Hoping the Trend Grows

From time to time, I do hit on “adaptive reuse” as I genuinely believe that is a must as we move forward.  Old inventory with good bones and no one using it should be reset into housing.  It was nice to see this article running down a great success story in San Antonio.  This shows it can be done.  This may not benefit our industry a ton (though usually windows need to be changed, and they can always use shower doors), but it’s critical for our world, and that takes priority here.

Elsewhere…

-- North of the border had two significant anniversaries recently.  Goldray Glass celebrated its 40th anniversary in business—very cool stuff for excellent people. And my guy Art Huard, the sales GOAT, reached his 50th year in business.  Half a century, folks, and Art still looks like he’s 35.  Love it.  Congrats to all on the milestones, and keep it going.

-- Three website launches recently, and kudos to all who worked on them.  Great stuff.  First off, Apogee Architectural Metals debuted a clean and easy site. The super informative https://apogeearchmetals.com – Well done there. Thanks to the PR Gold Standard- Heather West for the heads up on it.  Next, my pals at the IUPAT pushed out the new https://iupatglaziers.com site, and it has great elements and quite a few areas to grab the latest info.  And if I know the duo of Travis Nevins and Matt Fox, I am sure they’ll be a lot more added as they go.  Finally, Thompson IG went live with a fabulous site.  This one is beautiful and loaded with info and insight.  Impressive from start to finish.  Thompson may not have won a Glass Magazine Award this year, but if they have a best site category next year, this one https://www.thompsonig.com/ has a chance.  Well done by everyone, and these all make our space stand out!

-- I did see the news that Donald Haley passed away.  I never met him, but his influence in our space was obviously quite extensive.  Best known for Haley-Greer, which he grew into a top glazier in North America.  He was a force in Texas and beyond, and his legacy will live on forever—my prayers and condolences to the Haley family and friends.

-- I’ll have a new podcast next week, and it is a dandy.  The pod is really working nicely these days, and I am so lucky to keep getting fun and fascinating guests.  Remember, the entire archive is up, so if you want to catch any of the 71 previous episodes or any of the 190+ guests, search for “From the Fabricator” on your favorite podcast site or YouTube.

-- Check this out… a car commercial and look at what was showing on the Marquee at the movies… “Tempered Glass”  - I had to rewind a few times. Quite wild here and really wondering how that snuck into a car commercial.  So whoever did that… very cool

Last this week… with all I had going on recently (thank you for all the support- both families I know are grateful too) I did not get my Super Bowl and College football picks in.  So better late than never, right… So Pro Football… I am still going to ride the Ravens to win it. They’ll top the Packers in the Super Bowl.  In college?  Ohio State is the pick until they give up the crown.  They may not be able to beat Michigan (Though I think this year they will, and it’ll be ugly), but they know now how to win in a playoff. So, we’ll see how these go… enjoy the seasons and may your favorite teams- real and of course fantasy- do great!

LINKS of the WEEK

Stealing fishing spots… via a dating app? https://brobible.com/sports/article/oregon-man-catfishing-guys-for-fishing-spots-through-dating-apps/

I talked above about adaptive reuse- this kinda counts right?https://www.cnn.com/style/wind-turbine-blade-made-tiny-home-hnk-spc

Getting mad at scenes in a movie- seems like a waste of energy…https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/the-roses-slammed-by-viewers-who-are-missing-the-point/ar-AA1LHvqp

 PROJECT of the WEEK

YKK’s Trevor Elliot is a cool guy and an excellent follow on LinkedIn- and recently, he shared this project in New Orleans. This was glazed by DeGeorge Glass Co, and it’s one of those smart and sharp projects that are the bread and butter of our existence.   Nice work, YKK and DeGeorge (and whomever the glass folks were…), and keep it up!

