Verne MacDonald holds her:

• Certified Kitchen Design Certificate (CKD), and her
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Math and Fine Arts
  

What is a certified kitchen designer?

A Certified Kitchen Designer (C.K.D.) is a person who has achieved accreditation from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)

In order to achieve a C.K.D., the following criteria must be met. The designer must have:

• Worked in the cabinet industry as a designer/sales person for at least 7 years or have equal formal education from a credited college or university and some field experience. [Verne has been a cabinet designer for 14 years as well as having a University degree (High School Teacher) and 2 years towards a Master's degree in Environmental Design (Architecture).]
• Submitted letters of recommendation from an Architect, Builder and Client.
• Passed both academic and practical exams that cover a wide body of knowledge:
  • Building Materials and Construction
  • Kitchen Mechanical Systems
  • Kitchen Equipment and Materials
  • Kitchen Planning and Safety
  • Design Principles and Practices
  • Drawing and Presentation Standards
  • Business Management
• Maintained a required number of hours of professional development within three year segments; keeping the designer updated as to new ideas, equipment and material in the industry.

For more information on the C.K.D. please visit the (NKBA) website, and in particular their page regarding professional development.

Contributing factors leading to a successful careeR:

• Studying with prominent artists: (University of Calgary)
  • Gordon Smith: Painting. His canvases are part of the permanent collection of Canadian Impressionists in the Canadian National Art Gallery.
  • Penny Gouldstone: Design.
  • Bob Steel: Graphics.
• Verne had a design piece shown in the Canadian National Art Gallery in 1965 and won a poster contest for the Alberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners in 1983.
• Teaching High School: Developing skills to help others realize their goals.
• Raising children: Learning how families function successfully in limited spaces.
• Educated by renowned architects: (University of Calgary.)
  • Bob Kirby: Design of the built environment.
  • Tang Lee: Structures and Environmental issues.
  • Stan Stein: Philosophy related to Architecture.
  • James Waugh: Sociology related to Architecture.
• Experiencing the Market Research industry: Learning effective interview skills through both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Working with and learning from superior Kitchen Designers and business women in the industry:
  • Pat Swalander C.K.D., C.B.D.: Owner of Heartwood Kitchen and Bath Design (Calgary).
  • Bente Birkkjaer C.K.D.: Co-owner of Denca Distributors (Calgary).
• Participating in the National Kitchen and Bath Association executive (Prairie Chapter) as Vice-President of Education 1997 and Vice-President Communications 1998.