2020 MVP

Before I get into the MVP process, I wanted to mention I was honored to be on the John Wheaton “Creating Structure” podcast that went online at the end of the week.  It was an absolute blast to do.  A chance to talk about where I came from, marketing, where the glass industry is now and where it’s going, along with a lot more. Please check it out HERE- I appreciate it.  Thank you John. 

 

As this is the last post of 2020, hopefully we can put the unusual nature of this year behind us and see better things ahead.  But first as is tradition here, it’s time for the 2020 Glass Industry MVP race.  Below are my runners-up and this year’s winner. All are very deserving and excellent folks.  The criteria I use to determine this is the following.  People or companies that stepped up and supported the industry beyond the norm.  People or companies who represent our values and push the greatness of what we do beyond the typical approaches. And last I try to not repeat people, so I try to find folks I have not recognized on these lists previously.  There are quite a few runners up in the last 7 years and I don’t have space for that but I did want to once again recognize who the past MVP’s were:

2019  Bill Sullivan 

2018  Nathalie Thibault

2017  Joe Erb 

2016  Chuck Knickerbocker

2015  Jon Kimberlain

2014  CR Laurence

2013  Tracy Rogers 

 

So on to 2020 and first the runners-up:

 

Casey Anderson- ICD. Casey is somewhat recent into our industry but in her short time she’s done an incredible job on many levels. Raising educational awareness, supporting events and advocacy and promoting the overall appeal of glass has been huge.  Personally I am jealous because I’ve seen some of the technical presentations that Casey helped drive and they blow me away- I wish I had that skill.  Casey is a super addition to our world and I think she’ll continue to push the best of us out there.

 

Sam Hill- Oak Cliff Mirror and Glass.  Sam, like so many in the great state of Texas, truly get the meaning of giving back to the industry.  Sam could easily note he’s too busy to help or support but never does and in fact in many times he’s looking for ways to add on or extend the reach of either the regional associations (like the excellent Texas Glass Association) or national ones like the NGA.  Sam has a genuine care for where we are and where we are going and we need more of that throughout our industry and quite frankly our world.

 

Bill and Keith Daubmann- My Shower Door, D3 Glass.  If I only had 2% of the energy that Keith has or 2% of the business skill that Bill has I’d be so much further along in life. (Note both guys have energy and skill- not to short change either!)  These guys are unreal.  They are constantly grinding, pushing, and improving.  And in doing so they are raising the image of our industry with it. But they don’t stop there, they are always open to promoting the greatness of what we all do, and hustling to get into the mainstream- which is so rare for us.  It is no accident that national pubs give them recognition all the time, they are fantastic operators and their support for our industry is a major priority for them. 

 

Now to our winner for 2020… and this person also takes the final spot on my “Influential 15” list that I have been doing the last few weeks to mark the 15 years of this blog. 

The 2020 Glass Industry MVP is Tim Kelley of Tristar Glass.  I think we all can say this year has not been a great one.  Yes, we have all been resilient and made the most of the situation, but this surely has been a challenge.  Tim Kelley absolutely dominated this challenge.  He kept an amazing positive attitude at the start and pushed forward with plans that most would’ve tried to cancel.  His company and people are among the best we have to offer- all class and care- and to me that’s indicative of the culture that Tim has built at Tristar.  Tim pushes to support the industry in every possible way and drives to make us all better. Then for the influential part, Tim is my 15^thand final member of that class and I look at what he’s done, how his company has grown, the people who work and are incredibly loyal to him, and it’s obvious he should be on my list.  He’s raised the profile of the “typical” glass fabricator from “meat and potatoes” to high performance and sophisticated.  End of the day the combo of what Tim has built with how they operate each and every day and the effect they’ve had and are having in the industry truly is influential and it’s been a breath of fresh air for me to experience. 

 

So there you go… this year’s MVP race is in the books and it makes me proud to be a part of this amazing industry and the great people who work in it.  We have all battled this year and it looks like we will have some more adventures ahead until it calms some.  I have confidence though that our community will continue to overcome, continue to put our products on display, and continue to be a great industry to work in. 

 

To all of you who read this weekly, and to those of you who may have just stumbled on this post, here’s wishing you only the best for 2021.  May you have a great holiday season and a HAPPY and HEALTHY New Year! Take Care!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

I used to love the Osborn lights at Disney- and these folks are off the charts too with their Christmas efforts!  But like a friend to me noted, how much is their electric bill?

 

I love dancing.  But in no way, shape, or form should it be in the Olympics.  

 

This story can’t be real. If it is the “luck” here is off the charts!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

It was about a year ago I decided to do a “Project of the Week” in this space and it really worked out nicely.  Was fun to recognize some awesome people, companies, and projects that truly showed off the greatness of the materials we produce.  

 

Our last Project of the Week for 2020 is an incredible decorative beauty from Goldray Glass.  This is the Moraine Valley Community College Rec Center and this digital print is awesome.  Wow.  Huge kudos to Cathie Saroka and her great team at Goldray and special mentions for the architects at Demonica Kemper on an awesome design and the team from Precision Wall Systems on the install.  Also kudos to super rep Tony Kasprzak as I spotted this one on his LinkedIn feed. Bottom line, it’s projects like this- and all the others I showed throughout the year that make glass and glazing the best building product segment out there!

