MVP Season is HERE

Next week, in this space, I will announce the 2025 Glass Industry MVP Award winner, along with the runners-up. I started this program in 2013 to recognize folks/companies who go above and beyond for our space, and it’s been a great mix of people & companies from far and wide.  Below is the list of past winners and past runners-up.  My goal is never to repeat any, and I think once again this year, I’ll be successful in that effort.  I admire everyone on this list in one way or another, and I appreciate all they have done and, in many cases, continue to do. I’m excited to unveil who gets the nod in 2025 next week!

Starting with the past winners, your previous MVPs were: 

2013- Tracy Rogers

2014- CR Laurence

2015- Jon Kimberlain

2016- Chuck Knickerbocker

2017- Joe Erb

2018- Nathalie Thibault

2019- Bill Sullivan

2020- Tim Kelley

2021- Matt Kamper and Steve Dean

2022- Jodi Martinez

2023- Ron Crowl

2024- Julie Schimmelpenningh

And the long list of previous Runners Up:

Tom Culp, Mark Silverberg, Ed Zaucha, Mic Patterson, Oliver Stepe, Dr. Helen Sanders, Scott Thomsen, John Wheaton, Rick Wright, Tom O’Malley, The late great Bernard Lax, Garret Henson, Walker Glass, Dip Tech, Kris Vockler, Mike Albert, Thom Zaremba, Urmilla Jokhu-Sowell, SAPA, GCI, Darijo Babic, Cathie Saroka, Felix Munson, Jeff Haber, Glenn Miner, Rob Struble, Greg Oehlers, Courtney Little, Scott Rowe, Rowe Fenestration, Syndi Sim, Dustin Anderson, Casey Anderson, Sam Hill, Bill Daubmann, Keith Daubmann, Dr. Kayla Natividad, Kyle Sword, Adrian Lowenstein, Tom Jackson, Stanley Yee, Chris Phillips, Frameless Hardware Company- FHC, Matt Day, Tyler Faulk, Brandon Bellegarde, Jennifer Lang, Joey and Matt Aragon, Cal Beyer, Dave Argus, Carolyn and Michael Spellman

Also, next week, the annual year-end “From the Fabricator” solo guest podcast drops.   It’s already been recorded, and it will have BREAKING NEWS in it.  I am honored that I’ll be a part of sharing it out there.  So you’ll have to check that out too.

Elsewhere…

-- Some sad news. Ed Wilson, one of the founders of Thompson Innovative Glass (IG), passed away.  Ed was instrumental in Thompson's overall growth over 37 years there and recently played a significant role in Thompson’s successful move into new products, such as bullet-resistant and protective glazing. Ed was a class act always, and he will be sorely missed.  My condolences to Ed’s family, friends, and team at Thompson.

-- Two webinars are coming this week for you to check out. 

On 12/9, NAGMA has a great one titled “Advancing in the Industry: A Panel Discussion for Future Leaders.” A well-thought-out panel was selected, and if you want to go and grow, this is one for you.   More info HERE. 

Then on 12/11, the NGA is hosting “Grow Your Workforce and Project Pipeline with Glazier Apprenticeship,” and if you have had any trouble finding good folks, you need to check this out. Also, check it out for the dynamite Josh Johnson.  He is a force and will be a massive benefit to our industry.  Learn more HERE 

-- Dan Poling of Schott is an all-time favorite of mine, and he had an interesting share on LinkedIn on glass being used in the computer chip business.  Some cool potential there.  This story is a few weeks old, thanks to the goofy LinkedIn algorithm serving this up to me long after it was published. Still worth the read!

-- Last this week- BEC registration is opening THIS WEEK- so make sure you sign up.  I have had the chance to work on some of the content, and it’s going to be incredible.  Plus, as those of you who attend know, there is no better place to network each spring than at BEC.  And do not sleep on the fact that it’s in Louisville, KY.  It is a TREMENDOUS location and town, and all will have a great time.   In the meantime, this article got me thinking about BEC- it’s a dive into the design assist process and was awarded as “Article of the Year” from CSI.  So that alone makes it worth clicking. 

