

Now, his primary focus will be growing the relationships with our current preferred vendors to help make their businesses better, more profitable, and easier to operate. He will also be seeking out new vendors in current missing categories to join SEN Design Group as a preferred vendor partner. Along with Bryan’s goal is to facilitate partnerships between SEN’s members and preferred vendors to help SEN members reach high annual group sales and reach next rebate tier levels. He is also able to identify a member’s ideal customer profile and then propose certain product mix to meet their unique business needs.

When not helping SEN members and preferred vendors, Bryan enjoys spending time with his wife Karen and their three beautiful daughters. He also enjoys cooking, dancing, and playing hockey.

Contact Bryan at bwinemiller@sendesign.com

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Amy relocated to Charlotte in 2018 where she immediately started in her role with the Sen Design Group as the Accounting Coordinator. Her 25-year accounting background also includes eCommerce system design & management. She has worked across multiple industries for such companies as Monster.com and Leap Year Publishing.

When Amy’s nose isn’t glued to an excel spreadsheet, she loves boxing, baking and spending time with her two rescue dogs, Sabbie & Parker.

Contact Amy at aalberta@sendesign.com

Shannon Blair joined the SEN Design team as an Operations Assistant September 2019. In May 2017, she graduated with Honors from Coastal Carolina University (Go, Chants!) with a degree in Communications, Marketing, and Public Relations. Since graduating, she has gained experience in Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, and Event Planning. Shannon is a great multi-tasker that loves learning new aspects of business (especially in the kitchen and bath industry!), helping others, and making people smile!

In her spare time, you will find her at a brewery, cuddling with her fur baby (Brew), or watching HGTV!

Contact Shannon at sblair@sendesign.com

Before Skyler joined the SEN Design team as a Member Development Coordinator in January of 2021, she worked as an Operations and Guest Services Manager with Universal Orlando Resort, a  role she ascended to during her five years of progressive employment with the company. She also recently worked for a start-up marketing firm as an Account Manager where she engaged new clients in developing marketing strategies and website design. Skyler has a passion for helping people with their personal and professional development. She loves to learn anything new, thinking outside of the box, and is constantly working to become the best version of herself!

Skyler is the second generation born and raised in Merritt Island, Florida (which many have never heard of, but is located near Cocoa Beach and the Kennedy Space Center!). In her free time, you can find her whipping up a creative dish in the kitchen, hanging with friends at a concert, or spending time on the water.

Contact Skyler at sille@sendesign.com

Catherine joined the SEN team in April of 2021 as the new Director of Membership for the East region. A graduate of Regis University with a BS in Marketing, Catherine brings an extensive background in professional sales and marketing; the majority of these 15 years dedicated to membership development in the private golf and country club sector. This prior experience has provided Catherine with a deep understanding and appreciation for member groups and the value they bring to businesses and individuals through relationship development, programming, and relatable benefits.

Catherine spent the larger part of her life on Long Island in New York but is now considered a “Local” of South Carolina’s Lowcountry after moving to Bluffton in 2005. She has three wonderful children, 24, 18, and 14 and when not busy with them or work, enjoys all things on or around the water, trying out new recipes, or taking a short drive up to the North Carolina mountains and pitching a tent with her husband Kyle. Catherine considers herself a lifelong student and also holds an AS in Criminal Justice, is a licensed Real Estate agent in SC, and a SC State Certified and Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician.

Contact Catherine at cdaugherty@sendesign.com