Catch Up Time

No traditional lead story this week, just a lot of catching up with tidbits of information and happenings around the glass world. Plus, if I write about the adventure with interest rates and dire predictions from this past week, I may get too depressed to continue, so I’ll save that for another time. So let’s jump into some lighter industry related fare!

Texas Glass Association visit

My trip to Texas was fabulous. The hospitality extended by the TGA-NTD was awesome and appreciated. Great group there and giving serious energy into the Texas Glass Conference IV in Austin next month and GlassBuild in Dallas this fall. I have to thank Valerie Nagy of Hartung Glass, she extended the initial invite and dealt with my schedule snafus, Michelle Ordonez of QPC who dealt with my diva-like issues at the hotel level, and of course the great President of the North Texas Division Kristina Buckett of Dallas Flat Glass Distributors who made it all go.

Plus, it was amazing to visit with the legend Sam Hill of Oak Cliff and the juggernaut that is Chris Hill who is rocking with a lot of good things going with the his Salient Engineered Product company. It was neat to visit for a few minutes with Austin Jones and Amber Jones of PGP. Those folks are crushing it out there and both so impressive. My first extended convo with either of them. Enjoyed chatting and meeting for the first time Rachel Tilbrook of Southern Stretch Forming, Valerie Jones of Granbury Door + Window, and BC Putnam of DFGD, I expect to see them all at GlassBuild and glad I can add them to my network! Cool people! Last but not least, I loved seeing Brian Risinger and Joe Lamberston of Country Glass. I am not the only one who recognizes their great swag. As soon as Joe walked in to the lunch someone commented that the Country Glass folks always bring the A game clothing wise. All in all, that chapter is a good one and I enjoyed my time in town with everyone. 

Congrats in order

I have noted a few times on here the roll that Josh Burg of Glass Enterprises has been on and that continued recently with the acquisition and re-launch of a massive operation in Connecticut that at one time looked like it was doomed. Josh and team were able to take over a truly state of the art glass facility and now are rolling out some of the best quality possible. Perfect match of a plant that had it all but just needed the right people to come along and that has happened. Congrats Josh and best going forward. I have a feeling that there’s a slew of moves coming from Josh and GEI that will keep that positive momentum rolling. 

And while we’re congratulating people, Bill Daubmann of My Shower Door and D3 Glass has done it again. Bill was recently inducted into the Southwest Florida Business Hall of Fame. A worthy person getting a truly deserved honor. Happy for Bill there, and he’s not resting on any laurels. He’s still grinding...opening new shops and locations with the same energy as before all the while promoting the industry as whole, which you know I love. Congrats Bill and keep it going!

School recruitment

I saw that Paragon Tempering, with locations in both Ohio and Michigan, one on each side of the border, was out and about appearing at a high school recruitment fair and promoting the good about our industry. I love it. Keep doing this stuff folks. We need to keep showing up out there to promote what we do. Not a surprise that Paragon is ahead of the game, the leader there is the great Dan Wright and he’s always top notch. Plus Dan is a good man and friend of mine for many years. Which in having to deal with me 20+ years ago, Dan deserved a medal!

Also out promoting our world these days is one of the smartest in our space, Dr. Charlie Boyer. Charlie is presenting at the University of Virginia this coming week. I think he may be the busiest “retired” guy around. Great that he’ll get the kids at UVa thinking Glass and Glazing!  

VIG development

Charlie is also involved with Vacugask with the trailblazer Michael Spellman and the sales GOAT Art Huard. Vacugask is the gasket that is making this heavy push into VIG happen more efficiently and smoothly. Brilliant invention and I am starting to see it everywhere. Happy for those guys for developing a groundbreaking product that will allow an easier implementation of VIG throughout the space, no matter who the manufacturer is!

Happy Birthday wishes

And last this week…Happy Birthday wishes out to two guys that do a ton for our world in different ways— so best wishes for awesome b-days go to Andrew Haring and Joey Aragon— hope you both have great ones and many many more!