Been Awhile

Yep took some time away from this beat- but now back on it... with a few questions...

1. Why is Marv Stover still listed on the NFRC website as a BOD? Why are they not replacing him? See the reason they released was they'll wait til the next election, but that did not stop them when Kate Offringa resigned last year- alot later than Marv... ah yes, you gotta love a group that prides itself of transparency... oh yeah that would not be Potomac/NFRC.

2. How about no updated minutes since the secret 2/9 meeting on line. Once again I guess they feel that Potomac's hokey "Comminque" fits that bill. Oh we'll just put out some stuff, give it a french name and sign Jim's name to it... everyone will eat it up!

3. Love the fact they always mention that the California Energy Commision is a "customer" of the NFRC. Man if we had "customers" like that I would not have to work. I do see that Potomac now is smart enough not to quote Tony Rygg anymore when they put out their pathetic releases... yes they have propped up Nelson Pena. Good stuff... yep that makes it much more legit.

You know I think Potomac should go to work for the President- the way they spin and use subtle and what would normally be weak scare tactics (that amazingly WORK! our trade orgs are simply pathetic... scared to death of the Potomac machine... congrats on that Potomac!) I think Bush and the GOP could have Michael Moore begging for mercy. C'mon Kristine, Leonard... you could make more than 100 grand working for the GOP... all the money would still be coming from the same place!

Why I do it

Got an e-mail recently and asked why I spend my free time.. or any time, writing about the NFRC issue.

Simple. How they go about their business is wrong. The bias towards profiteering members, lack of inclusions, the amazing lack of transparency and the overall arrogance drives me.

All you have to do is attend a meeting or read the past minutes and you become the same as I.

You know like this nugget from the Quebec City meeting last July:

--------------
G. Carney encouraged the NFRC Board to get knowledgeable on materials as they study the commercial fenestration marketplace. A. Ward asked that he bring forth all perspectives of that market place, not just his organization's.
-----------------
G Carney for those of you who don't know is Greg Carney and he is one of the industries best technical people (and one of the most respected I must add) He asked for a simple request, one that SHOULD OF BEEN EMBRACED but was not only shot down in public, but then immortalized in the minutes. Of course Greg was there on behalf of an "organization" but I think.. no I know, it can be clearly stated that Greg was speaking for the ENTIRE GLAZING MARKETPLACE when he asked that request. But in classic, lack of inclusion, lack of transparency Potomac Puppet land of NFRC they have to shoot down what could've been a helpful resource- Then again, if they would take the time- then it would become TOO obvious that their plan is flawed, redundant and unnecessary and quite frankly on advice of supercounsell Scott Meza, they don't want to know that.

So I keep hammering- and will keep at it- until a program is developed that makes sense and TRULY BENEFITS the public- I won't stop.

The Board

Well the latest edition of USGNN came out today and it had the Marv Stover resignation from the NFRC Board on it.

Of course they are not going to replace him.. I mean the elections are JUST AROUND THE CORNER.. you know in NOVEMBER. Yet last year when Kate Offringa resigned, in June, they quietly replaced her....

Consistent.

Plus you have to wonder when Marv really resigned- love that timing, right after the last election- almost like they kept him propped up to get another year of utter and total board dominance.

Anyway LOVE that transparency gang. I am sure Kristine and Potomac are in full alert mode right now spinning like crazy.

Plus they also had the blurb about the 30K for education to CWI and Gary Curtis. Still not grasping why NFRC could not do this "education" themselves.

Oh well.. the beat goes on.

Where's Marvin Stover?

Hey Kristine, Leonard and the gang at Potomac.... where's Marvin Stover?

Let's see he is not on the NFRC letterhead anymore and evidently does not work for Mikron anymore.

So he's off the board right? So when does the NFRC Board put another one of their own in for him? C'mon are you vetting candidates? Is Harriet Miers available?

See if the NFRC were serious about the commercial process a true commercial supplier or someone with commercial ties would get that spot-

Or maybe someone who cares a ton, like Tom Culp?

Nope, you can almost guarantee that it will be someone who is controllable by the powers that be. Heck Kristine you should take the job- you already set all the policy...

Amazing that transparency...

Still Plugging

I can't let another week go by without at least blogging something....

So...

The Hoops have been good.. some good upsets but at the end of the day teams like UCONN and BC are good- question is how Memphis, UCLA and Texas will fare...

Baseball is just around the corner. awesome.

On NFRC, not sure theres much to write about- today I am melancholy... I think maybe Potomac is winning... heck they make 100k+ and I don't.

