Advocacy in Action

The challenge of getting our industry and our needs in front of the right people is an ongoing process.  One of the big things that happens each year is NGA’s Glass & Glazing Advocacy Days, and they're coming up in May. I am grateful for those who attend and hit Washington, D.C. with the passion necessary to get our points across. This time out, key topics are school security, bird-friendly, and workforce development- all big pieces in our space.  Learn more about this effort HERE and your opportunity to be a part of it.  Kudos to my friend Thom Zaremba, who reminded me about this effort earlier in the week- Thom is a crucial figure for us in the code arena, and I’m glad he’s also influential here as well!

Elsewhere…

-- In case you missed the latest From the Fabricator podcast… it was a tremendous triple threat- with three strong segments.  Reaction has been really positive- Thank you. It seems I am not alone in my passion for certification (Scott Kennett and Nicolas Esquivel segment), there’s serious excitement about the Glass Symposium (Pat O’Connor), and Abbie Legara knocked people's socks off!  So please check it out.

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AUDIO

Thank you to the fine folks at FHC- Frameless Hardware Company for their support of this episode!

-- I mentioned above about the symposium, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone and hearing from people like Shaun Patchell from LF Driscoll, talk about enhancing quality with design assist, and from Archie Goldsmith of United General.  Archie’s talk is fascinating to me. His case study won’t be about traditional glazing, but an area that shows some diversity in abilities.  And one that may be in your scope, that you’ve passed on.  I’ve gotten to know Archie a little, and he’s got a strong focus and brings energy to the game. Will be fun to hear and learn more.

-- Did you happen to see the New Tempering Technician training from NGA’s MyGlassFab?  Love this idea and a strong opportunity to get more people in your plant trained and ready to run the furnace, and give current people some more insights that should make your operation more efficient.  Nice work, Jenni Chase and team.  Learn more HERE.

--  Congrats to my friend, the ultra-talented Emily Yukish of Specified Systems, on her company achieving NACC Certification.  This is a great accomplishment, and it's another plus for Specified as they continue to make positive waves in the marketplace.  Emily is a huge industry advocate- and if you know me, you know I live for that sort of thing.  So this is nice to see, and I am glad I could give her some recognition!

-- This is a wild one.  99.  The number 99 in New York City is a key number.  Why? Because the city now has a program that offers new incentives for buildings with fewer than 100 units!  So developers of all kinds are getting super creative with their projects to stay under 100 while still working on ways to reach the number of units they planned.  Great story from the Wall Street Journal HERE.

-- Last this week… This is a great time of year for the sports fan.  Baseball is rolling, the NFL Draft is here, and the NBA and NHL have started their playoffs.  With that in mind, I figured I should make my handy-dandy predictions for who’s going to take the Hoops and Hockey titles!  In basketball, I am so thrilled the Pistons are playing so well, but I don’t think they’re going to get to the finals out of the East.  I’m going Knicks.  And they’ll face the young and hungry San Antonio Spurs in the Finals- with the Spurs winning it all. (And somewhere in San Antonio, my friends at Champion Glass are probably saying “nooo don’t pick us” – Sorry guys)  Hockey-wise- no repeat this year with Florida out. I’ll go with Carolina vs. Dallas in the finals, with the Hurricanes taking the Stanley Cup.  Both the NBA and NHL playoffs don’t end til mid June- so by then you’ll have forgotten how bad these picks probably are!!

LINKS of the WEEK

AI staging in Real Estate- interesting piece on how things may look now and into the future.  And on this one? Buyer beware. https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/my-client-walked-out-within-minutes-how-ai-is-tanking-home-sales-2cfb9beb

Students building their own classroom?  Nice work! https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/apr/06/sale-creek-middlehigh-opens-new-construction/

Tough story on a dying business and classy owner https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1krp43471wo

 PROJECT of the WEEK

Another winner from the previously noted 2026 Guardian Glass Commercial Project Awards.  The spotlight here is on my friends from Thompson Innovative Glass.  Tom Donovan and company knocked it out of the ballpark with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Newberry Customer Service Center project.  The glass, which was Guardian SunGuard SN 68 with Bird1st™ Etch on clear glass, looked fabulous and worked so perfectly with the design from Lord Aeck Sargent.  The glazing was done by a company I have known forever and was good to see them involved- Calvin & Company, Inc. Everything looked great, and I was thrilled for all participating! Keep up the great work, everyone.