Tough Losses

Well.  This is probably one of the toughest blogs I’ve had to write in a while.  This past week, our industry lost two incredible men, both of whom were close friends of mine.  First, it was Tim Moore who passed away.  Tim was a technical powerhouse and a great and loyal person.  He had an intense thirst for knowledge to the point that he’d read technical manuals for fun.  He was always there for you, no matter the request. Anyway,  I’ll never forget when my brother Steve made the life changing call to hire Tim back in the 90’s.  Tim was different, in a good way, from anyone else we ever had on the team.  His knowledge, his demeanor, and his sense of humor all worked in concert to provide anyone in contact with him a wonderful experience.  People who worked with Tim can attest.  He was a quality man.  His work at the NGA level won him the extremely prestigious Carney Award in 2023.  I now look back to Urmilla Sowell, who spearheaded that honor for Tim, and I am grateful she bestowed it on him then.  He made a difference in many ways, both technically and operationally, in our space.  He will be dearly missed, and my condolences to his wife & daughters, friends, and coworkers.

Then I got the news that Jeff Wareham passed away.  Jeff did not have the same national profile that Tim had, but if you knew Jeff, you liked him.  He was pure energy mixed with a dash of worry, and always ran through walls for everyone he worked with.  He was a person who could locate equipment or manufacturing items that no one else seemed to be able to find.  He was always looking to introduce items to the industry that would help fabricators be more efficient.  He did not look at any sale as a transaction, because everyone he dealt with was either a friend or became one quickly. Jeff battled too.  His wife died young in 2019, and he became a single Dad to two young boys.  That was tough on him, but he came through.  He always came through.  Like Tim, Jeff will be greatly missed by all of us who were honored to be a part of his world.

Needless to say, I am gutted right now, and it’s hard to write- but I know that Tim and Jeff would be very mad at me if I didn’t plow forward.  They both did… no matter what.

Rest in Peace, guys.

Elsewhere…

-- So, on we go.  In case you missed the latest From the Fabricator podcast, it can be found at the links below.  Mark Seeton of Vitro and Danielle Whatley of Texstar were fabulous. And I can tell you that both of you had people admiring your accomplishments.  That was very cool.

VIDEO

AUDIO (also search “From the Fabricator” wherever you get your podcasts- Apple, Spotify etc.)

FHC Frameless Hardware Company sponsored this episode.  Thank you again to the team there for their continued support.

-- Every year, Gloria and Brian Hale and Hale Glass do their Annual Blood drive- this would be year 16.  It’s done in memory of those lost during 9/11, and it obviously serves a significant need now, yearly.  If you are in Southern California on Friday, September 12th, Get to Hale Glass to donate. Schedule an appointment now- https://giftoflife.lstream.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/120851  Thank you, Gloria and Brian- class acts through and through.

-- One of the best manufacturer rep firms- T.Fin, led by Tim Finley, celebrated some very big news recently with the addition of YKK to his group of lines.  I always get excited when I see great reps connect with solid organizations.  Plus, I am big into “betting on yourself,” and Tim did that a few years ago when he started T.Fin.  He could’ve had his choice of gigs, but he went all in, and he’s crushing it.  Good to see.

-- Last this week- yet another retirement- this time, Tom Sulock is off to a new phase in life.  I met Tom in 1999 and was highly impressed with his knowledge and approach.  I kept in touch with him over the years, and he really carved out a great career in the industry.  Another good one leaving our ranks- Congrats, Tom!  As I’ve noted before, I am super happy for all who are moving on.  And especially when you had the week we just had, you can see that life can really be very short.

LINKS of the WEEK

Skipping this section for the week- will be back next week!

PROJECT of the WEEK

To the great Midwest and Indiana for this one from Architectural Glass & Metal.  This is the McCormick and Third building.  Looking good!  The post I saw mentioned Kawneer window walls and storefronts.  No mention on the glass, though.  These guys also did the interior work, which turned out fabulous.  Nice work folks- keep it going!!

Refreshing People

A new episode of the "From the Fabricator" podcast is now available for your holiday listening/watching pleasure.  I opened with Mark Seeton of Vitro. It was a great time for me; he answered a few glass geek questions for me, including what the game-changing product in our space from his organization was and the most significant industry change over the span of his career.  Plus, he legit stunned me on the “fun” question, too.  And his input on the forecast was very insightful/helpful.  Then I caught up with Danielle Whatley of Texstar Glazing. Danielle is a growing force in our space, and getting her take on “being on the other side,” as in working at a fabricator, along with what drives her and her company, was super energizing. Great stuff and overall, yet another fun podcast!  These are really rolling now, and I still have 10 more guests to go this year, and the support just blows me away.  Thanks again for watching & listening!!