I am sure I will get my second wind, plus other shoes will fall I am sure, but today, amazingly, for the first time since I have started this whole issue, I am not into it. I really believe that trying to take on a machine like Potomac is unhealthy- I mean you can never get anything published because they are everywhere, probably threatening the lives and careers of anyone if they dare print a dissenting or in some cases the REAL VIEW!

Heck you can't look any further than to last August and the Atlanta task group meeting, Potomac put out a release about the meeting and it was like a fairy tale- but they have the power- I have a blog.

I won't give up.

I've made it

Some people need the Hollywood Walk of Fame to say they have made it... others need just a pat on the back... Me? Well I got mine... yes Potomac Communications, also known as the NFRC had me in their little newsletter. Leonard, Kristine- THANK YOU.

Now maybe they'll think of me commission wise huh? C'mon guys I am getting you business here!

Anyway in the latest NFRC Update- and if you are a member it should've been e-mailed to you- if not you can see it on their website at www.nfrc.org in the message from the Chairman, my debate with Jim Benney was mentioned.

Marcia Falke wrote (at this point I am assuming she wrote, though I would be willing to bet it should be by-lined POTOMAC Communications) a piece on the swirling controversy at NFRC. She tried once again to clarify their beloved 501c3 status. Believe me we KNOW, we have been hit over the head with it a million times.. you serve the public we get it... but while they take potshots at the poor wretched 501c6's they always convienently leave out our biggest bone of contention...

HOW CAN YOU SERVE THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU ARE SERVING YOURSELF?

That will be a question that will never be answered by Potomac. Or maybe they will, but they will do their $100,000 spin on it and ignore the facts that how can the PUBLIC take seriously a group that can implement costly procedures that BING BING BING board members and other NFRC elite PROFIT because of....

No they'll just keep hammering and that's fine- I am used to it. But before you throw some of those 501c6's under the bus, because "they will do whatever their membership wants" keep in mind that may be true, but the Boards of those groups and the "elite" members of those groups do not have the power of an ATI to get programs in, so they can profit.
Yep NFRC serves the public by allowing more costs to be loaded in the programs when they are NOT NEEDED!

Plus labs only pay $400 for its membership and makes a lot of money. You gotta love that! If I was a testing lab, man I would be Mr NFRC....

Then in a bizarre interview with John Hogan's best friend architect from Seattle, Potomac tries to bring up the whole responsible party issue. Of course the whole interview and questions are slanted (what you think your reading balanced journalism in the NFRC update?) and the answers make little to no sense.

On the responsible party, basically our interviewee says "legally" it won't fly if you make the architect responsible- so that means it will fly legally to make some one else? Gee thanks for the idea- I guess Contractors all over the country now need to consult their lawyers... and you know what, that is exactly what a good program like this needs... lawsuits... lots of them. Yep the DOE will love lots and lots of lawsuits. Architects, Contractors, Manufacturers.... get your lawyers..

Will that happen? Who knows- but do you think if the Architects feel that they are legally free of this that everyone else is just going to take it?

NO WAY and if they do shame on them.

Ah another fun day at the ranch.

March Madness

I plan on taking a few days to enjoy March Madness.. unless of course Potomac Communications comes out with their sickly slanted version of what happened at San Diego.

Believe me after the release I saw them come out with after the Atlanta task group meeting, I can only imagine what they will put out after this one. Everything was quiet news wise- no stories except a innocuous one on USGNN, so maybe nothing happened that Potomac could slant...

Anyway for $100,000+ a year that's their job. You gotta love that a group that is "serving the public" needs such a high powered and expensive PR firm... hmmm maybe because they need the spin? I mean why else do you need such an animal? Someday someone more connected than me will start to look into this whole setup and ask questions that may actually get answers... until then I'll keep hammering away- though I am sure eventually I will get a letter to stop.. but I am serving the public.... same as them.. just for a lot less money.

OK so basketball wise I can not see how UCONN can lose.
Upset in first round- Iona over LSU

NFRC San Diego

As you know I was not at NFRC in San Diego- while many people question how I have time to do this blog, seemingly no one questions how people have time to meet for NFRC 30 times a year. (3 4 day meetings that with travel days turn into 5+ along with various task group and then if you are so honored to chosen (not elected-another story) for the board, you get a couple of retreats in there too... pretty nice gig for these folks and their "non" profits eh?)Anyway, I expected it to be quiet and really don't have a lot of feedback yet.