Get ready for The Glass Age

Will 2022 be the year of Glass?  I have mentioned this a few times but there is an excellent international move afoot to make 2022 officially the year of glass and would begin the “The Glass Age” in our world.  Obviously I love it.  This past week the folks leading this effort had a live debut of their pitch and it is something to see.  While it covers every single aspect of glass, our world has a nice little part of it, and I was especially jazzed by a specific mention of bird friendly glazing along the way.  The presentation can be found HERE and it is very well done and worth the view.  I will have more information and updates on this as there will be opportunities for all of us in this industry to get involved and help push this over the finish line! 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Good news for an old friend.  Jeff Ziesche who I have worked with a few times in my past and have pretty much known all my life has started his own manufacturers rep firm based in Florida.  JAZ Sales & Consulting has launched and I am very pumped for him and also the excellent companies he’s representing. Good times ahead for all!

 

--  I am also honored and excited that I will soon be on the John Wheaton “Creating Structure” podcast.  We recorded it this week and it was a blast- I’ll share on my various platforms when it is live.  But speaking of that excellent set up that John has, this past week he had the legend Mic Patterson on.  Unbelievably good listen.  Mic is super.  BUT BUT BUT Mic made a comment that got me going.  He mentioned the “Battle for the Wall” and said that it was the glass industry’s way of pushing for more of the wall and more business.  For me that is not accurate.  The battle for the wall is trying to keep what we have since others want to reduce window to wall ratio and really do not like glass products.  Mic did though bring up serious thought-provoking comments on what we should be doing with regards to educating the design community and getting our true message out there among many other interesting insights.  Give it a listen HERE

 

--  How about this…. a story this week came out that said water filled IG units could replace regular IG units some day.  Read it all HERE but I don’t see it.  Vacuum Insulating, especially things like what Michael Spellman has going on in with tVIG will disrupt.  Will these?  Check it out and weigh in. 

 

--  The AIA released their Committee on the Environment (COTE) awards and the use of glass and glazing was pretty significant.  We are looking good here folks.  If you worked on one of these projects let me know- you deserve props!  Here’s the story. 

 

--  Last this week 2 more on to my “Influential 15” – one I think is a pretty obvious choice and the other may surprise but to me, he’s always been extremely influential in the way our industry operates.

 

First up is the obvious one... Don Friese.  What Mr. Friese built at CR Laurence was beyond game changing and quite frankly was legendary.  CRL did not become this incredible brand by accident.  Mr. Friese and his people worked it, they hustled, and they earned their spots.  The people that learned under him and in that system make up many of our best leaders in the industry today.  Upon selling the CRL a few years ago, Mr. Friese was incredible to his employees and truly changed many lives... and now post CRL he is still changing them with his foundation and specifically his support of the education aspect of the glass industry.  I do not know Mr. Friese very well, spoke to him maybe twice, but I see his fingerprints all over from folks that were with him for years to those who only spent a short time, and for all of them and this industry he was incredibly influential. 

 

The second choice this week is Garret Henson of Viracon.  Garret has been instrumental in growing high performance glass and getting more and more acceptance of high performance glass in the market.  Both what he does individually and how he’s led his insanely talented staff (superstars like my pal Cameron Scripture) to push architects and designers into better products for our world is huge.  Garret also gives back; he’s sat on the BEC planning committee for years and many times had to do serious heavy lifting in trying to line up speakers and subjects.  He did all of it without delay or complaint.  So for me it checks two big boxes of mine- did the person affect our world and did the person support our industry- for Garret it’s been a resounding yes.  Garret is also an excellent guy, a classy and sharp representative of our world in front of designers and developers all over the US. 

 

By the way, comically for years people have accused me of being on Viracon’s payroll because I have always been complimentary of them on my blog.  I do hold people like Garret, Cameron, Seth Madole, and of course Kelly Schuller (and many others there) in high regard.  But for the record, I have never worked for them, and in fact have never even been able to sell them as much as an inexpensive sponsorship for GlassBuild- so believe me, my positive thoughts here are from their performance in our world and nothing more. 

 

Only one more person to go on my influential 15- and that person will be revealed next week in my annual Glass Industry MVP post.  Who knows that individual may even be the 2020 MVP as well as making this list… tune in next week to find out!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Good on this delivery guy for the save!

 

Businesses trying to survive now run into other issues- what a brutal beat here.

 

Big time storm here- wow.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

Super Sky continues to post some stunners and this past week Brian Thomas and the team had a great one that included excellent work from Viracon and Linetec.  This is the Reading Hospital and Medical Center that was sold by my good pal Ted Bleecker.  I love the natural light just flowing through.  Inside and out just a combo of great design and great execution from everyone involved.  

Rough Week

We start this week some tough news. A few days ago, word came that Cliff Monroe passed away.  Cliff was a leading technical mind in our industry for many years, and held important roles at Arch Aluminum, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and eventually his own consulting company.  Cliff was also a main voice in the world of GANA and the technical committees there.   I am so gutted by this news of Cliff passing.  He was a great man and friend to me and my family.  He was loved by so many in our industry and truly was special.  Cliff had a biting sense of humor, sometime deprecating, sometimes sarcastic, but always on the mark and often always had a great smile on his face.   Most of all he legitimately cared about everyone he worked with and for.  An incredible quality.  I spent so much of my professional life over the years with Cliff, such a super person. He will be missed.  

