Glazing & Hurricane Season

June 1st marks the start of Hurricane season, and each year, we get predictions from experts about what may happen.  Before I get to that, I do need to point out that Hurricane Protective Glazing was a huge win and move for our industry.  It is now what school security will eventually be.  A must-use product to keep people safe while also allowing them to live a normalized life. (Example- natural light still can come through vs. schools being built like a cave.) So, when we take heat from other trades (which we do, constantly), it is nice to point out wins like this.  Kudos to folks like Leon Silverstein and many others in South Florida who led the charge on the hurricane side that we can all point to proudly today.  So, for the predictions, the main one is 1 to 3 Major Hurricanes to happen in 2026.  The obvious hope is that they are hurricanes out to sea, and the only damage is to all the fish that will get caught up in the mix.

Elsewhere…

-- ICYMI- the latest From the Fabricator podcast dropped last week, and I’ve loved the feedback that I have received.  I had a feeling people would appreciate the authenticity of Randy Brooks and Jared Ruggieri, and that came true.  Those guys also dropped some really solid actionable points, too- for which I and the audience appreciate!  So thank you to them! 

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Thank you to FHC-Frameless Hardware Company for the support of this episode!

And next up, as some of you may have seen the wild AI graphic on LinkedIn- I’ll have the extremely talented Jamie Kernohan of Glass Guru on, along with one of the most important people in our world, Tom Culp. Without him and the other NGA tech Superheroes, we are working in windowless huts. That one will be out June 14th!

-- Fifty years in this industry is a huge accomplishment.  There are a few people still in that class in our world, and on June 1st, a new member will be added.  The one and only Ralph Aknin of Glass 3 Enterprises hits the half-century mark, and he’s still laser-focused on the business; his love for our industry has not waned a bit. Ralph has always been ahead of the curve product-wise, and I am not sure anyone is better at tracking down a source.   Ralph has always been incredibly kind to me, and he’s been a class act through and through.  So congrats, Ralph, on hitting 50, and thank you for all you have done to make our industry better!

-- List time!  Been a while since I had one- and you know I love these.  Via my good friend Joe Staffileno… here are the Top 10 cities where people want to retire...

10- Boise, ID – The Idaho talk just continues to grow out there. The hype is real. 

9- San Diego, CA- Shouldn’t this be higher? 

8- Tampa, FL- Makes sense

7- Asheville, NC – Oh my.  The home of Big Bill from Asheville, Billy Britt, makes the list. And who wouldn’t want to live near the awesome folks of Britt-Tilson Glass?

6- Charleston, SC- Home of the best media agency in North America-  CBK. Worth a move there just for that. 

5- Orlando, FL – There surely is a lot to do when people come to visit. Though if the Space Counts as Orlando, then count me in over there.

4- Nashville, TN – OK, I can see many areas in Tennessee… but Nashville exactly? Great place to visit.  Maybe the similarities to Orlando work here.

3- Naples, FL – Stunning, but I think this is out of my pay grade.

2- Scottsdale, AZ – See Naples. 

And #1 on the list- Sarasota, FL.  So Florida dominates the list, and it's interesting that nothing in the southern part of the state, specifically good ole Boca.   Sarasota is a great choice for #1.

Surprises to me?  Nothing in Texas or Georgia.  Also, if Idaho is on the list, no Montana? And for Joe, who sent the list- No Morgantown, WV??? Come on! 

-- Recently, I had the good fortune to visit the team at AMS-Administrative Management Systems, Inc., the group behind the inspection and 3rd-party certification processes for many organizations, including SGCC and IGCC.  Now, those who know me know I appreciate and respect the certification process, so seeing how things come together was a thrill for me.  And knowing that there’s really no equal to the certification you get from SGCC or IGCC, I could tell why that was the case.  Tremendous people and organization.  Thanks to John Kent, Terry Schaefer, Kristin Best, and Kelly Jenness, among others, for their time and incredible hospitality.  Keep up the great work, folks!

LINKS of the WEEK

I think you’re going to see more like this one- generating power in space. https://spacedaily.com/sd-n-a-a-florida-startup-just-raised-65-million-to-beam-concentrated-sunlight-at-satellites-and-the-customer-list-shows-how-fast-orbital-power-is-becoming-a-real-market/

3D Printing with glass. Some interesting angles in this one https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/innovative-startup-pioneers-3d-printing-with-recycled-glass-new-binder-jet-process-combines-powder-with-adhesive-agent-in-layering-technique

Solar panel glass has a spontaneous breakage problem.  So much upside down in this one. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/05/21/solar-industry-cost-cutting-sparks-record-wave-of-spontaneous-glass-breakage/

 PROJECT of the WEEK

This week, the spotlight is on a very cool couple who, with their team, are making some nice waves in our space.  This is a Cheesecake Factory in Cypress, TX, glazed by the fine folks at Stratford Glass. They had a scope as big as the menu there…. including exterior storefront, entrance doors, and interior glass systems. Kudos to Larissa & Julio Vasquez on a job well done.  Keep up the good work!