I really think that at the end of the day this whole thing comes down to the true definition of "Serving the Public" - Everytime I see that line in a Potomac release I think about President Clinton slamming his fist on the podium and saying "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Monica Lewinsky" See because if Potomac and NFRC were TRULY serving the public, they'd listen to it..... instead they have no desire, they have the game long figured out and they will continue to live and work the way they do. So while it is noble and appreciated that they try and rid fraud from certain aspects of the building industry- you just can not get by all of the other manuevers and actions they promote.

More on San Diego soon....

NFRC and GANA

Did you see the update on NFRC and GANA working together?

Can it be a hopeful step?

Was the NFRC sincere in its invitation?

On the surface I would say yes, but then while the glow of a smart, forward thinking, move was still shining, Potomac Communications had to come out with a Press Release trumpeting their invitation. See all that then proved was the invite was done because someone pressured them. Instead of trying to do the right thing for the right reasons, NFRC and Potomac needed to spin this "invitation" into some great altruistic offer.

Pathetic. If it was meant to be a true offer then there would be no need to have a press release.

You know I should start getting a commission check from Potomac, I mean without me they'd really have to earn that 100K they get per year from NFRC. Now it comes just too easy.

By the way, 100K per year to a PR agency. I guess "transparency" costs a lot of cash.

Another Meeting

Well we are on the eve of yet another NFRC meeting. Yes it seems like yesterday they just met in that well populated and easy to get to locale of Santa Fe New Mexico.
In actuality its been 3 months and thankfully the next meeting is not until late July giving the travel club a rest.

Not sure what will come out of this meeting but one thing I hope gets some action- the NFRC Board awarded a $30,000 grant to Gary Curtis and his "Commercial Window Initiative" for education. WHAT A SHOCKER HUH! Yes Gary recused himself (and this is not a shot at Gary, he should do what he can to support his organizations- this is a shot at the NFRC for doing what it does best, pander to their own self interests) from the vote BUT look at who the biggest sponsors of CWI are... Cardinal (2 votes on the board with Jim Larsen and their lawyer Garrett Stone- yeah gotta love THAT balance on the board) and Mikron (though Marv Stover supposedly resigned from the Board because he is not with Mikron- but there has been no press release on that and plus Marv being a past chairman made a lot of friends in the past) so Gary and CWI getting the money was a rubber stamp.

I think my blog will ask for money next since the NFRC is in such a giving mood.

How can members of this organization, who pay tons of cash stand for this?!?

Anyway, instead of using the money to improve processes and try to remove costs, they use the money to support their own and educate people about a program (non res) that has not been finalized yet.

And on the Stover thing- I guess powerhouse PR firm Potomac Communications is not able to "spin" a release on that. This is yet another board member in the last year who has quit and there has NEVER been a public mention. LOVE THAT TRANSPARENCY! (Kate Offringa resigns last summer, she is just quietly removed from all records, Ken Nittler who was outspoken and into the process resigns and he becomes a lab version of Casper, and now Marvelous Marv packs it in and despite being a past chair gets the Hoffa treatment. )

Well anyway I really expect this meeting to be uneventful. Many of the regular travel clubbers won't be there because theres been tons of meetings in the last 3 weeks and I guess a lot of these folks actually had to work this week.

Another fun day at the ranch....

BEC Recap and Transparency

Well I know its been a few days but I have been in Las Vegas at the GANA BEC show. The BEC, thanks to the efforts of many people (GANA staff, programming committee and most importantly 420 interested attendees) came off wonderfully.

Sometimes when you pump up an event a lot, you are destined for a let down, but not with this one. So if you could not make it this year, you really want to plan on being with us next year.

Of course one of the items that came up was the NFRC and I think we made significant strides in explaining our side of the issue and getting the glazing community energized and interested in the process.

Speaking of the NFRC, another one of their "communiques" came out on Saturday. Comical as always, they talk about being transparent, then they go into details from a PRIVATE board meeting... A meeting that the membership was promised in Santa Fe that they would be informed of an agenda. Yep its as transparent as brick.