LINKS of the WEEK

Comical- “Tiny House” built inside a Home Depot https://www.mensjournal.com/gear/cheeky-boyos-built-a-tiny-house-in-a-home-depot-aisle

We’ve got high-tech ways (not) of getting bears off utility poles. https://www.wral.com/video/lineman-safely-coaxes-bear-off-powerlines/22270897/

You may have seen this story as it did go super viral- but if not… raccoon breaks into liquor store and gets very drunk.  And now this story is helping to raise money for animal shelters.  Nice. https://www.12onyourside.com/2025/12/02/raccoon-breaks-into-ashland-abc-store-passes-out-bathroom/

PROJECT of the WEEK

This is the Prime Data Center via Mountain Mover Facades.  I loved it, and I loved that it was part of what I have been harping on- glass & glazing DOES exist on Data Centers!  If you caught any of my in-person presentations this year- I hit on that- so I loved seeing some excellent proof.  Mountain Mover Facades crushed this job, and they seem like a very cool group to work with.  Congrats to them and all others who had a part in this one

Playing Positive

Hope everyone who celebrates enjoyed the holiday!  Kicking it off this week, a few forecasts dropped while I was off.  First, the latest Architectural Billings Index (ABI) came in slightly higher than last month, but it's still underwater.  Up is up, though- and the key metric I always stare at is the inquiries, and that did gangbusters- clocking in with its best score dating back to February of 2024!  I believe that info + a possible rate drop + a calming of volatility that will get the money off the sidelines will be very beneficial to our space in the future.  For those who are slower than usual, it’s just battling to get there…

Meanwhile, Dodge’s latest report showed Non-Residential starts up 17.9% from last month.  Yes, Data Centers dominated, but retail and institutional also made a nice run.  Lastly, Dodge also noted that the fallout from the Government shutdown appears to have had minimal effect on our space.  So that’s a plus.  Look at me being all positive- must be the shine coming off my favorite holiday!

Elsewhere…

-- A quick extra note on the ABI- the guy who has run it for years, Kermit Baker, is retiring.  I don’t know who takes over next, but Kermit has been that very calm and focused player in this game and always provided very clear-headed insight with each report.  His skill and approach will be missed!

-- Office Starts- I was going to summarize this article on office starts- but really, I think you should read it.  There’s a lot of info there- some surprising data for sure.  The leading city for “office space under construction” was Boston.  That is an absolute stunner to me, given what many people in that area are telling me about the marketplace.  There’s that list, along with top cities for office use and more.  Good piece by John Caulfield.

-- Two companies recently launched website updates… and from time to time, I like recognizing them here.  First up-- Viracon.  Clean, easy website with an absolute ton of info. Great use of video in the hero spot, and the mega drop-down box with icons is a nice touch.  Kudos folks.  Also new was Element 13 Facades.  Great job here too- fantastic use of going vertical with their slide show (most are horizontal), and the layout overall was really sharp- and they also used the icon-loaded menu too.  Only quibble here was the royalty-free pics- and hopefully over time they’ll flip them out.  But super minor. Excellent work by all who produced it! Sites like these make our industry look good!

-- Last this week- my guy Scott Goodman of CRL pointed out a piece I had never seen before- the all-glass “Dromeas” statue in Athens, Greece.  It is truly a stunner.  It is also known as the “Running Man” sculpture.  Look at it:

Scott noted to me that cleaning had to be a bear, and I am sure it is- look at it- there are thousands of lights on there!  Not sure I’ll ever get to Greece in my lifetime, but if I do, this will be a must-stop. Thank you, Scott, for sharing! (More pictures can be found HERE)

LINKS of the WEEK

A lot is happening in this story- but the main takeaway- dogs rule. https://www.newsweek.com/neighbor-texts-woman-front-door-open-zooms-photo-11072584

New debate- AI Toys for kids.  Lots of downside here. https://www.npr.org/2025/11/20/nx-s1-5612689/ai-toys

A truly tremendous story!  A plane gets diverted to a small airport with only two vending machines- a smart passenger comes up with a plan- and despite a bump or two, it worked! Cool. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/flight-diverted-in-texas-for-hours-passengers-not-prepared-for-what-arrives/ar-AA1Rdbr4

PROJECT of the WEEK

Out west for the Project of the Week.  Tinker Glass did this epic Chanel project in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.  According to their LinkedIn post, Tinker crafted and installed custom-finished storefront framing and doors with cladding, along with two distinct ACM panel finishes. Every detail was carefully aligned with the plaster and signage to ensure a seamless and elegant design. No mention of other vendors, but whoever they were deserves big-time kudos—Tinker did a fantastic job.

Also, I love the Tinker backstory… long-time industry folks.  One of these days, I’ve got to meet them. Anyway, check out their past!

Coast to Coast

The latest edition of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live, and we go coast to coast with two tremendous guys.  I start in Seattle with Joe Kaiser of Herzog Glass.  Thoughtful and brilliant guy, and the chance to learn more about him and the world inside Herzog was fun.  Plus more tidbits on glazing the Space Needle.  Then to the East Coast in Pennsylvania with Michael Duncan of Viwinco Windows.  I’m not super strong on that side of the industry, so it was an excellent opportunity to learn from a significant disruptor in that space.  Michael also steps outside of the box and embraces technology and innovation- surely part of the reason for Vinwinco’s success.  Good stuff from both men - I'm thrilled they gave me the time. So please check it out!  Thank you very much.

