20 under 40 year …glassmagazine.com/files/gmfiles_2010/20under40_2008.pdf · if you’re in their...

Year No. 5Year No. 5Year No. 5Winners are intense, ambitious; like Zeppelin, Monty Python

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20 under 40 View more at www.glassmagazine.net/20under40.htm

The judges

Nicole HarrisPublisher

Matt SlovickEditor in chief

Sahely MukerjiManaging editor

Jenni ChaseSenior writer

Lorin HancockAssistant editor

Vy KoenigProduction manager

Amanda BehnkeSpecial projects coordinator

Staff writersMatt Slovick Page 32Sahely Mukerji Pages 40, 47Jenni Chase Pages 33, 44Katy Devlin Pages 42, 44Lorin Hancock Pages 28, 48

Freelance writersA.S. Berman Page 24Laura Carlson Page 46Marilyn Dickey Page 25Bob Gatty Pages 30, 34Jane Holtje Pages 28, 39

Gina Rollins Page 24Julie Sturgeon Pages 29, 46

n its fifth year, Glass Magazine’s 20 Under 40 honors generated a record 105 nominations.

The increase from 60 nominees a year ago is a testament to the talent throughout the glass

industry. Our winners range in age from 27 to 39, working in 11 states from Connecticut to

Hawaii. Four are women.

They describe themselves as energetic, optimistic, independent, intense, ambitious, driven,

conscientious, resourceful and happy. One is a self-proclaimed oddball.

Their diverse movie tastes include comedy, thriller, fantasy, action and drama with favorite titles

such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Philadelphia,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “The

Shawshank Redemption,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Walk the Line,” “North by Northwest,” “Pulp

Fiction,” “Braveheart” and “The Bourne Supremacy.”

If you’re in their cars or pick up their iPods, you might hear Led Zeppelin, Keith Jarrett, U2,

Frank Sinatra, the Dave Matthews Band, Diana Krall, Rob Zombie, REM, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison

or Eric Clapton.

And they are all now members of the Glass Magazine’s 20 Under 40 Class of 2008.

February 2008 • Glass Magazine® 1

Coming to the architectural glazing industry with an economics degreeand a background that includes commercial lending, Avi Bar brings adifferent perspective to the daylighting and Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design projects: “If it is not financially viable, it’s not goingto happen,” he says.

Bar comes by his passion for renewable energy honestly. “Not to sound tootree-huggerish, but I’ve always been interested in how to make this planet abetter place,” he says.

He started at Advanced Glazings in August 2006 as an architectural products consultant, and recently was promoted to director of marketing. In that time, Bar has co-authored a number of marketing materials on topicsincluding Solera and LEED.

“His dedication to green buildings … has resulted in buildings making bet-ter use of glass,” says President Doug Milburn in his nomination form.

It’s dedication that Bar is bringing to his family’s new three-bedroom high-rise apartment in the Bronx. “I’m planning on using Solera glass as a partition to … diffuse light deeper into the space,” he says.

The greatest challenge, though, is justifying the expense to others.“When you’re going to insulate a house when you’re building it, you can showthe payback,” he says. Doing so with a renewable-resources home can be moredifficult.

Recycled glass for the countertops and low-VOC, or volatile organic compound, paints are also in the offing, he adds, the latter because he wants toprotect the health of his 10-month-old son, Yonathan. It’s the least he can do,he says, as Yonathan routinely looks out for him.

He’s “been sucking on my [cell] phone, so there’s been a bit of water dam-age,” Bar says. “It’s a blessing in disguise - I can avoid a lot of unnecessary calls.”

Avi BarMarketing director | Advanced Glazings USA LLC | Burnaby, British Columbia

V inu Abraham has played a key role in transformingHurricane Test Laboratory from a fledgling three-person company devoted exclusively to hurricane-

related certification testing to a thriving multistate opera-tion with more than 40 employees and several servicelines. Starting as a test engineer directly overseeing perfor-mance tests, Abraham has seen the company through sev-eral key milestones, while maintaining a solid reputationfor his know-how, customer service and practicalapproach to testing.

“He’s become a very influential person in the industry.People look up to him and respect his opinions,” saysShawn Donovan, president of Donovan and Associates, amarketing firm in Tampa. A one-time customer, Donovannow works as a marketing consultant for HTL.

