With the July holidays in the US and Canada now behind us,
the 2nd half of the year can begin.
There have been some frustrating feelings out there as not everyone was
as “swamped” as they expected to be in the first half of the year. Some areas of North America stayed softer
into the 2nd quarter vs. others, however that all looks like old
news as work is seemingly breaking free all over. So the expectations are very high for a very
strong last half of 2018. I think that’s
what we all want so bring it on!
Elsewhere…
-- Time for the monthly Glass Magazine review… I am slightly
behind, it’s the June issue featuring the MGM National Harbor on the
cover. Once again jammed packed with
content led by the annual Top 50 Glaziers report. I love looking at this list each year, so
many good people, doing great work.
There’s also a fabulous GlassBuild America preview (get registered and bookyour hotel if you have not yet) and Bethany Stough continues to deliver
extremely helpful articles on the workforce with yet another strong piece. Last I am big fan of Matt Johnson of the Gary
Law Group and he had a very smart article on “When to Call a Lawyer.” All of this and much more,,, Plus if you are headed on vacation soon, you could save it for pool or beach reading... you'll look like the smartest one there!
-- Last before my interview this week- kudos to my friends at
Trex Commercial Products (I still want to type SC Railing) on some of their
amazing recent work. I am a big fan of
creativity with glass and what these folks did with the glass railing portions
on the new soccer stadium in California was sharp. Congrats on a job well done!
Big 3 Interview:
Scott Rowe, Principal & Glass Geek at Rowe Fenestration
This was a really fun interview. I only recently met Scott at the past
GlassBuild America, so getting a chance to do this with him was very cool for
me. With just getting to know him, the
more I follow Scott and his company the more impressed I get. Manufacturers representatives can get a bad
rap (some deserve it, believe me) but guys like Scott and his group surely do
a fantastic job of making the companies they represent and our industry look
good!
Did I read your
profile right that you were a math major in college? How did you end up
in the glass world from there?
I actually ended up in the glass business well before
college.
It was the summer of 1969, as a sophomore in high school I
took a summer job at a tiny upstart glass company that was soon to move to my
hometown in the Midwest. I started as a loader on the line and moved up to
glass cutter, before automated cutting, stoce, and optimization. I moved through
the plant working many of the stations - until the day that changed my life.
It was a hot humid corn belt kinda day in the factory. A
group of five or six coolly sophisticated looking guys came in the side door.
They wore pink and purple madras shirts, penny loafers with no socks, and were
all sunburned. “Who are those guys?” I had to know. They were a couple of our
customers and the sales guys after a day of fishing and golf. I knew in that
moment that I wanted to be like them - their freedom, style of communication,
and that footwear. I continued to work in the plant all through high school and
during every college break. “Scotty, Bring a clean shirt, run to the airport to
pick up our vendor/customer/architect.” Every opportunity presented brought me
closer to connecting with people, talking to them, learning about them - and
ultimately to sales. I started full time as a management trainee in 1975. But
back to your original question - I did use my trigonometry knowledge to figure
out the algorithm for the stretch factor on a vertically tong held tempering
furnace using a slide rule.
You started your
manufacturers rep firm in 2005, which was when things were rolling, but then
the recession hit pretty quick after that- what kept you going and then eventually
growing?
By 2005 I had been in the business over 30 years at many
different levels of the industry and had the opportunity to learn from some
great mentors. People are the core of our business, and I am fortunate to have
been surrounded by an innovative and hardworking team, a brilliant business
partner, and have the support of my incredibly smart and patient wife. Like
many of us, we have the urgent need to eat, sleep out of the rain and cold, and
support our families. When you are a small business you are not necessarily
tied to national trends. With insight and effort we can influence and affect
our own reality. We have built a small team of talented people from different
backgrounds, and they are leading us to continued success as the world evolves.
A lot has obviously
changed in the industry from when you started, is there anything specific
(products, plants, people etc.) that make you laugh at the way things were vs.
the way they are now?
Life is change. The technology of the products, the design,
the process, the systems, the applications, and methods of communication have
all changed greatly. The need for top quality, dependable, honest, and timely
transactions and communication is as relevant as it has ever been. The speed
with which things happen now is nearly in real-time. The days of the
traditional library and catalogue are virtually gone - you need to have a
digital footprint, social media and an online presence with a positive user
experience. Technology facilitates these opportunities - as they say, “there’s
an app for that.” Transition into this new world is vital.
Many of the “shazam” type products and organizations that we
have expected to be over night phenomena take far longer to develop than first
expected. I liken it to a Bonnie Raitt interview I heard the year she won
Grammys in four categories - “How does it feel to be an overnight success?” She
replied “Amazing, and it only took me 25 years.”
Our business has changed in many ways. We can now build
better buildings with greater energy efficiency and more innovative design
options as we continue to evolve toward net zero facilities. What has not
changed is the need for humanity in the process. The need to develop
understanding and a collaborative spirit between the ownership/design, the
corporate manufacturing entities, the GC’s and the specialty subcontractors
remains a vital challenge for a successful outcome.
Madras shirts are back (for some of us never gone). I still
love fancy socks and a great pair of velvet shoes, but I do stay out of the sun
now on advice of my dermatologist. I was able to do it, and I still love what I
do. We truly respect and enjoy the culture of this wonderful industry, and are
extremely fortunate to have the support of excellent vendor partners. We
continue to get up every day to assist our customers as they work to complete
successful projects.
LINKS of the WEEK
-- Back to the site of Woodstock and Archeologists are searching. Will be interesting to see what they find!
-- There are people I just don’t understand… like those who want to pet a Lion….
-- Excellent news on the aftermath of a cruel ripoff of a 112
year old man
VIDEO of the WEEK
The World Cup has had some wonderful moments so far but the
public is also having fun with all of the acting that comes with every
foul. This video does it perfectly!!
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