 

Then from a national figure like Cliff to a local one for me.  Ed Williams, known lovingly in the Michigan glass and glazing market as “Uncle Ed” also passed away this week.  Ed was a legend in the Detroit area.  How much so?  He had a golf outing named in his honor for years… Yes, alive and well and every year you could play in the Ed Williams Invitational!  Now that’s amazing.  Ed was incredibly kind to me when I moved to Michigan in 1997 and always greeted with a smile.  Ed’s family is heavily entrenched in the glazing community here, so this is a big loss for sure.

 

Last, I am not sure when it happened, but heard that another ex-coworker of mine Richard Alvarez also passed on.  Richard was a great and caring guy, and along with Kirk Johnson really was a major force in the southern California fabricator market.  I always could count on Richard to drop me a note from time to time commenting on my blog, but more so, whether I was working with him or not, if I needed some insight or direction, Richard never failed me. And I know was not the only one that he never let down.   

 

So not the best of weeks recently that is for sure, 3 more excellent people and industry leaders pass on.  Thoughts and prayers to all of their family and friends. 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The ABI was released and it actually stayed relatively the same from the previous surprising month- this time coming in at 47.5.  So we are still under water but staying steady and we didn’t have that drop off I expected.  Love being wrong on that!  There was some good news though in that project inquiries really boosted up (59) and design contracts passed the 50 mark coming in at 51.7.  That is very hopeful stuff and we’ll keep watching it all and reporting back…

 

--  Nice and exciting news on a big-time player in our industry.  Kensington Glass Arts picked up a Subcontractor of the Year award from the ABC in Metro Washington & Virginia.  As I always note, it is so important when one of our companies win positive recognition, and these guys at KGa do it right.  So props to Jim Rathbone, Bill Wilson and everyone there on a much deserved award and honor!

 

--  Note- what is also nice on Kensington’s success is that they were also an early adopter of the NACC certification program.  Wins like this also shine a positive light on what I consider a truly important program that only makes our industry stronger and better.

 

--  Last this week.. only 5 more spots on my “Influential 15” and 2 will be taken now…. 

First up is Dr. Helen Sanders of Technoform.  Helen is pure brilliance.  I had her on my list and then when I heard her on John Wheaton’s excellent “Creating Structure” podcast it just reinforced my decision.  Helen was and is an amazingly influential player at the energy and code level.  She gets it.  She brought high performance and our needs to really understand it and push it to all levels of our industry.  She also was willing to share and volunteer, being all over the place, supporting events and committees with an incredible amount of selflessness.  I for one appreciate her commitment to our world, and without her, we’d be so much further behind in the daily code battles and efforts to get the word out about our products and performance.  Her efforts now are needed more than ever- go listen to the Wheaton pod to learn more about her personally (fascinating) and professionally (insanely impressive).

 

My other choice this week is Julie Schimmelpenningh.   Julie is without a doubt one of the most influential people we have seen in our world ever.  She was a huge key in making laminated glass the massive growth area that is today. She also (like I mentioned with Helen) was and is a huge volunteer of time and care in every technical aspect of our industry.  Julie also tells it like it is.  Always.  She doesn’t sugarcoat.  And never will.  And we all need this quality in our lives.  I have mentioned here previous, but this whole move to bird glazing that now is huge?  Julie was the initial lead voice alerting our industry that this is real.  I mean if noting a movement that many at the time (me included) thought was a joke is not influential I don’t know what is.  Personally I owe Julie a ton- she supported me when it probably wasn’t the popular thing to do, and always treated me a ton better than I deserved.  Last, Julie is also well known for being absolutely unstoppable once the meeting ends and recreation begins.  I have never experienced that because I’m in bed by 9 each night of a conference, but the legend of Julie there is also truly epic.  

 

Julie and Helen- two strong, smart, and super women that our industry has been blessed to have!

 

--  Only three more people to go- two next week and then my last one who also happens to be in the running for my 2020 MVP which will be revealed on that same last scheduled post of the year in two weeks.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

This is not a joke… Parents throwing their kids over a gate when late for school…

 

My Canadian friends… is this true and happening? LOL!

 

Thumbs up or down on this wild looking home?  Some solid glass usage in there…

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

I gotta say my friend Tom O’Malley has done some incredible work with Clover Architectural but this project of the week may take the cake… Want to talk about being stopped in your tracks by an impressive structure?  This one is it.  It is not far from me here in Michigan and I can’t wait to see it person.  The screenwall (on top of the curtainwall) is what Tom and Clover manufactured and supplied and it just is awesome!  Great design from the iconic Yamasaki firm, with expert install from the gang at Modern Mirror and Glass. Great work there… and also props on the LinkedIn post mentioned Spectrum Metal Finishing (super people there) and Rice Engineering.  Congrats to Tom and the team on yet another fabulous job. 

 

Forecast Season Begins

The first of two major construction forecasts were released this previous week and leading off was the annual Dodge Data and Analytics Conference.  Going into this every previous forecast was basically saying we are headed into a dip but expect recovery into 2021 and beyond.  And all metrics always note that it’s assuming the virus issue is under some sort of control and we don’t backslide into lockdowns or other catastrophes. This one came in pretty similar but it was more sobering for some reason.  This forecast says the commercial sector for starts will finish down 23% this year and only gain back 5% of that in 2021.  That is a tough number for us because what we do lags starts quite a bit, so some of us probably haven’t even tasted any of that 23% reduction yet. The perk up of 5% is probably less than we all were expecting too.  Obviously a lot can and WILL change, so we just have to keep plugging away. (COMMUNICATE! DIVERSIFY!)  There was a ton more to this session and I am still going through it all- and am planning to share more insight on this in the coming weeks. Plus Construct Connect has their forecast this coming week and I want to see how they come in as well.  That all said the economic news wasn’t all negative or down… this blurb elsewhere online caught my eye:

 

Goldman Sachs sees a bull run in 2021. Expects a strong vaccine-led recovery w/global real GDP growth of 6%. Sees S&P 500 at 4300 by end-2021, 22% higher than today.

