The International Housewares Association (IHA) has named industry veteran Tony Kircher vice president of buyer and exhibitor relations.
Sean Daly (pictured left), who has held a similar role at IHA since 2021, is retiring at the end of March, IHA announced.
“I would like to thank Sean for five years of service here at IHA, and even more importantly, to recognize his remarkable 32-year career in the housewares industry and the vast contributions he has made to both the association and the industry,” said Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO. “At the same time, I’m pleased to welcome someone who will carry forward Sean’s legacy of service. Tony’s experience in the industry and with the association will be a tremendous asset to IHA.”
Kircher (pictured right) began his career selling “Made in the USA” office products and consumer goods in international markets. He launched and managed subsidiary companies and joint ventures in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and the Netherlands, as well as managing distributors and agents in other key international markets.
In 2003, Kircher led the startup of home environment appliance company Winix America and went on to serve as its president for 20 years.
Kircher also has extensive experience with IHA and its industry resources and services. In addition to being a 20-year member and exhibitor at The Inspired Home Show, he has served on IHA’s Board of Directors for two terms (six years) and as chair of IHA’s International Business Council. Kircher most recently served as a facilitator for IHA’s Chief Officers Reaching Excellence (CORE) networking group in the Northwest U.S. region.
“As a member and exhibitor, I always appreciated the wealth of insight and networking opportunities IHA provides,” Kircher said. “Participation in the industry and understanding the trends helped me and our company thrive in good times and navigate the more difficult times.
I am convinced that IHA is the best resource for supporting the retailers and brands of the home and housewares industry,” he continued. “And The Inspired Home Show is still the best place to disconnect from your computer for a few days, discover new products, customers and suppliers, and think creatively about how to manage the path ahead.”
Current IHA CORE facilitator Dan Raftery has added the Northwest CORE networking group to his roster.
Daly joined IHA’s staff in 2021, following roles in global sales and marketing at housewares product companies including Hudson Design Imports Ltd., Wenko Inc., Interdesign Inc., Ecko Housewares and U.S. Acrylic, Inc. At IHA, he has been instrumental in building relationships with key retailers and developing IHA’s member offerings, according to IHA.
“IHA’s role as a not-for-profit organization that supports and maximizes the success of the global home and housewares market is more important than ever,” Daly said. “It has been an honor to contribute to IHA’s mission, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help advance the industry.”
Kircher is currently working closely with Daly and meeting with both exhibitors and retailers to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Daly’s retirement.