The son of Indian nationals who worked for the Nigeriangovernment, Abraham immigrated to the United States forcollege and is living his own version of the American dream.He and two partners boarded the thrill ride of entrepreneur-ship when they sought funding for HTL’s first permanent

Vinu AbrahamCEO | Hurricane Test Laboratory | Riviera Beach, Fla.

Education: 1998, Economics, University of London, RoyalHolloway CollegeCareer: Sept. 2007-present, marketing director; 2006-07, architectural products consultant, AdvancedGlazings USA LLC, Burnaby, B.C.; 2003-06, vice president ofbusiness development, altPOWER Inc., New York; 2002-03,head of commercial lending, Stanley Capital Corp.,Englewood, N.J. Personal: Age, 31; born, Naharia, Israel; married to LilachShvartz-Bar, one sonDiversions: Scuba diving, hiking, jazz One-word description of self: MulticulturalFavorite Web site: GoogleLesson learned the hard way: Life is cyclical; never assumeyou are either at the top or the bottomFavorite movie: “Life of Brian”Favorite musical artist: Keith JarrettFavorite book: “The Alchemist” by Paulo CoelhoFavorite sports team: Springboks, the South African nationalRugby team.

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2 Glass Magazine® • www.GlassMagazine.net

M ichelle Fainberg has been at GirouxGlass for 11 years. She started mak-ing her mark there shortly after she

arrived. It was her first job after graduatingfrom the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture, andcompany president Anne-Merelie Murrell quickly realized she had hired astar.

Several years ago, Fainberg introduced a computer-aided design system tothe company, a glazing contractor, which has streamlined the drawing processand improved accuracy and efficiency by 60 percent, Murrell says. Cuttingpieces of metal to hold the glass in place used to involve hand-generated listsof what needed to be cut. Then the fabricators would measure each piece, cutit, measure it again, and manually make a note about the size of the piece andwhere it needed to go. Now that process has been automated, thanks toFainberg’s system that “does everything but pull the saw,” Fainberg says. Iteven generates color-coded labels so it’s easy to see which floor of a multistorybuilding each piece goes on.

Working with fabricators, installers, architects, estimators and projectmanagers, Fainberg plays a central role in the company. As if that weren’tenough, five years ago, she added the job of IT manager to her other responsi-bilities.

“She has no clock,” Murrell says. “She works until something is done. Shemoves very quietly and has focus. Unfortunately, I can’t sit down with all thepeople in our company, but some things just shine. And Michelle just shineswithout my being there.”

Education: 1995, M.S., Civil Engineering, Texas TechUniversity, Lubbock, Texas; 1993, B.S., Civil Engineering, Texas Tech UniversityCareer: 2006-present, CEO; 2000-06, managing partner;1996-2000, general manager; 1994-96, test engineer,Hurricane Test Laboratory LLC, Riviera Beach, Fla.Personal: Age, 39; born, Ogbomosho, Nigeria; married, wifeSandra, three childrenDiversions: Volunteering at church; deep-sea fishing; outdoor activities with childrenOne word description of self: LeaderFavorite Web site: Delta Airlines/other travel-related sitesLesson learned the hard way: Life is short and you have toremain positive no matter what it throws at youFavorite movie: “North by Northwest”Favorite musical artist: Diana KrallFavorite book:“Good toGreat” by JimCollinsFavorite sportsteam: MiamiDolphins.

Education: 1996, B.A., School of Architecture, University ofSouthern California, Los AngelesCareer: July 2006-present, partner, Giroux Glass Inc., LosAngeles office; September 1996-present, CAD designer/ITmanager, Giroux GlassPersonal: Age, 35; born, Los Angeles; singleDiversions: Spending time with family and friends and readingOne-word description of self: ConscientiousFavorite Web site: www.wikipedia.orgLesson learned the hard way: Back up all your work. I usedto never back anything up while working on the computer.While I was working on my thesis, my computer crashed. Itried and tried to recover the data. I even sought professionalhelp. Nothing worked. I had to recreate everything I had donefor that entire day, about eight hours worth of drawings. Theonly saving grace I had was that I saved the file each daywith the date. Since then, I back up everything. Whether atwork or home, I have backup procedures in place. Favorite movie: “The Wizard of Oz”Favorite sports team: Any team from Southern California forany sport

facility. “It was accompanied bya lot of butterflies in the stom-ach in terms of if we built itwould they come?” Abrahamrecalls “Even if all the indicatorssay you should proceed there’salways the uncertainty of ’is thisgoing to work out?’ ”