 

So we may have some short term pain but could have some long term gains coming.  No matter what it all hinges on a virus that has been pure misery so far and I am not sure is ready to give up haunting all of us yet.  

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  By the way the next Architectural Billings Index is coming this Wednesday.  I will be absolutely stunned if it is not down from last month. Last month was a doozy to me- and the over cautious tone from the analysts give me a feel like it was a fluke. We’ll see and hope for the best… I’ll obviously cover it all on my next post.

 

--  Big Thirsty Thursday this week on restoring glass surface blemishes.  This is a major issue in our world and NGA lined up two excellent speakers for this session.  For more details and how to get signed up (it is FREE) click HERE! 

 

--  Congrats to Rick Alexander of Tom Brown Inc.  for getting big time published with a paper on Pressure-Sensitive Glazing Tapes for Window Fabricationthat appears in Adhesives & Sealants Magazine (ASI) – Great piece that has been the lead story at that publication- I always love when our industry has people doing bright things and everything Rick does is brilliant so it fits the bill.  Nice work!

 

--  Also nice work to Guardian Glass and a thank you to Alan Kinder there.  A few weeks ago, I had a super project of the week in North Carolina and no glass players were listed.  I asked who did this excellent work and Alan jumped in and gave me the details.  It was the Clayton Commercial Glazing job from my 10/25 post and Guardian Glass is the primary manufacturer with the fabrication done from the fine folks at TriStar Glass.  Great work everyone- thank you for passing the info along!

 

--  Also from the Guardian Glass world, they announced a new Low E with the release of SunGuard® SNE 50/25. From initial looks I really like the appearance and performance. Good new option for designers/energy models.   I like pushing new products as we have to keep overcoming objections out there about what we as an industry can do (or can’t do) and as we keep innovating and releasing new products, let’s celebrate it because it is good for our world as a whole.  Congrats to the team at Guardian Glass who worked on this one.

 

--  Now to my ongoing “Influential 15” and two more spots covered this week.  And since we’ve been on a Guardian run, it’s fitting that one of the spots goes to someone from there… or at least used to be there.  The late great Russ Ebeid is the choice on this one because both personally for me and professionally on this industry he did have an incredible influence.  For me personally, I have noted on here before that it was Russ that was a great sounding board when I was between jobs and his advice and insights were dead on. Industry wise, Russ was a tremendous leader and quite a few people who are still major players today came from the Russ tree. He was the smartest guy in the room during his time leading Guardian and so much of what he put into place remains today.  

 

--  My other spot this week goes to the head of the National Glass Association Nicole Harris.  I have had the honor of working with and for Nicole for many many years and have seen up close what she has done and how she thinks and leads on a totally higher level than anyone else out there.  It truly is amazing.  The saying that goes “We are all playing checkers while Nicole is playing Chess” is absolutely appropriate.  Her leadership has been crucial and now even more so in the time of Covid.  Nicole pushed her team to put out incredible amounts of resources to help companies through this and those efforts haven’t stopped, all the while making sure our technical interests are covered and we are not losing sight of the battles for the wall.   I live and love this industry and our products, but I don’t come close to doing what Nicole has done to make sure we are better tomorrow than we are today. So two more amazing people who are truly key to our world… only 5 more to go…

 

--  Last this week... no post next week… I’ll be back after US Thanksgiving- unless some sort of major news breaks (doubtful though you never know!) As those of you who know me, know my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and this year will be a tough one with limits on gatherings and worries with regards to the virus, but I am still incredibly thankful for all- my family, friends, and all of you who read and support me and our industry.  Hope all of you have a happy and healthy thanksgiving and we’ll see you back here in a couple of weeks!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

--  Police vs a food truck- a wild story

 

--  Good work here on kids building their own classrooms- the whole higher education model has needed to change- stuff like this will speed that up

 

--  You could get pizza “insurance” from Dominoes… now for the holidays “Turkey Insurance”

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

This is an older one but when I saw it on LinkedIn I noted it because it is too cool not to share. This is 7 St Thomas Job in Toronto featuring amazing Bent Glass that just stops you in your tracks.  Standard Bent Glass did the fabricating (now lead in sales spot by old pal Jon Johnson) and Guardian Glass the raw glass.  (Wow- this post is almost like a paid ad for them- seriously it was not the plan, just worked out that way- all 3 people from Guardian who read this will at least like it. LOL) BV Glazing deserves massive props on the install.  Obviously the fabulous design from Hariri Pontarini is off the charts amazing.   Wonderful work everyone!!

The Battle Continues

It may have been forgotten or at least minimized in light of all else going on in our world, but our industry is still “battling” for the wall.  There continues to be movements out there for less glass and it is one that the NGA and it’s dream team of leaders and advocates are fighting at every front.  Last month the issues came up again during the ASHRAE 90.1 Virtual Meeting and thankfully the folks on our side were present and on top of things.  But this continues to bear watching and supporting when asked.  If you are not a member of the National Glass Association, put in the budget for 2021.  Then follow closely what the team is doing there to protect our interests.  Glass is too good to be minimized and it is worth the fight!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Congrats to old friend Chris Fronsoe on his new spot at Vitro Architectural.  Chris is a tremendous guy and passionate about our world, so it’s great to have him out there on the glass side again.  Plus the style he brings, especially with his choices in shoes, is a must to make up for people like me who wear the same pair of New Balance everywhere to everything! Congrats Chris and Vitro- Great combo!!

