Houston Strong
Thinking of all those effected by Hurricane Beryl
This week all thoughts to my friends in the Houston area after the devastation from Hurricane Beryl. There are still tons of people without power and a long road ahead for clean-up. I think we as a world sometimes become desensitized to hurricane damage anymore because it, unfortunately, happens yearly, but for those, it affects, it is real. There are a lot of incredible folks in Houston and surrounding areas, and they’re big-time supporters of our industry. I’m hoping for all of them to hang in there and get through this quickly. I have many favorites down there, but I am a huge fan of Fulgencio Rey of Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. Brilliant guy who cares a ton and is always sharing important and needed insights online, including updates on this storm. (He’s a must-connect/follow on LinkedIn.) I wish Fulgencio and everyone else the best in this road to recovery. (Note, The only bad thing about Fulgencio is that he’s an Ohio State Buckeye fan. Ouch. But I can look past that for great talent- LOL)
Elsewhere…
In case you missed it, my latest episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is out, and it’s been bringing in many comments on several items, including what the market looks like now, new products, and continuous improvement. And also, some spirited discussions on Chicago pizza too. The pod featured Jason Douglas of HB Fuller and John Trainor of Architectural Grilles and Sunshades, and both guys knocked it out of the park! (A common comment was how people enjoyed getting to know both of these guys- which I love to hear.) All in all, it was a fun one for me to do, and as always, thank you to all who listen and watch!
Watch on YouTube, or listen here, as well as by searching “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Industry anniversaries
Anniversary time again… first up, my folks from Country Glass in Dallas turned 40 this year. It’s funny, as I prepped to write this, I could’ve sworn I recognized Country Glass already for turning 40. But it turns out, as I dug into the archives, I did give them props LAST YEAR for turning 39. So my memory, while addled a bit, wasn’t too far off. Congrats to the great Brian Risinger and my guy Joe Lambertson and the entire organization there on this milestone. Great people and thrilled to see them rolling!
Meanwhile, one of the biggest of the bigs hit a major date. Apogee turned 75! This company does it all and features some of the best people our industry has ever seen. Now, 75 years have passed in our world, and they continue to lead the way. Kudos to so many who work at companies that make up Apogee, like Viracon, Harmon, Linetec, Tubelite, and more. From a single shop in Minneapolis (See Minnesota Nice pays off) to a dominating international force- love it and congrats to all!
CGA meeting
This week the California Glass Association (CGA) has a meeting to be held at the always fabulous and supportive location of Hale Glass. I am honored to be able to attend and speak, and I look forward to seeing some old friends there and making new ones. The CGA, indeed, has hit the ground running, building a great and important regional chapter in record time and doing so with immense passion and pride. Kudos to my old friend Dan Pompeo, who from day 1 was adamant that this organization needed to get off the ground, and then to Kristie Rehberger, Adam Posik, and Nathan Seaman, who spearheaded the launch and have helped guide the group forward—absolutely tremendous stuff.
GBA registration
Last this week… get ready folks. GlassBuild America registration opens this week. Note that the first 300 to register get VIP status, which includes a special early entry into the show. So keep an eye on your e-mail box and social media for notice that the doors are open. If you want to use my code for a free floor entry—it is “MAXPOD” – I can’t wait to see everyone there!!