Triple Threat Pod

A jam-packed new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now ready for you.  It’s a rare “3 sets of guests” edition, and each one brings something cool to the table.  I start out with Scott Kennett of AMS/NACC/AGMT & Nicolas Esquivel of CDC, and we talk about certification/licensing and the role it’s playing now and, more importantly, in the future.  Then Pat O’Connor joins, and we talk about the upcoming Glass Symposium, which is a very cool and unique event.  Lastly, I end with Abbie Legara of Aluminum & Glazing Lines.  Just a very impressive person and operator, and it was great to dive into her business, AI, and being a woman-led company.  Really neat insights.  So please take a watch or listen!  I do appreciate it a ton, and each week I am humbled more and more by the numbers!

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AUDIO

Thank you to the fine folks at FHC- Frameless Hardware Company for their support of this episode!

Elsewhere…

-- The volatility of aluminum prices continues, and our industry got a long mention in a recent Wall Street Journal story.  The authors talked to the folks at Awake Window in Arizona, and it was a good piece on the challenges they and our industry face.  Check it out HERE. Also, when I had Troy Johnson of Apogee Architectural Metals on my podcast- he had an excellent explanation on the challenges that this market faces- if you missed it, you can find it on VIDEO or AUDIO or just look up “From the Fabricator” in your podcast app and scroll down to December of 2025 for Troy.

-- While we’re in this mode of market craziness, the latest Dodge Momentum Index was released. Basically, the data center boom is carrying the day, bringing the index up 2%.  The analysis noted that the pipeline is active, and most of us know the pipeline is active, but moving the jobs to the actual “start” has been the problem.  Meanwhile, I know I’ve hit this before here and in my various presentations- do not assume the data center package you see has no glass on it.  There are incredible data centers out there with stunning glass curtain walls, etc.

-- I’m a fan of Chesapeake Glazing.  Great company, and recently they picked up a very prestigious award. They were recognized as 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟓𝟐 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 to receive the ABC National 2025 National Safety Excellence Award.  Huge. Think about how many contractors are out there… Super.   Safety matters, and these walk the walk there.  Plus, I love that they are NACC Certified- but even more so, how they did it and what they learned.  Great case study HERE on that journey.  Congrats to the team at Chesapeake!!

-- I teased a few weeks ago that things are going upside down over at CSI, and the adventure continues.  CSI/CIN wants your $$ for using something that's been around forever.  Or, as one person compared, it’s like being charged to use the Dewey Decimal System.  What am I saying?  CSI now has a for-profit side (CIN) that is planning on charging for using the typical specification classes- (Division 8- or 8800, etc.) in your brochures, bids, etc.   And those charges are not cheap, though supposedly manufacturers who DON’T “consult” won’t be charged...  Easier way to understand this and the rancor involved?  Read THIS post to learn more.  Interesting and surely more on this to come.

Last this week…  Have you registered for the Texas Glass Conference yet? I know there’s a segment of people who feel like they don’t need to attend, that they have everything under control.  And I am sure they do for the most part.  But I am reminded of an old commercial (and I am old- guessing many of you won’t know this one) from a brokerage firm named E F Hutton. The line was pretty big back in the day, “When EF Huton Talks People Listen,” and so when you have this event, and you have the great Urmilla Sowell talking about the latest codes… ones that can truly affect your business… it's not a good business call to miss it. When you have, as I just found out, Jeff Haber of W&W on a panel- yeah, time to register because Jeff (and I am confident the rest of the panel) will bring it to you straight and real. So, get that and more- with the best networking in Texas.  Check out the full schedule and sign up HERE.

LINKS of the WEEK

Crows attack Rapunzel at Disney in Tokyo.  Wild.  May have to have a conversation with Disney expert Zach Perilstein on this one. https://nypost.com/2026/04/02/lifestyle/crows-give-disneys-rapunzel-bot-an-impromptu-haircut/

I’m excited for the World Cup this summer.  But would I sell my house to go? Nope.  This guy is though (his 2nd house but still) https://apnews.com/article/england-fan-sell-house-world-cup-ac6b6f4597feda5c68487299dd544c62

What’s hot in the streets?  The Mac Mini and AI.  May have to look into this one. https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/tech/apple-mac-mini-ai-openclaw

 PROJECT of the WEEK

Let’s go to Iowa this week for the spotlight.  Saw this from George Davis, owner of G Davis & Associates, and this is the Health Sciences Academic Building at the University of Iowa.  The glass-and-panel mix really works, and it’s a very striking design.  Eye-catching.  Kudos to George and all that worked on this one- including- I believe- the glass from my friends from Viracon- though I’ll need Seth Madole or Garret Henson to confirm.  And if not- my apologies- and yikes.  In any case, love the way this one looks!