 

--  And speaking of Vitro, they also made news this week with their Steve Marino winning “Article of the Year” from Construction Specifier Magazine.  His article on diagnosing glass breakage in buildings was winner and I love when our industry stands out amongst all the other building product players in a competition like this.  Congrats Steve!

 

--  2 more spots on my 15 most influential being filled this week and its folks that truly blazed trails in their specific discipline.  First up the couple of Larry and Trisha Vockler of ICD Coatings.  The Vockler’s (along with daughter Kris as time went on) changed the world of spandrel.  Before they developed their product, smaller fabricators like my family business at the time could never truly compete in commercial work because of the spandrel space.  Larry and Trisha changed that with their product and their commitment to the industry too.  They recognized an area of need and groups of companies who could get behind it and started a major change.  Simply a huge positive developed by brilliant people.  In addition, they are pure class and great ambassadors for all we can do in our world.  The other spot this week goes to Michael Spellman of IGE Glass Technologies.  Same theme as the Vockler’s, Michael changed the way people bought glass fabrication equipment and moved an entire sector into a new and innovative space.  Michael’s efforts to find new products that could improve all we do were huge movements in improving overall efficiencies and bottom lines.  Obviously, that continues today and where I am excited is Michael now has his eyes on Vacuum Insulating Glass and trying to disrupt that like he did equipment- again it will be good for our world.  So… 2 more spots taken by folks who without their influence and direction our industry may be in the stone ages and surely not as advanced as we are now and will be going forward!

 

--  Last this week, part 2 of my interview with Patrick MacLeamy former CEO of HOK.  I will note that I was bummed by his answer on my glass question- obviously you all know me I want people to be over the top effusive in praise for our core product.  Patrick’s answer is great and true, but man I would’ve loved him to talk about glass like we all do!  In any case here’s part 2 and some excellent insights to be had!

 

MP: I have blogged a few times about the importance of executive coaching and that is something you embraced as you were climbing the ladder at HOK. How hard was it for you to truly take on those lessons and how much would you recommend it to executives now?

 

PM: I initially soured on leadership training from seminars where consultants conduct team-building exercises. I never saw quantifiable benefits afterward. In contrast, private coaching, which I called “charm school,” proved invaluable. It taught me to allow people room to voice their own thoughts—reinforcing the “careful listening” technique championed by HOK co-founder Gyo Obata. A second take-away from coaching is that people need to understand whysomething is important, not just what to do. This invests people in the problem-solving process and builds a stronger consensus. 

 

Executive coaching undoubtedly advanced my career. I’m indebted to HOK HR Director John Mahon, who took me to dinner and said that I could be the company’s next CEO—if I would accept private coaching to help develop a middle-ground approach between a relaxed atmosphere that encourages design creativity and the rigidity required to make a business profitable. I recommend executive coaching for any aspiring leader. 

 

Circling back to team-building, we found working together as volunteers more beneficial than consultant-conducted seminars. For example, 200 top HOK leaders helped a school in Mexico by building a classroom addition, assembling playground equipment, and planting a garden in conjunction with one of our periodic leadership retreats. This reinforced a foundational HOK philosophy: Collaboration inside is the best way to compete outside.

 

MP: My audience is glass and glazing.  I believe we play a massive role in the design.  What advice would you give to the glass industry to be better partners to the architectural community and advance our standing?

 

PM: The building industry suffers from fragmentation, with too many small players and a lack of true collaboration between the architect, contractor, and owner. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become the digital platform to foster improved collaboration between all the different participants in the building industry—including providers of glass products. I helped found buildingSMART International in 1994 to promote open BIM standards for the building industry and continue to serve as international Chairman. The organization champions open-source software for everyone involved in the four phases of a building: design, procurement, construction (which I prefer to call building assembly), and operations. I encourage glass manufactures join with us and become full participants in shaping the future of the global building industry.

MP: Two sides of the coin question - Is there a trend now in architecture and design that excites you and is there anything that concerns you?

 

PM: Sustainability is the answer for both sides of that coin. Building construction and operations are responsible for 40%-50% of the world’s carbon emissions and 40%-50% of landfill waste, presenting an enormous challenge—and opportunity—for our industry. Open BIM and advanced software enable the design and construction of energy-efficient, sustainable buildings with significantly reduced construction waste. At HOK, we instituted the Smart Effort Curve (which the industry later called the “MacLeamy Curve”) to illustrate the advantages of front-loading efforts in the project design phase, preventing costly fixes in the concrete/steel/glass stage. The world needs more efficient, sustainable buildings, and we—designers, builders, and building product manufacturers—must work together to meet that urgent goal.

 

MP: You are still involved with your role at buildingSMART International. (Which you have been involved with from the start I believe) How is that going and why is it crucial that the architectural and building product world to embrace these efforts?

PM: BuildingSMART has become the leading creator of digital standards for the global building industry, with chapters in 23 countries and ongoing work to extend these standards to become more useful. In the past five years, buildingSMART has also become the standards body for the global infrastructure industry—roads, bridges, tunnels, railroads, airports, and more. I believe buildingSMART is the key driver of positive change in the design, procurement, construction, and operation of buildings and infrastructure around the world.

