TGA Does It Again!

This past week was the Texas Glass Conference at the Woodlands (Houston).  Tremendous event overall.  The Texas Glass Association really delivered a great gathering chock-full of excellent insights and networking opportunities. A few standouts included a really informative AI panel and a fabulous talk from Scott Kimpland of FMI.  Overall, everything really clicked, and I was honored to be involved. My sincere thanks to Brian Risinger and the TGA board for the opportunity.

Of course, I have to mention a handful of folks whom it was wonderful to run into. Super to chat with Kyle Lamb of Universal Glass- I always get a strong takeaway or three.  The awesome Jacque Freeman of Binswanger was there and holding court like always.  It was incredible to see the launch of a new Women in Glass chapter- Syndi Sim, along with Danielle Whatley, Emma McLemore, Kristina Buckett, and Valerie Nagy, are doing something great and needed for our space.  Talented people in so many ways are now giving back even more to our industry.

Cool to see & hear from one of the all-time greats in our industry, Teri Gilmore of A3 Glass.  And I guess while throwing the word “great” out there, it would also pertain to Chris Bayer of Austin Glass and Ted Baumgarder of Guthrie AI.  Ted even overcame a nasty flat tire to make it in for the event.  I was thrilled that Abdeali Karimjee of Precision Glass Industries was there- He needs to do more of these! And speaking of Precision- two of their newest people- Jack Wickstrom and Fulgencio Rey were there- I am thrilled for both of them as they start this new phase in their lives.  I get a charge out of seeing good people joining good organizations.

Another dynamic duo- Hector Vallejo and Wade Arnold of USBP/Quikserv were there, but I could not effectively shoehorn my way into a conversation since both always had crowds around them.  I was honored to have Omar Maalouf of Momentum Glass & Jeff Haber of W+W Glass in the audience for my talk.  Both are so freaking good, and both care deeply about our industry, which I admire and respect.

I did get a short visit with Greg Grothoff of GlassFab.  He is one of the sharpest guys in our world- neat to see him excelling.  And amazing to meet new people- like Larissa and Julio Vasquez of Stratford Glass & Mirror.  As well as Jaime Torres of Trulite.  Really impressive folks! 

Catching up with friends like Todd Schulz of IGE Glass Technologies can’t be underestimated. He was working it all, plus, and unlike the last time I saw him, he did not have to take me to the ER!  As well as Rick Newnom of HOU-TEX Glass.  Always fantastic to catch up & also talk some Houston sports. Plus, it had been a while since I had seen "The Great Joy Lee" (that’s her legal name- or it should be), and her work in and around this conference was huge & appreciated!

I know I missed a bunch- and I am sorry- I didn’t keep notes as well as I usually do!  Wonderful to see everyone and another positive time in the great state of Texas!

Elsewhere….

-- The Glass Magazine Awards public vote is now open.  More details can be found HERE. Check it out and vote.  Some incredible categories and candidates- many I wish I could choose multiple winners. Deadline is May 5th. Go VOTE!

-- Changing of the guard at Winco Window with Woody Miller moving to the top spot, taking over for his dad, Gantt.  I am excited for Woody and happy for Gantt.  Great guys.  I was lucky enough to have them on my podcast way back in October of 2021, and they were super.  So much has changed, and I may have to get Woody back on.  As the podcast has gotten so much better since then, too! If you want to check it out- 

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Last this week… a huge win for our industry at the International Code Council Public Comments Hearings.  Can you believe there are people who want windowless buildings?  Well, they exist, and thankfully, the NGA Advocacy & Tech team went to work and, with some excellent collaboration from across the built environment space, closed loopholes and pushed natural light into the play.  Plus, a huge win with the use of daylight in classrooms, too. Read it all HERE.  Good stuff from the team and massive for our space.

LINKS of the WEEK

Stalking in a “thoughtful” way- yes, it’s a real story/headline. https://gizmodo.com/meta-thinks-its-smart-glasses-could-stalk-people-in-a-thoughtful-way-2000746222

Ruthless scammers.  This one with 3D printed homes. https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/3d-printed-homes-an-abandoned-590000-deposit-the-fbi-what-really-happened-in-this-small-town/

Oh my- Bunk Beds on a plane? https://apnews.com/article/air-new-zealand-economy-bunk-beds-sleep-c2c434f60116f332c0ce96c69d662c3b

PROJECT of the WEEK

So, always a highlight for me is seeing Sam and Chris Hill of Oak Cliff Mirror & Glass.  So good. So classy.  And they really are key figures in so much of what we do in our industry.  Tremendous people.  So, the project of the week spotlight hits one of their projects.  

This is the North Dallas Bank and Trust at Fields West in Frisco, TX.  In progress and not complete yet, but looking great!  And by the way, Chris Hill, also known as the “Busiest Man in the Glass Industry,” keeps adding on with more and more – and always on the cutting edge.  How he finds the time will always amaze me!  Kudos to the team there and all who collaborated on this one!

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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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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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!