Derek Miller has been named president of the International Housewares Association, succeeding Phil Brandl who will retire at the end the year, IHA announced today. Miller, currently IHA’s vice president, global marketing, will assume the role of president Oct. 1. Brandl will remain at IHA through Dec. 31. Miller was selected by a unanimous vote of the IHA Executive Committee.
“We have a great staff and senior management team at IHA, and Derek has been an incredibly integral part of that for a long time,” Brandl said in making the announcement. “I congratulate Derek and believe he’s a great choice to lead the IHA organization. Quite frankly, this is a compliment and vote of confidence to the entire IHA team.”
“Having worked in housewares for more than 22 years, I am extremely pleased to continue serving the industry, the International Home + Housewares Show and the IHA through this new position,” Miller said. “I look forward to working with the IHA board of directors and leading the IHA staff to further develop the Show and other projects for the benefit our entire industry.”
Miller joined IHA in December 1999 as director, international business development, and was named vice president, international services in October 2001. He led IHA’s international department until March 2014 when he was named vice president, global marketing. During his tenure in international services, Miller more than doubled international buyer attendance at the International Home + Housewares Show; developed the International Business Council (IBC) Global Forum program to provide IHA members with direct education and networking with key buyers; and developed the current model for IHA trade missions, leading more than 18 trade missions to 12 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, India, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Sweden and the UK.
As vice president, global marketing, Miller developed and implemented the strategic direction for The Inspired Home consumer engagement program, which attracts more than 5 million page views annually to TheInspiredHome.com and now includes The Inspired Home Journal, a high-quality print magazine sold in retail stores nationwide; developed and oversees an integrated marketing program to attract global buyers and exhibitors to the International Home + Housewares Show; led a redesign of IHA’s website and created an interconnected blog; and built the Global Innovation Awards (gia) into the industry’s leading awards program, annually honoring 25 global retailers, 65 product suppliers and eight exhibitor displays.
Prior to joining IHA, Miller served as director of international sales/marketing at Nordic Ware. He has a master’s degree in international management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a bachelor’s degree in business administration/marketing from Colorado State University.
“The IHA Search Committee partnered with a world-class recruiting firm to deploy an extensive search and evaluation in our quest of the best individual to lead the IHA for the next era,” said Brett Bradshaw, IHA chairman and co-president, Bradshaw Home. “Derek Miller will fill that role in exemplary fashion. The Board looks forward to working with Derek and evolving successfully in the future.”
Miller’s replacement will be named in the future, Brandl said.
The International Housewares Association is the 80-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for (US)$355.4 billion at retail worldwide in 2016 ($87.1 billion at retail in the U.S.). The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, the International Home + Housewares Show, and offers its 1,700 member companies a wide range of services, including industry and government advocacy, export assistance, State-of-the-Industry reports, point-of-sale and consumer panel data through Housewares MarketWatch, executive management peer groups, a unique Web-based community at www.housewares.org and group buying discounts on business solutions services.