 

Thank you Patrick!  His book Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm is an excellent read and worth checking out. Click the title above to learn more. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Blog was really long this week, so no links this time around… will be back next week!!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 Another one I stumbled on via LinkedIn.  This is Willow Grove YMCA in Pennsylvania and the glass just pops!  Love the look and layout- wish there was more glass (as always) but love what is there.   Great work on the fabrication by Glass Enterprises (where I spotted in online via the great feed of John Peirce) and installed by Eureka Metal and Glass. Architect was Kramer + Marks and float glass was by Vitro.  Great players all around combining on an excellent job.  Congrats to all involved

BOD, PR, and Q&A

A bit different of a post this week… two quick pieces, then part 1 of my interview with Patrick MacLeamy.  So here goes…

 

--  Great news from NGA this week with the announcement of 4 new members added to an already amazing Board of Directors.  Congrats to Courtney Little, Denise Baker, Silas Koonse, and most especially for me Chris Dolan.  As readers of this blog know I am huge fan of Chris and his “megatron” like skillset (an old reference to Chris being like the Calvin Johnson of the Glass Industry- a guy who can do anything at the highest level) and adding him to the board is absolutely awesome for our industry.  Very pumped for this group to keep growing what the NGA does to continue to help our industry!

 

--  This week I add one more person to my most influential 15… that would be the best PR person in the history of our industry- Heather West.  If you don’t work with PR people, your image of them is the “Hollywood” version of a fast-talking person selling and spinning.  Well that’s not very accurate in real life or our industry and it is surely not Heather.  No Heather is sharp and focused and there’s never “spin” just cold hard usually awesome facts that advance her clients and our industry a great deal.  When I look at Heather I see someone who set the PR bar impossibly high and I appreciate that because again, what she has done has advanced the appreciation and usage of glass and glazing.  Heather also happens to be a class act, so in addition to being an amazing influence she’s good people.  So on my list she goes!  I have 6 spots now filled 9 left to go… and I just feel so grateful that all of these people I am listing not only positively disrupted our industry but had a great influence on me and how I do things. 

 

Ok so I have written a few times on the book  Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm by Patrick MacLeamy former CEO of HOK.  I was lucky enough to get an e-mail interview with Patrick and here is Part 1.  You’ll see how his passion comes through here and the book was the same way.  

 

MP: Now that the book has been out a while, has anyone you worked with had any issues with you talking about some of the tougher times in the business like the cash flow challenges or branch politics etc.?  This was such a rare peek inside the halls of an organization everyone in our little world knows….

 

PM: None whatsoever—transparency was at the root of HOK’s emergence from those challenges, and that openness helped influence Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm. Honest communication allowed HOK to identify its flaws and create solutions. As one example, after HOK’s accounting system was simplified so everyone in the company could understand it, we opened the books. Each office could see how the others were performing, increasing positive peer pressure and collaboration. HOK is owned by employee shareholders, and company-wide support was offered to offices that weren’t meeting goals. Also, my annual visits to each office included Ask Me Anything sessions for all staff. So, transparency is part of HOK’s DNA. It played a vital role in reclaiming financial stability and a collaborative culture (which we call HOK Culture).

 

MP: You were in charge of HOK from 2003 to 2016. You navigated the company through a bunch of very pivotal issues that could’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere. Of every victory you had though- which one is the one you appreciate the most? For me it had to be paying off the BOA loan. (HOK had a line of credit with Bank of America that had become a pain point for a few different reasons)  That scotch afterwards had to taste extra good!

 

PM: That was probably the most satisfying extrication. Everyone in the company made sacrifices to pay off HOK’s line of credit. The experience prompted me to include insights on relationships with banks in Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm. Firms should seek out banks that view clients as partners, not just revenue sources.

 

MP: HOK and sports and the adventures you had in that space was the biggest surprise for me in the book.  You eventually handled everything and came out ahead but I have think it was a heck of challenge given the strong imaging the brand had not only in the building product world but even with the everyday consumer who looked at HOK as the premier designer of all of these great new stadiums. How tough were those times and if you could do anything different what would you have done?

 

PM: In 1983 HOK hired four architects in Kansas City with specialized sports design experience. These designers transformed stadiums into multi-functional event centers by adding luxury suites, retail, and other amenities. Along the way they grew the small office into a hugely successful practice that became HOK Sport. The timing was perfect—many professional teams’ stadium leases were set to expire in the 1980s and 1990s, and HOK Sport subsequently designed Camden Yards for the Baltimore Orioles, MetLife Stadium for the Jets and Giants, United Center where the Bulls play in Chicago, and numerous others. 

 

HOK Sport became one of the firm’s primary profit centers. That division’s revenue covered shortfalls in other areas—which led to growing pains and HOK having to re-assess its accounting and bonus programs. In retrospect, HOK Sport’s merger with Lobb (which specialized in sports architecture in the UK and Australia) wasn’t a seamless fit. HOK should have demanded that Lobb assimilate into HOK’s London office instead of retaining their existing London location. It created a rift between HOK Sport and the rest of the company. HOK’s core culture was one of collaboration, and HOK Sport had operated autonomously from the beginning. We ultimately sold HOK Sport to its leaders and relaunched the division, re-aligning operations with the rest of the company. The new HOK Sports + Recreation + Entertainment was an instant success, with projects including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Hard Rock Stadium’s modernization in Miami, and others.

Next week- Where glass fits in, Coaching, BuildingSMART and more....  

