SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 25LIVINGMAG.CAthe kohler fAmily hAs done something most
businesses fail to achieve as they grow – they have kept it in
the family. “To have a successful fourth-generation family
company, you need to have respect for the different talents and
insights that each member embodies, and feed off the passion
of each individual,” says Kohler.
Kohler says his father provided the greatest profes-
sional influence, teaching him an appreciation for design, the
importance of hard work and the courage to say no. “Having
a backbone is a critical characteristic of great leaders,” says
Kohler. That is why a young David Kohler did not get the keys to
the boardroom until he had spent time in the factory. He worked
side by side with craftsmen and employees across the com-
pany, calling it a crucial stage of his career.
“These were formative years, and shaped my work ethic,
passion for the business, and appreciation for design and
innovation.” The yoga and spin enthusiast understands the
importance of self care for himself and his approximately
38,000 employees.
As for the fifth generation, his daughter Ashley Kohler is a
rising leader in the Hospitality division. “With my children, I try
to set an example by my actions and tell them nothing in life ishanded to you. Ashley is a great example of everything we want
to see in the fifth generation and beyond,” says the father of four.
Kohler continues to forge ahead, vying to be on the leading
edge of design and technology. Kallista, one of their luxury lines,
uses 3D printers for its grid faucets. This allows them to strip
away the limitations of traditional design elements. It looks like
an optical illusion, but through 3D technology water flows easily
through the base of a grid faucet using small, discreet interior
channels, making it more art than plumbing product.
Vancouver is a dynamic market for Kohler, and is home
to its first Canadian Experience Centre. The brick-and-mortar
store represents the company’s new global retail concept,
encouraging customers to experience before they buy.
Experiential luxury is driven by the latest technology.
The Kohler Konnect exhibit at this year’s Consumer Electronic
Show featured products like the Numi 2.0 toilet. The stream-
lined, one-piece model has personalized settings, from ambient
colored lighting to Amazon Alexa voice controls, a heated seat and
foot warmer.
The Numi 2.0 is available at the end of this year, and unlike
Kohler’s first bathtub, which sold for 14 chickens and a cow, the
Numi starts at $7,000.LEFT AND ABOVE:
KOHLER’S BATHROOMS
AND KITCHENS
USE CUTTING EDGE
TECHNOLOGY TO STRIP
AWAY THE LIMITATIONS
OF TRADITIONAL
DESIGNIMAGES BY KOHLER