Fresh Perspectives

For the holiday weekend, a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is ready for you.  Guest numbers 219 and 220. I kick it off with Randy Brooks, President & CEO of Gardner Glass/Walker Glass.  Randy is the genuine article, and it was fun to catch up with a guy I first ran into in this industry 30+ years ago.  We hit on a ton of subjects, including bringing two great companies together, expansions, products, and more.  Then I had a great time with Jared Ruggieri, National Sales Manager at Spectrum Metal Finishing.  Cool career he’s had and now doing great things on the coating side.  Great perspectives on several items (real backlog vs paper backlog, among others), and he shares my appreciation for powder coating!  I continue to enjoy bringing different voices to the forefront, and these two deliver.  Plus, with the growth in the audio audience, I think this model is working!  Thank you to all who continue to support this effort!  I appreciate it!

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Thank you to FHC Frameless Hardware Company for their ongoing support of the From the Fabricator podcast! 

Elsewhere….

--  Market-wise, this past week, we received the latest Architectural Billings Index and an update from the team at Dodge. The ABI slipped a bit this time, BUT the inquiries which were best since 2022 last month went up AGAIN. That continues to be a good sign for things to eventually break loose.  Just wish I knew when that time is!  Dodge was in a good place, too- and not just with data center growth.  Starts saw gains in pretty much every area.  Challenges abound out there, but it’s nice to see the metrics looking good.

-- Time for the review of the latest edition of Glass Magazine.  This is the annual Sourcebook that, from front to back, has suppliers for pretty much everything. This is the issue I see most on people’s desks.  A quick, easy reference right at your fingertips! The ad of the month- a big one, considering people are using this issue to learn about additional supply chain options- was a challenge!  Again, the marketing teams in the industry keep stepping up their game!  The winner, though, for this month was Glenny Glass.  First, I’ve always admired their President, Braxton Smith, and what he’s continued there at Glenny.  Second, the ad was cool. I liked seeing the whole team, and the blue color really pops off the page.  So, congrats to Glenny and whoever designed this one!  

-- Road Warriors… have you seen the news on a new TSA Program called TSA Gold+? This is a move to bring private contractors into TSA's security operations.  Very interesting since we’ve had TSA since 2001, but the consecutive shutdowns that unnecessarily affected the TSA workforce may have been what moved this forward.  More HERE, and this is just starting off, so it’s too soon to get any feel, but moving away from the current model will be an adjustment for sure!

-- Last this week with a new Fed Chair coming in- a note from the “Bow Tie” Economist Elliot Eisenberg. 

“Kevin Warsh is the 17th Fed Chairperson. Since the start of the 5th Chairperson, Eugene Meyer on 9/16/30, the average return of the S&P 500 during the first three months of the new Chair’s term has been -12%. The worst was Alan Greenspan, whose term commenced on 8/11/87. He saw the market decline 33%; Eugene Mayer follows closely at -32%. The best performer, Ben Bernacke at 2%. Hold on tight.”  

Sorry to have that positive news at the top, with sobering news at the bottom!  By the way, Elliot sends short daily e-mails that can cover a wide range of items.  It’s a good one.  Check it out HERE to subscribe.  One day, I’m hopeful to get him on the pod! 

LINKS of the WEEK

There’s a record for everything.  Including most t-shirts, put on in a minute. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/05/22/Guinness-World-Records-David-Rush-T-shirts/4211779463880/

Bizarre- getting tossed from a Disney restaurant! (I’ve dined at this one with the Disney legend Zach Perilstein, and it was good) https://nypost.com/2026/05/22/us-news/crazed-disney-world-guest-arrested-after-going-ballistic-on-staffers-over-a-tiny-diagreement/

Busted in the carpool lane! https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/california-cops-bust-driver-carpool-180409954.html

PROJECT of the WEEK

What happens when a bunch of true heavyweights get together?  You get a spectacular project! This is Wolf Point East in Chicago. Your architects were Pelli Clarke & Partners and Pappageorge Haymes Partners. The glazier was Harmon.  Glass was fabricated by Viracon.  And to really make this project kick it up a notch?  Clover Architectural Products with the wood-grain powder-coated sunshades! Tom O'Malley is always clutch! Tremendous building, thanks to fantastic work.  Congrats to all involved!