Abraham took the edge offthe fear factor by guiding thecompany through controlledgrowth. “We decided not todeviate too far from our corebusiness and also make sure nocustomer accounts for morethan 10 percent of the work-load,” he says.

Abraham attributes HTL’ssuccess to employing “thebrightest professionals in thebusiness,” and operating withintegrity. “Without it you don’thave a leg to stand on in thisindustry,” he says.

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Michelle FainbergPartner, CAD Designer/IT ManagerGiroux Glass | Los Angeles

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K elly O’Keeffe, third generation at O’Keeffe’s Inc. and exposed to thebusiness early, spent days in the factory as a young boy. Always inter-ested in how things work and being in an environment where things

were constantly built, from simple access ladders to complex monumentalcustom skylights, O’Keeffe says his decision to stay with his roots was easy.“This career path, though I was born into it, was not forced on me,” he says.

Installing skylights as a teenager, O’Keeffe got on-the-job training, and whileadvancing within the company, had the opportunity to be as hands-on as hewanted. “You really don’t know what you are capable of accomplishing unlessyou try, and I was fortunate to be able to tackle projects and make decisionsknowing that I have the company’s support,” he says.

O’Keeffe designed, tested and supervised installation of the first fire- andhurricane-rated glazed assembly passing Miami-Dade standards, says Diana SanDiego, marketing and communications manager, Safti First, San Francisco, adivision of O’Keeffe’s Inc. “The builder of an ocean front high-rise in FortLauderdale didn’t want condos to lose ocean views,” San Diego says. “The glaz-ing had a hurricane rating, but the fire marshal said it needed a fire rating also.”The company went to work developing the product, testing took place in 2006and installation was completed in 2007.

O’Keeffe will take the company to the next level, San Diego says. “He’s a for-ward thinker, he gets along with a lot of people … and not very many peopleknow as much about fire-rated glass as he does; the knowledge is second natureto him,” she says.

Kelly O’KeeffeVice president | O’Keeffe's Inc. | San Francisco

T ahira Murello was looking for any entry level position when she startedwith Glassworks of Phoenix about 10 years ago. “I have a pretty confi-dent attitude,” she says, which led her to believe she could do anything.

Turns out, she was right.Murello began in customer service and glass optimization, where she

quickly got noticed. When the company was acquired by All Weather Tem-pering of Arizona, she stayed on. It was a good fit, and she was promoted tooffice/project manager in January 2006. The company and the family thatowns it are the best part of her job “because they’re confident in my abilities,”she says. They are quick to “realize who has the ability and who can run withit,” she says. She has been involved in every aspect of the business, from mar-keting, quoting, working with optimization software to managing projectsand setting up office processes. “Every day I’ll look for ways to save time andbe more efficient,” she says.

Sarah Porter, head of new business development for All Weather, saysMurello is incredible, making the office fun while running a tight ship. “If Ihad to hand-optimize for a day, I wonder if my best glass cutter, with 15 yearsof experience, could hand-optimize better than Tahira.” Porter calls Murello“wickedly sarcastic and outgoing.”

Those traits come from her large family, who she sees at least every week-end. “It’s good that my boyfriend gets along with my family really well,”Murello laughs. With two brothers, three sisters, and 11 nieces and nephews,“it’s always a party because we’re all really loud.”

Tahira MurelloOffice/project manager | All Weather Tempering | Phoenix

Career: 2006-present, vice president; 2005-06, director ofresearch and development; 1997-2005, general manager;1991-97, independent subcontractor, skylight installation forO’Keeffe’s Inc., San Francisco; 1986-91, general contractingworkPersonal: Age, 39; born, San Mateo, Calif.; singleDiversions: Building hot rods, live music, clubs, museums,art exhibits, American Institute of Architects’ presentationsand travelOne-word description of self: OddballFavorite Web site: GoogleLesson learned the hard way: Too many to listFavorite movie: “Pulp Fiction”Favorite musical artist: Rob ZombieFavorite book: “Huckleberry Finn”Favorite sports team: San Francisco 49ers.

