From the Fabricator: Education and Content Review
I’m taking this week to avoid talking about the virus, as there is enough out that out there. That said, we start with the continuing recap from BEC, and specifically the education/information part of the event. I have noted previously how much I loved the keynote from Apogee President and CEO Joe Puishys, and I wanted to share some of the details of his presentation for those of you who missed it.
There were a few major takeaways here, including the positive trends of the forecasts and also the massive opportunities that await our industry on the renovation and remodeling side of things. No doubt that the renovation-retrofit market is a big part of our future because of tighter, and smarter, codes―those buildings will need the best of what we have and that “best” is usually our highest performing and most value-added products. Joe also hit on size (bigger is still better) quality (an obvious must) and birds (those codes are no joke). The feeling I had when he was done was one of being fired up and ready to go. Everything he said were things that just connected with my desires to keep pushing our world forward. Loved it.
Speaking on loving it; I know for some folks in attendance the panel discussions may have seemed dry, but in reality, they were just so loaded with detail that to me it was an intensity play over flash. I think there’s a happy medium to be had, but I loved the deep dives people took into subjects that are crucial to the glazier, and that all of us who deal with the glazing community should understand and respect. BIM, delegated design, design-assist, liability, document custody, etc. It really was good, helpful stuff.
And I missed this last week, but a major Thank You to everyone involved in this event, especially those who volunteered their time on the planning committees and presented on stage. Everyone is so busy in their “day jobs” that trying to cram this in can be a challenge. But an amazing group of industry folks came together and really got it done. Thank you to all!
Elsewhere…
- I’m going to stay lighter this week because I think we have plenty of heavy in our world right now, but one sad industry note I have to comment on first. That is the passing of Greg Saroka. Greg passed away at age 61 and it really hit me and many in the industry hard. Greg was a brilliant man and an innovator. He and Cathie built an amazing company―that Cathie continues to build and do an incredible job with―that changed the decorative glass world. Greg was such a nice person and really made an impression on all he came in contact with. He will be sorely missed. My sincerest condolences to all of Greg’s family and the team at Goldray Glass.
- Congrats to my friend Ted Bleecker and his team at Bleecker Associates on celebrating their 50th anniversary in business! That is freaking awesome, and I am happy that I got to meet Ted and be somewhere in his circle of friends―way on the outside but still. Amazing accomplishment and I wish Ted and Bleecker Associates many, many more great years!
- Glass Magazine Top Glass Fabricators issue is now out (bigger review of the issue next week) and this is a listing I always enjoy checking out. This year aside from the list there’s some good insight on the landscape in the fab world―which right now for some is a bit rocky―that I found pretty interesting. Check out the whole thing online.
- Last this week. Not sure if you saw this one: the simply astounding story of the World Trade Center blueprints. From the trash heap to 250K! Wild.