Anyway, the missive was simply "perfume on a pig" as Potomac Communications tried to spin that all of sudden the NFRC has this great election process. Yeah. Let's see the "Inspection Agency" is still a part of the Fenestration division. The reason... "they do a majority of their work with the fenestration oriented companies" But don't the test labs do the same? With that bit of spin, doesn't EVERYONE involved in NFRC has significant interest in FENESTRATION!
So why am I mad, because the NFRC and their 6-5-1 election set up is adversely affected when you have people in the wrong spot. See to meet their "special" 501c3 designation, they have to be slanted on the side of the public. That's fine. So 6 board members should be General, 5 Fenestration and 1 lab. But by allowing IA's in the Fenestration, they take away the ability of the fenestration division to truly represent.
What they also fail, on purpose I am sure, to tell the PUBLIC THE SUPPOSEDLY serve, is that each Board slot has a specific designation, so that waters it down even more.
Moral of the story, nothing is changing quick.

But that will not deter us. Every day I get more determined and after listening to the glaziers who came to the BEC, I KNOW WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING by challenging and forcing the NFRC to be more transparent and include us.

More to come.

GANA BEC Show

The GANA BEC conference is coming up starting Sunday. With over 400 people attending it is possibly the largest "seminar" like conference in the US. Its not a trade show and its not a "National" or "Annual" meeting. It is a solid day and half of pertinent subjects presented by the top people in their fields.

Plus the mix is unbeatable as you have primary glass mfg's, fabricators, aluminum mfg's, spacer and sealant suppliers, industry tech consultants and of course glaziers. No where and in no meeting, guaranteed, can you get that mix.

It is truly the meeting to attend, and more so now that it is surrounded by meetings from AAMA, IGMA and NFRC. Some folks have to attend all four! Meaning they could be away from home for 2 solid weeks- then again for some folks in the "Travel club" they live for this stretch. The shame is more business will get accomplished and more education will take place in 2 days of BEC than 12 days of the other guys.

CSI Show

I will continue my breakdown of the latest "news" from NFRC with the CEC (which should just be considered a subsidiary of NFRC anyway) later- now I want to point out an interesting item- the CSI show.

Years ago this trade show had everything and everyone, but over the last 4 years, unorganization and blatant arrogance really took the shine off and now, with the CSI coming up at the end of March the only commercial oriented division 8 suppliers/providers showing are PPG and Tubelite. That's it. No Viracon, Oldcastle, ACI, AFG or Arch. No YKK, Vistawall, US Aluminum, or Kawneer.

To me that is simply amazing that the CSI membership would stand for this, but then again I think they may have their own problems. There's tons of debate and rumors of strife among the CSI elite, so maybe that's why no one is aware that this phenomenon is taking place.

Oh by the way, the NFRC IS having a booth there. Surely so they can tell everyone how great they will make the architects and specifiers lives with all of this extra testing... they'll of course "forget" to tell them that all of these wonderful new services will cost THOUSANDS of dollars.

So it should work into NFRC's hands- unless PPG and Tubelite want to explain to specifiers that the NFRC and their key members are just interested in shaking them down, I am sure the story will not be challenged.

Oh well- we'll keep trucking along.

So much for being quiet

Well I know Marcia and Jim and Gary all read this but I did not think they would jump into action to create some news! A couple days after my posting about the calm, we get the classic Potomac Communications PR piece about the California Energy Commision's "need" for NFRC. Here is the link from USGNN
http://www.usgnn.com/newsCalECom20060215.htm

Now its a classic Potomac piece, you know, "forgetting" to mention that the California Energy Commision has a current board member with NFRC (Elaine Hebert), and a board ex officio and past president (Tony Rygg). This time Potomac though decided not to use a fluff quote from Rygg like they did in US Glass a few months ago, no this time they trot out Nelson Pena since he's not actually on the board.

You know I started this blog to talk all about glass and the industry and ut has gone down as pretty much an exclusive NFRC blog, but you know what, when there is so much smoke.... its easy.

So back to the piece- first the title:

NFRC Agrees to Complete its Component Modeling Program In Response to Request from the California Energy Commission

Wow they make a resquest and BAM NFRC is all over it. Maybe we can ask the CEC to request all of the items that GANA has asked for the last 15 months and been blown off on.

Then this:

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Board of Directors has directed the organization to move forward with its Component Modeling Program with the goal of meeting the schedule and needs of the California Energy Commission (CEC). The Board reached its decision at a meeting held February 9-10, 2006 .

Gee a meeting on 2/9 and 2/10... OH yeah a CLOSED meeting! Yes gotta love that transparency. Yep I know they are a 501 c 3- they can do whatever they want. Oh but didn't the board say at the Santa Fe meeting that they would post the agendas... maybe they did but I sure as heck did not see...

There's more, much more- and I will keep breaking it down on another post- because I can only handle so much of this at a time.