Make Plans

I’ve noted a few times that coming this June is the new NGA Glass Fabricator Conference- GFAB, and now registration is open and questions are flowing in about it.  So, here’s my take- this conference is focused on the glass fabricator space.  The content is geared towards that audience, and it’s delivered in a “track” style so the messaging can be targeted to the right attendees.  After all, we’re not a “one size fits all” sort of industry, and this event takes that into mind.  There are three tracks.  Executive, Glass Conference, and Workshop.  The “Executive” has content geared towards company management and includes presentations that support planning and execution in the future.  The Glass Conference is basically a traditional technical gathering that used to be a stand-alone meeting.  This is where the best technical minds in our industry gather to develop standards and guidelines that are so crucial for our space.  If you care about those standards and how they affect you, you should be there.  The last track ‘workshop,” is built for plant leadership and personnel.  Improving performance and quality, with a big emphasis on tempering, is on tap.  So especially if you’re new to tempering OR want to learn the latest tips and tricks- that’s for you.  The event is this June in Chicago.  More info can be found HERE, and you know I’ll keep pinging it here too.

Elsewhere…

-- FYI- the next edition of the From the Fabricator podcast drops next week, and it’s a pretty unique episode. Four people total from different backgrounds, all serving the industry well.  Was very enjoyable getting to know each one better. I think you’ll enjoy it.

-- Recently, my guy Travis Nevins of IUPAT had a great feature in Glass Canada magazine on certification. Travis delivers a passionate appeal for licensing, and I think he hits all the high points.  And this is not a union/non-union issue- it is an INDUSTRY issue.  We need to be at our best out there, and since many other trades have licensing and certification that give owners/architects/GC’s peace of mind, we should have that as well.

-- Congrats to FHC President & CEO Chris Hanstad for being nominated for the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Greater Los Angeles program.  Chris deserves any and all recognition he can get as he’s worked tirelessly to deliver the best for our space.  And yes, I know and agree that FHC is a massive team effort, so I am sure Chris shares this honor with each and every person there.  I am just thrilled to see mainstream honors hitting one of our own.

-- Saw two moves from the fine folks at Viracon.  Brian Savage, who always keeps me posted on the blizzards in Minnesota (which I hope are done for 2026), has taken on a new role as Senior Manager, Project Operations and Supply Chain.  Love it- Brian will be great.  Then I noticed Seth Madole is now Vice President, Customer Experience and Supply Chain.  Seth is an off-the-charts talented guy, and his effect on customer service and logistics/supply has been huge.  He represents the best side of our industry at all ends- and it is awesome that he continues to be impactful out there.

-- Last this week… I am late to this, but Major League Baseball has begun, and I need to make my predictions.  Plus, for the third straight year, the Mayor of Glasstown, Jon Johnson, got me into a fantasy league, and it’s been an incredible distraction for me. So grateful to Jon there.  On to the predictions… is it too easy to say the Dodgers win it all again? They’re so good… I really have no choice but to pick them, and they’ll take on Seattle in the World Series (Seattle is so overdue there). For Jon and me, our Detroit Tigers may make some waves, but I don't think they have the bats to get there.

LINKS of the WEEK

-- The JPMorgan Chase – Charlie Javice story is a wild one- and now news that she billed them for “cellulite butter” – umm do I even want to know what that is?https://nypost.com/2025/11/14/business/charlie-javice-billed-jpmorgan-for-personal-products-as-part-of-74m-legal-tab-claim/

-- Older story…She thought she had jet lag. Doctors found parasitic worms in her brain. Watch what you eat, folks! https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/02/21/rat-lungworm-brain-travel/

-- Is WKRP in Cincinnati back?  Well, maybe not as a show (bummer) but as an actual, real station. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2026/04/03/wkrp-call-letters-are-coming-to-cincinnati-radio-report/89452633007/

 PROJECT of the WEEK

To Nashville we go, and the D concourse extension by NGG.  Great work by them installing YKK AP curtain wall, Sage electrochromic, FHC’s glass wall system and much more. Really well done, everything looks great, and I look forward to seeing it one of these days.  Congrats to all on a job well done!