Getting Out of the Box

One thing I often talk about is moving away from the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mentality in our industry.  Yes, I’ll admit, I actually fall into that trap from time to time too- especially as the years go by, so I know it’s not easy.  But in challenging times like the ones we’re facing now, thinking outside the box is more crucial than ever.  So, when I saw this article on Ford Motor Company and their effort to create a new vehicle in a totally new way- it resonated with me.  It’s a great look at a legacy company having to change things and fight through old habits, and sometimes the people standing in its way.  Check it out HERE.  Not everything in every industry applies to us, but it is nice to see sometimes that others have the same adventures! (Note- if for some reason you can’t access it- just message me and I’ll get you a copy)

Elsewhere…

--  Cool event coming to Texas in June.  CDC – Curtainwall Design & Consulting is hosting an event headlined by a deep dive case study.  This is part of an educational “happy hour” that will explore quality assurance and educate on certification.  Yes, I am pounding the certification drum again.  Anyway, if you are in Texas, I highly recommend checking this one out.  Folks from CDC are always fascinating, and you can always learn something helpful from them, so given that they’re opening their doors up, I’d think it’s worth walking in.  More info can be found HERE!

-- Two big moves by two legendary figures in our space.  First off, my good friend Shelly Farmer was just promoted to Vice President of Sales, USA, at Glasshape.  Shelly makes things happen- and with a stunning and quality product line, the sky is the limit.   Also, this week, the news that Gus Trupiano is leaving his current post with GGI and starting a business with his son. All Things Glass is the name, and I am thrilled for the Trupianos!  Gus will still represent GGI in the Southeast, so that’s good, and now he gets to do something with the next gen.  I love it and know it will go great!  Congrats to all!

-- Jennifer Lang of Minneapolis Glass is one of the most talented people in our space, so it was extremely cool to see her recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a 2026 Women in Business honoree. People in our industry don’t get a ton of mainstream love, so I am excited to see it when it happens. In this case, knowing and admiring Jennifer, her team, and their work makes it all the more special.  Congrats!!

-- In case you missed it- last week a simply fabulous blog was posted by Dave Vermeulen of Technical Glass Products (TGP) at Glass Magazine on the progress of certain styles of glass and their connections to Stadiums. Dave rightfully points out how our products are so key to that segment, and I loved the rundown he provided and the look back he mentioned, too.  Dave’s blogs always deliver!

-- Last this week… May 20th will be the day a new Jack Ryan movie drops on Amazon Prime.  Now, the Amazon version of Jack Ryan has always been a TV series, but this time out, they went with a feature-length film.  I’ve loved what they’ve done in the past, so I can’t wait to watch this one.  HOWEVER- I am also very excited because in the trailers that have been posted, I’ve seen some cool BR glass and a scene where people fall through a glass floor.  Woo-boy- that’s going to be fun to examine.  I know I am not alone in thinking that when glass-related products appear in a show or movie, it becomes a complete study.  So if any of you watch it and see these scenes, feel free to leave a review!  I hope to have mine up within a couple of weeks, if not sooner, depending on when I can watch and take the time to pause and rewind 1000 times.

LINKS of the WEEK

Have you ever seen a Speed Limit of 17.3?  Amazingly, it exists! (And any time I think speed limit- I think Sammy Hagar- I can’t drive 55) https://nypost.com/2026/04/30/lifestyle/bizarre-speed-limit-baffles-drivers-but-officials-claim-it-will-make-you-slow-down/

Too comical. A suit involving the absolutely awful movie “The Rip” – saying it was “too real”- well, I can tell you the acting surely wasn’t.  Anyway, a comical one nonetheless. https://apnews.com/article/rip-lawsuit-ben-affleck-matt-damon-98647a282521fe01ce73d8a7afeb4400

UNREAL- A man has 3 heart attacks in 4 days.  That is not a misprint!  And the guy is still alive now and kicking.  What a wild one. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/advent-health-deland-heart-attack-blood-clot-cardiac-health/

PROJECT of the WEEK

Lonnie Hernandez is a solid one to follow on LinkedIn- always posting some in-progress project that he’s on as a Glazier Superintendent.  This one was a cool rotunda that was being built in California at a Kaiser facility.  Looking good, Lonnie!  Keep on posting and doing great things out there!