VIDEO

AUDIO (also search “From the Fabricator” wherever you get your podcasts- Apple, Spotify etc.)

FHC Frameless Hardware Company sponsored this episode.  Thank you again to the team there for their continued support.

Elsewhere…

-- Troy Johnson is an all-time favorite of mine, and he hit the news recently, taking on a new role inside Apogee.  Troy is now the president of Apogee Architectural Metals, responsible for the Alumicor, EFCO, Linetec, Tubelite, and Wausau Window brands.  There is no doubt in my mind that Troy will be fabulous in this role.  I am also excited to see what he does on the supply side of things vs. install.  Troy has always been innovative, and I am sure he will positively disrupt those organizations.  Congrats Troy!!

-- Staying in that APOG family… Nice to see Viracon throwing its weight behind VIG with a new collaboration.  That news popped late in the week, and I think this will help propel that incredibly important space further.  As an industry, we need advanced products to grow and evolve, and so I love it when I see things like this.

-- Our latest industry retirement comes from north of the border.  At the end of September, Lee Harrison, President of Walker Glass, will hang ‘em up.  Lee was at Walker for fifty years. That’s 50.  5-0.  Impressive. Even more so when Lee (along with Ross Christie, in a story told to me when I had those guys on my podcast in September of 2022) determined that Walker must pivot from the mirror business to something else.  That brilliant call to get into etch was a massive move and one for the history books.  I’ll always appreciate Lee as well for his support of the industry and for being friendly to me every time our paths crossed.  A good man and another loss for our space.  Congrats Lee- enjoy that next phase of life!!

-- Last this week… my pal Jeff Ziesche knows me well, as he thought of me when he ran into an article about what areas have the most wealth with their retirees.  It was a fascinating read, and of course, there’s a list, and I love lists… so here goes.. the Top 10 cities where all the retired wealth (and there’s a lot of it) is at.

10- San Luis Obispo, CA – I did not think we’d see California on the list

9- Urban Honolulu, HI- Another surprise because, despite it being paradise, the cost of living seems too high for retirees.

8-Prescott Valley, AZ- The only Arizona entry.

7- Port St. Lucie, FL- the first of 5 Florida locations on the list

6- Deltona, FL- Had a neighbor move there and seriously thought at the time they were going to DAYTONA- never knew there was a Deltona.

5- Barnstable Town, MA – I’d just love to hear the retirees say Barnstable in that Mass accent

4- Santa Rosa, CA- who knew? California is a place to hang em up

3- Cape Coral, FL- Nice place. I think there’s a certain popular industry company nearby

2- Naples, FL- Great area – nice pace

And #1 North Port, Florida- and folks, I had to look it up. I had never heard of that city. Heard of towns around it, though. So, I am a bit surprised.

I am also surprised that nothing in South Carolina or Georgia made the list.  As well as Texas and Utah. To check it all out: https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/baby-boomers-home-equity-wealth/

LINKS of the WEEK

I’m forgetful these days so hopefully that turns into windfall like it did for this guy.  https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/08/29/lotto-Maryland-Lottery-Powerball-two-tickets/6921756495951/

I’m sure you saw the Cracker Barrel controversy.  My take? The restaurants need cleaning and new lighting, and the food needs to be worked on.  Unreal how this whole thing happened and anyone with a brain could see it was going to go poorly. https://news.yahoo.com/news/article/cracker-barrel-will-ditch-new-woke-logo-after-backlash-from-trump-and-others-220319476.html

The great Lee Corso’s run-on Saturday College Football Gameday is over.  A true institution and his “mascot” picks will be missed! https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/30/sport/football-ncaa-lee-corso-retirement-profile-intl

 PROJECT of the WEEK

This one hit my feed courtesy of the very cool Marcus Singleton of ACE Glass in Arkansas.  He was sharing a post from Erik Sutton of Centerline Systems on this really sharp project.  This is the Saracen Casino Resort's New Hotel Tower.   This 15-story hotel will feature 320 rooms—about half of them suites—bringing a new level of luxury to Arkansas. Everything looks tremendous on this one and the post noted quality collaboration between ACE and Centerline.  Not surprising since if you know ACE Glass, they are masters at cooperation.  Kudos to them and Centerline for a building that showcases our products! Great work!