From time to time, I get the question about advocacy. As in, what sort of advocacy is happening in our industry? I think there is a perception that the only path to advocacy is through face-to-face or 1:1 meetings with members of the legislative branches of government. And while that is a form, I believe some of the best advocacy happens at the grassroots level. From volunteers and from leaders within industry-focused trade organizations. When I interviewed Tom Culp for my podcast, we talked about the “battle for the wall” and, in doing so, covered that if our industry did not step up the way it did, then the window-to-wall ratio would’ve gotten reduced and we’d be very deep in the hole. And no meeting with a government official could save that. Smaller glass, less glass? Not good. So yes, we need to be represented at every level and in as many ways as possible, because as I have noted here many times before, our industry is a popular target for seemingly every other trade out there. If we’re not doing all we can to protect our way of life, it's going to be a problem. All that said- my extreme thanks to every volunteer (and congrats to the latest volunteer honorees Steve Marino of Vitro and Vaughn Schauss of Kurarary) out there who cares deeply and advocatesfor us all.
Elsewhere…
-- And in case you missed the episode where Tom Culp and I talked about this and so many other important industry items, you can find the links below. Jamie Kernohan of Glass Guru was also on this episode, and her energy generated a ton of positive feedback – especially from some of the marketing leads in our space. Thank you, Tom and Jamie, and thank you all for checking it all out!
Of course, also grateful to FHC- Frameless Hardware Company for the continued backing of the podcast! Much appreciated!
Note- I do have a new episode coming out next Sunday, and it’s got a couple of big movers and shakers, nationally and regionally. Can’t wait!
-- And speaking of volunteers and people stepping up for our interests, I got word this week that the fabulous Dennis Bevans of Anchor Ventana was named to the Executive Board of the Texas Construction Association. Having a voice at that level is crucial, and Dennis will be perfect in that spot!
-- Some of my best friends in this industry are the brothers who own Peterson Glass in Michigan. Great guys that I have known for years. Well, recently they decided to call it a day, retire, and close up shop. (Happy for them and jealous of them at the same time) In doing so, they now have quite a bit of material for sale. (Maglocks, Electric Strikes, Taper loc sets, Von Duprin cables, among many items, etc.) Please take a look at this LINK and contact me if you’re interested; I’ll get you in touch with the gang there.
-- Guess what…GlassBuild America registration opens THIS WEEK. The show this September in Vegas will be an incredible event, and I look forward to seeing you there. The chance to connect and learn is huge and of monumental importance. More info to follow, and as you can expect, I’ll be talking about this more as the weeks click on our way to the show!
-- Last this week… The gang at Gatsby Glass debuted a very cool tool on their website. A visualizer for the shower door space. GatsbyView lets customers upload a photo of their bathroom/shower door setting and see how a new design would look in that area. I have seen this tech before, and I love it. Gatsby did a very nice job with their effort, and to me, it’s great because it brings the homeowner/general public closer to all of us. And as someone who has been planning a new shower enclosure since April of 2025 (and still not there, thanks to a GC disaster), I enjoyed trying this out and seeing what my enclosure could look like when I finally get one in 2028. LOL. I think. Anyway, kudos to Gatsby on the tech and the push to serve the public more effectively. See it HERE, and thanks to my friend Jeff Dowd at Gatsby for giving me a look before it went live.
LINKS of the WEEK
A very cool winning scratch-off lottery ticket story from my stomping grounds in Michigan. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/06/18/lotto-Michigan-Lottery-last-minute-scratch-off/6241781805958/
Interesting take on the craziness surrounding the SpaceX stock. https://nypost.com/2026/06/17/business/spacex-flippers-have-sellers-remorse-after-50-climb-though-traders-wonder-whether-hot-streak-will-last/
The World Cup has been incredible. On field action and amazing off-field stories. One example? The Scots are taking the US by storm and depleting serious beer inventories! The legend Angus MacMillan is beaming with pride on this one- and thx to him for the heads up. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/are-scottish-soccer-fans-drinking-all-of-the-beer-in-boston/3966171/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=fark&ICID=ref_fark
PROJECT of the WEEK
The Gold Standard, Heather West, has been on fire lately. This week, the project spotlight shines on one she shared on LinkedIn, and while it’s not a massive job, it shows how glazing can add another level to the exterior AND refresh an old structure. From the post that was written by Technoform- as they led the way on this one with thermal breaks and warm edge spacers, this is Steele Elementary School, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
“The over 110-year-old Steele Elementary School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been successfully revitalized, expanded, and redesigned to meet future needs. The comprehensive renovation of this historic 1916 building combines its original character with modern functionality, providing an inspiring learning environment for around 400 students.”
The collaborators who joined Technoform on this excellent effort featured a who’s who of players in our space, including: Glazing contractor, Aluma Glass & Glaze, Primary glass manufacturer, Vitro Architectural Glass, laminated interlayer via Kuraray America, Inc., and window manufacturer: Apogee Architectural Metals’ brands: EFCO, Wausau Window, Linetec.
Great job by all! Keep up the good work showing off our products!
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