LINKS of the WEEK

 

OK noted if I ever become Walter White of Breaking Bad, insurance won’t cover my mess.

 

AirBNB in the world of COVID.  

 

This will be a Netflix Doc eventually I am sure

PROJECT of the WEEK

This week we go to the decorative side of things… Nathan Allan Glass Studios had this one LinkedIn and the picture stopped me cold.  I think their write-up on it is better than what I could say so here it is… NICE WORK folks!

Two large walls were installed with our Custom Sawtooth Glass. Panels measured 64” x 62” (1626mm x 1575mm). The front panel is 3/4″ (19mm) Low Iron glass, with our Custom Sawtooth pattern. Each Custom Sawtooth Glass panel is laminated to a separate, low iron, flat glass panel. The laminated panels provided extra strength to each panel set and create a safety glass, which passed building code requirements.
Custom Sawtooth Glass Partitions
Installation by Genesis Architectural
Interior Design by KPF, NYC
55 HUDSON YARDS, NYC

 

Better News

The latest Architectural Billings Index was released this week and it was an absolute stunner... in a few ways.  First the scoring was way beyond what I expected or what conventional wisdom was pointing to.  After a few months being stuck at 40 (remember a score of 50 is break-even) the index shot up to 47 this month.  Absolute jaw dropper.  The other metrics went up nicely too, including design contracts and design inquiries.  So a very positive month, at least I thought so given in the context of what we are all going through… so I was baffled when the comment from the AIA was:

“Despite the multi-family residential sector showing signs of improvement, overall business conditions are recovering at a disappointingly slow pace,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “Other sectors may begin to stabilize in the coming months, but across the board improvement shouldn’t be expected until the economic impact of the pandemic subsides significantly.” 

I mean the main index jumped 7 points and is close to break even, how can that be pointed to as a slow pace?  Previous months you can use this quote but when you make a major jump like this I don’t get it.  And quite frankly I still think this is better than it could’ve been.  Obviously, this index is still underwater and now has been for several months and if it translates correctly mid to late next year there should/could be a slowing of construction.  So I get the frustration, believe me, I am there, but I think when an index has a massive breakthrough like this words like “disappointingly” don’t connect for me.  Possibly they think or have visibility into next month’s index that makes them feel like this a flukey score? Will next month be ugly then?  We’ll see… Stay tuned…

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  Also making news this week was a poll on the design of federal buildings that was released and the results were heavy in the favor of “traditional.”  The survey was commissioned by the National Civic Art Society (NCAS) and conducted by the Harris Group.  72% of the 2000 surveyed said they want old fashioned traditional vs. modern after viewing various pictures.  This issue became political as national leaders waded into it, so the survey made news in that aspect too.  For me?  I like traditional but I also live for glass and this is probably not great for us.  Especially since the glass that would go into a federal building would be big time value added too (protective etc.) We’ll see how this all plays out.  The details of the report can be found here.

 

--  My friend, the sales consultant rainmaker Sam Benowitz had a really strong post on LinkedIn last week.  Straight and to the point on integrity and our current world with regards to it.  Good stuff by Sam- check it out.

 

--  Excited to announce next week on here I’ll have an interview with Patrick MacLeamy former CEO of HOK.  It was his book about HOK (Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm) that I just read and reviewed on here and I was thrilled to be able to get an interview with him.  Good stuff ahead!

 

--  I thought I was having a dream (nightmare) this week when I saw a story online featuring Marc LaFrance of the DOE talking about new window technology.  But it was not a dream, (nightmare) this was real.  And then I saw Jeff Baker quoted and the old, familiar cold sweats then started in.  I was immediately sent back 16 years to the start of the NFRC adventures… In this current case it was like the more things change the more they stay the same. The push is for new window technology, dynamic technology and there’s money to be had from the DOE… Sadly I am sure the same cast of characters from the bad ole days of NFRC will all be in line with their hands out. Nothing usable will come of this but a bunch of labs and consultants will get some cash.  Yes I have a grudge that dates to 2004 here and I’m still banging that drum.  Bottom line is I would love that we as an industry jump all over any and all opportunities here, I just don’t trust those involved in the process. 

 

--  Last this week, 2 more spots on my “Influential 15” 

These are folks that in my opinion over the last 15 years of my blogging have been most influential in our industry.  First up is Bernard Lax of Pulp Studios.  This comment will probably get me in trouble… there is no better specialty glass fabricator than Bernard and Pulp.  He’s constantly changing the game and as I noted last week with W&W pushing the envelope, Bernard absolutely lives outside of the box.  He’s forced people in that segment to get better to keep up and that is good for our world for sure.  And Bernard is absolutely unafraid to share his opinions to help our industry grow, and that is a trait that I think most on my list share and one I really appreciate.

The other spot on my list goes to Rob Struble of Vitro, formerly known as PPG.  Sure I mention how Rob’s clothing choices for the sales teams are always top notch but there is so much more there.  Rob completely changed the communication and messaging game in our industry and we all follow the paths he’s laid out.  Rob’s usage of microsites and focus on education were big steps when no one else were taking them, his sharp branding approaches were amazing especially when you consider he had to maintain and cultivate an old brand in PPG and then quickly transform Vitro into a larger presence. Neither easy lifts.  Part of being influential is when someone creates something then you see many others emulate or imitate and that has happened and keeps happening with Rob.  Plus I am jealous of Rob’s skillset overall- good man who speaks softly but carries the big communication stick. So that is 2 more spots filled with 10 left and as I was pulling this together it really was a lot of trips down memory lane but also recollection of maneuvers that made our industry better or different and those who know me know I am all about that…

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Smart Owl here… catch a free ride!