Been awfully quiet

Sorry I have been off for a few days, after the glow and glory of the SuperBowl, I have had a bunch of other adventures going on. In the meantime, our pals at the NFRC have been awfully quiet. Not a peep recently... maybe they owe Potomac Communications too much money!

Anyway it's been odd, but obviously more will start to break before they have their next meeting in San Diego. Yes San Diego, the first semi- normal locale for a meeting in a while.

We'll keep plugging away, there's no way we are going to go away, not with the obvious money grab they are trying to thrust upon the "public" they serve.

Speaking of that, I'd love to see the magazines look into the whole"third party" certification angle. In some instances I am sure it makes sense, but when it comes to NFRC and Commercial building it surely does not.

Glassweek Recap

Glassweek is over, and while my body is back on the east coast, I think my brain is still in California.

Great week and tremendous effort by the GANA staff. One thing jumped out though... do you realize the powerhouse of technical minds that came together in the divisional technical meetings?

Led by one of the best technical whiz's in our industries history, Greg Carney we had an all star line up of technical people in town.

Also big was the speakers this year- very easy going, humorous, insightful and interesting.

All in all a good conference...

Now its almost BEC time- which should be top notch as well.

Superbowl Sunday... getting worried that Seattle and Shaun Alexander are not getting any love. He could do some serious damage!

Glassweek, NFRC and SuperBowl

Glassweek is underway in California... so far so good, the fun stuff really gets going on Monday including a squaretable session that will have a 30 minute talk about my good friends from the NFRC.
Also China and the World Economy is on the docket.

Also in case you missed it, USGNN ran a great piece on Cliff Monroe and his attempt to find out the truth behind that classifications that the NFRC arranged for the past election.

Here is the link: http://www.usgnn.com/newsnfrc20060123.htm

Comical.. as stated here many times, the NFRC board will do whatever they want. It is sad really.

One item not noted previous. The fee structure that NFRC has is to soak the manufacturers and glaziers badly, while charging a flat fee to labs and inspection agencies. So in the Fenestration category that Marcia Falke won (despite Jim Benney's lame argument) while not meeting the "criteria" she only pays $400 for her membership... while everyone who should be eligible in that category pay ALOT more (up to $17,500! per year)

Someday the light will shine bright enough on this...........

By the way, as a guy living in Detroit but growing up in Pittsburgh, this coming Sunday will be a truly amazing time... the Steelers are in town (Did you know Jerome Bettis was from Detroit? ha ha) and the game is in my new home town. While I will not be going to the game (leaving that honor to my brother and his family) it will truly be awesome.

HERE WE GO STEELERS!

Survey

There's a survey from the Department of Energy now out about the services that they fund. Hopefully it will not get filtered and contaminated by the NFRC and people will be able to give their true feelings on what is happening with that organization and the charade of servicing "the public"

If you are an NFRC member you can fill it out by going through their site and I would assume you could do the same by going through AAMA as well.

With all that is good that is provided by the DOE (LBNL especially) we can only hope that they step up and put their fingers, hands and arms around the NFRC and Potomac Communications as they do all they can make a living off of the public....

24

24 is easily the best show on TV today... how about yesterday, with great football games topped off by the season starter of 24.

Anyway, even as good as Jack Bauer is, he probably could not infiltrate that iron clad containment around the NFRC! I mean after all they are 501C3!

Anway, this week is the Glass Expo Rocky Mountain and its expected to be a strong show. Like mentioned here previous the Colorado Glass Association does a nice job in organizing events and with good market like Denver, this one should be good.

The BEC show, coming round the corner in afew weeks should also be a show stopper!

NFRC "Communique"

Last night NFRC Board members got a "communique" from Jim Benney- basically Jim defended their election process and had some other classic Potomac Communications talking points.

However, one passage caught my eye....

Fenestration Industry - Five (5) representatives who are employed or affiliated with Members involved in manufacturing fenestration products or components or with Members who are trade associations or other organizations formed to represent such manufacturers. Of those five positions, at least three (3) shall be filled by one individual from each of the following categories: (i) a primary glass manufacturer; (ii) a manufacturer that sells the majority of its fenestration products for use in non-residential construction; and (iii) a manufacturer that sells the majority of its fenestration products for use in residential construction.

Can someone explain to me how Marcia Falke, as a owner of an inspection agency, fits in ANY of the above. Does she manufacture? NO Does she represent? NO

Yet she probably pays her dues to that category... another classic NFRC maneuver to allow them to do whatever they please.