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About BGS
Founded in 1995, Buying Group Services (BGS) is an association management company that develops and manages buying groups. BGS was instrumental in the development of BKBG (Bath and Kitchen Buying Group), Forté (Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Buying Group) and PremierDPH (Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Buying Group).
BGS has helped over 500 dealer showrooms profit through group volume purchasing, the production and distribution of quality marketing materials, information sharing through networking at national and regional activities and the delivery of education at industry events.
BGS now introduces “Leisure Living” a buying group dedicated to dealers in residential leisure living products and design and build. |
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William R. Mathisen, Executive Vice President
In 1977, after working for NASA in Mission Control for ten years, Bill started a custom home business and a kitchen and bath design center under the name New Horizon Homes and New Horizon Kitchens in Houston, Texas. He was active in the Southwest Chapter of NKBA and served on that chapter’s board. In 1981 he earned his accreditation as a Certified Kitchen Designer.
In January of 1986, Bill joined the staff of NKBA as the Director of Membership and Director of Certification and served on a special staff team, under the guidance of the Certified Bath Designer ad hoc committee, to write the criteria and test, and to implement the Certified Bath Designer program. In addition to teaching the Basic Bath training program, Bill had the opportunity to travel to many chapters as a guest speaker and serve as a judge for NKBA’s national design competition.
After working with NKBA for 4 years, Bill left NKBA to pursue a career in association management and over the next fifteen years had the opportunity to work with agencies of the government including Congress, the Department of Labor, the IRS, the US Treasury and the White House as the CEO of some major national associations. Those associations include: Associated Locksmiths of America, International Association of Assembly Managers, National Society of Accountants and the Independent Electrical Contractors.
In 2005 Bill moved from the Washington DC area to join the Houston staff of Buying Group Services as the Executive Vice President and serves as the Executive Director of the Bath and Kitchen Buying Group. Joining BGS was coming home to Houston and the Bath and Kitchen Design industry.
Bill has a Master of Science Degree in Business, a B.B.A in Industrial Management, and an A. A. with studies in Architecture. |
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Edward S. Schukar, Vice President of Vendor Relations & Development
Edward S. Schukar, “Eddie” owned and operated a Food Service Equipment dealership in Florida for over 25 years. Eddie was instrumental in the establishment, operation, and growth of three major industry buying groups in which he served in various officer positions. He also served in leadership positions in the Food Service Equipment industry trade associations.
Schukar sold his dealership in 1995 to become involved in the start up of Bath and Kitchen Buying Group (BKBG), a new buying group in the kitchen and bath industry. Having learned and experienced first-hand the many benefits of the buying group concept as a dealer, Schukar helped introduce the concept to the kitchen and bath industry. He served as Executive Director of BKBG and President of Buying Group Services, a buying group management firm, which is today the administrative arm of BKBG.
In 2001 he became involved in the creation and start up Forté, a decorative plumbing and hardware buying group which he served as its Executive Director, until 2006.
In 2006, Schukar was involved in the start up and operation of PremierDPH Buying Group. All three buying groups have enjoyed consistent growth and success since their inception and continue to flourish. |
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Thompson Price, CKD, CBD, CR
Thompson began working in the kitchen and Bath industry in 1972. After working for a few Kitchen and Bath companies he began his own business in 1978. In 1976 he was instrumental in the formation of the NKBA Missouri/Southern Illinois Chapter. He was actively involved with the NKBA and held all offices for the local chapter. 1980 brought about his accreditation as a Certified Kitchen Designer. In 1985 he was elected to the national Board of the NKBA.
He was later certified as a Bath Designer in 1989 by the NKBA. After serving most of the positions on the Executive committee of the NKBA, he was elected as the national president for the term year 1990/91. He was an educator for the NKBA and assisted in developing the NKBA Successful Selling Techniques course. He has served on many boards of the industry and has been a Design competition judge for NKBA as well as numerous Kitchen and Bath publications. He continues to be an author for the Kitchen and Bath Design News publication on Business Management and other related topics.
He is a regular speaker for the St. Louis Home show, and holds regular seminars for consumers on How to Purchase Kitchens and Baths. He is widely recognized as an authority on Kitchens and Baths in design and business management. For years he has presented programs on these topics to professionals and consumers alike. In 1996 he was instrumental in the development and the formation of the Bath and Kitchen Buying group (BKBG) He is actively involved with that organization as the membership chairman.
In 1994 he merged his company with another successful company in his area and for the next 13 years grew that business. In 2008 he sold his interest in that business and opened a new kitchen and bath showroom, It now is a family business with his two sons, and his sister-in-law working hand in hand with him. In 2007 he was inducted into the National Kitchen and Baths Hall of Fame. In 2008 he received his accreditation as a CMKBD, (certified master kitchen and bath designer)
Today he is the president of Thompson Price Kitchens, Baths, & Home, in St. Louis, Mo. They are recognized as one of the leading Kitchen and Bath companies in their area. |
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Gerald Johnson, CKD, CBD
Gerald C. Johnson, “Jerry”, started working in the kitchen and bath industry in 1971 when Kitchens by Cameron employed him. Under Cameron Gamble’s talented training, he became an accredited CKD and one of the better-known designers in the New Orleans area. He purchased the company in 1980. In 1983 Jerry helped form the Louisiana/ Mississippi/Arkansas Chapter of NKBA and he was elected as its first National Director. He was a member of the governing committee of the Society of Certified Kitchen Designers. He also served in many other capacities on the national level, eventually becoming president during the 1991-92 term.
Jerry served on the Certified Bath Designer ad hoc committee and was among the first ten individuals to receive accreditation.
His architectural training and interest helped formulate his special expertise related to the requirements unique to New Orleans wherein historical appearance is retained while function is purely modern.
Jerry Johnson has served as a judge for the NKBA’s national design competition, for the Decorating Remodeling Magazine’s kitchen design contest, and for a variety of local kitchen and bath design competitions. He was a guest speaker at the Mississippi State University’s Extension Center annual home design series for several years in the early 1990’s. He designed kitchens for the Junior League Designer Showhouse in New Orleans consecutively for over 15 years.
Johnson’s designs have been published in National, regional and local publications over several decades. He is widely recognized as the premiere expert throughout not only the metropolitan New Orleans area, but all over southern Louisiana and Mississippi.
Jerry Johnson was the primary developer of the Bath and Kitchen Buying Group and served as its first president. His knowledge, influence, and talent in the industry have spanned over 33 years. |
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