VIDEO

AUDIO (Or Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!)

FHC-Frameless Hardware Company sponsored this episode- much appreciation to them for the support!

Elsewhere…

-- Recently, my good friend Andy Russo took on a new position at a company called NxLite.  I knew just a tiny bit about that company, and Andy was gracious enough to invite me down for a tour of their plant, which was about an hour+ from my home in Michigan.  This tour was certainly impressive- a very well-organized setup.  NxLite is applying coatings to glass, polycarbs, and other hybrid substrates that can push our product lines into new frontiers and also make some product areas more effective and efficient. There is serious potential here- and I am happy for Andy as this is perfect for him to push and grow.  As an aside, I did see Andy and his cohort from NxLite, Lisa Green, at GlassBuild while they were stationed in the Quanex booth, and they were getting a lot of attention.  Very cool. Congrats, Andy- looking forward to seeing what’s next!  Also, in a cool moment when I saw Andy and Lisa, I saw the King of Continuous Improvement, Dave Alexander of Miter Brands.  I have not seen him in a very long time, so that was a pleasant surprise.

-- I am behind on the news that the NGA announced a Glass Engineering Curriculum for university-level students. This is a significant and swift step to get our products in front of students who may not be aware that the glass industry is an option.  More information can be found HERE, but kudos to the NGA Advocacy & Tech team, led by the awesome Urmilla Sowell, for this effort!

-- I’ve written a bit about Britt & Tilson and their battle following the catastrophic storm and flood last year in Asheville, NC.  They have done what many people thought was impossible, as they’ve worked their way back.  They put together THIS quick video that gives you a feel for what they went through, but also a peek inside their hearts.  Billy Britt and team are truly top-notch people, and I’m overjoyed that they are on the positive road back.

-- Some Dodge news- The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) fell 7% in October to 283.3. Despite the slowdown, planning activity remains significantly higher than it was at this time last year.  So, we’ll take it. Recreation and public buildings were the leading positive movers. And as for the US Government shutdown (which is now over and hopefully won’t happen again at the end of January), it appears to have had only a minimal effect on the construction space. Hard to believe, but we'll take that too.

-- ConstructConnect held its fall outlook, and there wasn't anything particularly newsworthy, except for a couple of notable items: one positive and one negative.  Good- inquiries on the ABI are still positive. That vibes with the forecast of a better 2nd half of ’26.   Bad - an update on the “stress index,” and with that, the number of abandoned projects has increased significantly in the last several months.  These are jobs that are not on hold, but during pre-con, the decision is to scrap them.  Not a great piece of data.  And probably not a surprise either.

-- One to watch, if you saw Seth Madole of Viracon's tremendous presentation on the glass supply chain- it was mentioned about a tightening of supply. Well, a driver of that is solar, and First Solar has just announced a new plant in South Carolina, set to open late 2026. If the stars align and we get busy during the second half of 2026, we may experience a very tight time to obtain glass. More to follow on this one.

-- Last this week… No blog next week as we head into the BEST holiday of the year with the United States Thanksgiving! – So, I’ll be back the week of 11-30 – and that one + two more posts and the blog year is done!  As always, I end each year with the annual Glass Industry MVP award. So stay tuned!   In any case- wishing you and yours a happy and festive Thanksgiving!!

LINKS of the WEEK

Ok – a lot is going on with this one.  Rollercoaster with a seatbelt malfunction.  Thank goodness for quick thinking. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/missouri-couple-saved-young-girl-s-life-after-blood-curdling-scream-alerted-them-that-her-seatbelt-had-popped-open-on-roller-coaster/ar-AA1PL3c8?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=690abf5dca724e29b553d5dd5aa27562&ei=17

 A bit of a clickbait story- but pretty cool find- 1000-year-old Pictish ring. (and no, until I read this story, I had no idea what a Pictish ring is!) https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a65982581/archaeologist-finds-pictish-ring-implications/

Baby alligator found in Massachusetts in the Charles River… hmmm I wonder if that was brought there by GlassBuild folks… LOL https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/11/13/baby-alligator-captured-Charles-River-Boston/3801763054403/

PROJECT of the WEEK

Jen Marsik Friess of Guardian Glass always comes through, and she did again by dropping this stunning project my way.  This is the Cascadian, Seattle’s first LEED Platinum-certified life science building. This nine-story structure features open, flexible office space that capitalizes on daylighting provided by Guardian SunGuard™ SNX 62/27 triple-silver coating on UltraClear™ and clear glass.  Perkins&Will designed the Cascadian façade with a striking aesthetic of alternating vertical spandrel and vision glass fabricated by Vitrum™ Glass Group and installed by Walters & Wolf.  An absolute showstopper!  Congrats to all involved!