 

Nice idea except when you’ve got the severe peanut allergy like my daughter and 12 million others have…

 

Glass is kinda involved… but the key is some wild art on the other side of these creations.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

New company for me here… Clayton Commercial Glazing of Smithfield, NC.  Saw this project that they noted was “day 1” on LinkedIn.  Project is 540 Building II in Morrisviile, NC and the metal was Kawneer but they did not mention the glass.  Come on guys, give the glass people some love! Who did the glass here?!?! LOL.   So far this one is looking great and will be another positive project for our industry to point to.  Congrats on this and keep up the great work!

A Book, an Index, a Reminder, and more...

A few weeks ago, I noted that there was a book out about the legendary HOK architectural firm.  I mentioned I wasn’t going to buy it because it was pricey.  Well I am very fortunate to have a very very good friend who bought it for me and sent it my way.  (I am humbled by the friendship we have and his class shown constantly.)  And thanks to him I probably now read the best of the year.  The book is “Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm: The People, Stories, and Strategies Behind HOK” by Patrick MacLeamy and it was an incredible read.  This book was part inside story of how HOK was built and survived, including some serious warts and speedbumps along with parts of hard core business lessons. MacLeamy brings a very conversational style throughout and I seriously could not put it down.   I finished the book in 2 sittings, which these days is crazy.  It was that good.  I learned a ton about HOK and I seriously thought I knew them well… nope.  Especially the sports and stadium side of their business and how that happened and then re-happened really caught me off guard.  Good stuff and if any of you get it and read it, let me know what you think!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The next Architectural Billings Index is released this week and time to predict the scores again… We’ve been flat for 2 months on the main index and I have been waiting for the drop.  I think we go slightly down to 39 from 40 on that one.  The one I am most curious on is the design contract score which was up last month to 46.  I have been expecting a lull to hit that and I am going to throw out 43.5 for the score.  This whole index as well as all of the forecasts have been defying some conventional wisdom in when and where they are dropping.  Obviously, I don’t want negative, but it is coming. Work on the books IS dropping in real life, so eventually it’s going to play out here.

 

--  Just a reminder, all of the incredible content from last month’s GlassBuild Connect is still available on demand at GlassBuild.com.  So that means all of the panels, demos, and products are still there for review.  I find myself popping back and forth to that site to track something down or catch a product that I missed.  Example- The New Normal- Design and Construction- moderated by the great Andrew Haring.  This panel had it all, and the insights provided were top notch.  You can find that (and many others) under the Outlook Tuesday’s section in the “On Demand” section of the site.

 

--  Also good content on the way from the Façade Tectonics Institute (FTI) on a subject I have serious interest in… Adaptive Capacity: Building and Facade System Responsiveness to Changing Social Behaviors.  If there is ever a time to talk behavior and change, it surely is now and with the awesome Mic Patterson leading an all-star panel, this will be one not to miss. For more info on this and the rest of the FTI event you can click HERE.

 

--  Last this week, my run of the most influential in the last 15 years of this blog.  So I decided that it’s 15 spots and some of those spots may include a few people that either are from the same company or were involved in the same efforts.  I’ll be throwing out 2 of these each week until the end of the year and that will actually lead in to my 2020 MVP award.  So a lot of people to cover in both areas that is for sure.  Ok now on to 2 more spots in my top 15.  The first one this post goes to Jeff Haber of W&W Glass.  Back in my youth there was a commercial that was pretty big that was “When EF Hutton Talks People Listen” – for me in the glass and glazing industry when Jeff Haber talks, we all listen.  Intently.  And we should.  Jeff and his company have been on top of the game for years and what I truly appreciate here more than anything is Jeff could just keep the knowledge and skillset he and W&W have developed to themselves but instead they are involved in the industry and willing to help make everyone better.  Jeff’s influence on BEC made a solid event a ton better and he has represented our world well.  Easily he’s one of the most influential out there.  

 

Joining him this week is what I am calling the Advocacy Dream Team, and that has to be led by the late great Greg Carney.  Greg has been gone since 2013 but I don’t think a day goes by where many of us in the industry who were influenced by him are using something he taught us or led us to.  I think about him all the time.  Greg for a long time at GANA was a one-man technical show until the brilliant Urmilla Sowell was added and Urmilla was able to take the ball and run with it, doing amazing things to grow the technical awareness in our industry, and protect and advance what we do.  The final piece came with Dr. Tom Culp representing us nationally and fighting on the front lines of “The Battle for the Wall” and still doing his best work these days as we continue to fight against forces who want less glass in buildings.  So those three- Greg, Urmilla, and Tom share a spot on my most influential in the last 15 years and we were and are lucky to have them in our corner.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Steal some ancient artifacts?  Pay the karmic price.

 

I’ll never understand this- people just go rescue a dog instead trying to buy something crazy

 

Well you know I was worried about the airlines.  This may be one way to keep em going!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

So since I have Jeff Haber on my most influential list I think it’s appropriate to show an example of the work he and W&W do.  This one is at the Javits Center in New York and it had a ton of buzz on LinkedIn because of the 50’ fins.  Yes 50’ long 3 ply laminated tempered glass fins and this would surely be the definition of the envelope being pushed!!  Great work as always W&W team and if you are on LinkedIn you need to follow the W&W company page- great content always!