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S teve Frey began working at his girl-friend’s father’s glass business at theage of 15. His high school sweetheart

lasted two years; his career in the industryproved stronger.

Frey flirted with other careers, eyeballingautomotive and engineering in college, “butI was more interested in glass than anything,” says the sales engineer for Mr.Shower Door in Norwalk, Conn.

Whether it’s on the creative or corporate side, Frey loves a challenge. Herecently taught himself the ins and outs of 3-D CAD package Inventor in theevening on his own time. He used the program to do extensive CAD work andlogistics for the Foxwood/MGM casino project. Mr. Showerdoor suppliedenclosures for the project this past year. “In the end, the suppliers said we pulledit off without one glitch,” says Tom Whitaker, president. “Steve likes to look forinnovative ways to solve enclosure design work, breaking out of the rut.”

Whitaker also can thank Frey for the new SAP management database Mr.Shower Door uses to track everything from accounting to manufacturing,inventory to appointment setting, installations to satisfaction ratings. Runninga tight ship puts a smile on Frey’s face, and he is excited because a total enterprisesystem streamlines the operation. But he knows this business can’t be all aboutnumbers. “If you don’t have people skills, you really can’t settle even the smallestproblems,” he says. “You have to be able to relate to people.”

Education: 2000, associate degree in business, Mesa (Ariz.)Community College Career: 1998-present, office/project manager, formerly customer service representative, All Weather Tempering,Arizona, Phoenix, formerly GlassworksPersonal: age, 27; born, Mesa, Ariz.; singleDiversions: FamilyOne-word description of self: HappyFavorite Web site: NoneLesson learned the hard way: People don’t always meanwhat they sayFavorite movie: “Braveheart”Favorite musical artist: Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, EricClapton, but there’s not really a favorite Favorite book: “Autobiography of a Yogi” by ParamahansaYoganandaFavorite sports team: None.

Education: 1992, associate of applied science, AutomotiveEngineering, Rockland Community College, Suffern, N.Y. Career: May 2004-present, sales engineer, Mr. Shower Door Inc.,Norwalk, Conn.; January 2003-May 2004, glazier, Mirage Mirror& Glass, Ossining, N.Y.; March 2000-May 2002, product man-ager, C.R. Laurence Co., Los Angeles; May 1987-March 2000,production manager, Harvard Reflections Ltd., New City, N.Y.Personal: Age, 37; born, Norwalk, Conn.; married, wifeJessica, one sonDiversions: Spending time with family, tools, computersOne-word description of self: ResourcefulFavorite Web site: GoogleLesson learned the hard way: Measure twice, cut once Favorite movie: “Walk the Line”Favorite musical artist: The Dave Matthews Band Favorite book: “The Catcher in the Rye.”

Steve Frey Sales engineerMr. Shower Door Inc. | Norwalk, Conn.

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27



One afternoon Travis Heimer, project manager at Sol’s Glass Co., Spring-field, Mo., faced a problem. Changed specs meant that new shop draw-ings were needed in a hurry.

Heimer called David Fleming, president of Architectural Aluminum Con-sultants. “Any way I can get these drawings by 9 a.m. tomorrow?” he asked.“There is a morning meeting with the client.” By 3 a.m. Fleming deliveredthose drawings. “He stayed up all night to make sure I had what I needed,”Heimer says.

“Maybe I do more than I should,” Fleming admits, “but I think people catchon that you care about their needs.”

Fleming launched his company in 1999 after working as a shop drawingdraftsman at another firm. Today, Fleming isArchitectural Aluminum Consultants. “I’mthe guy who answers the phone, cleans theoffice, does the filing, and manages thebooks,” he says. Of course, he also producesthe drawings for his customers.

“My philosophy is to care about my clients,their projects, and the pressures they face,”Fleming says. “Since many of them are projectmanagers for glazing contractors and I havedone that job myself, I can identify. Obviously,maintaining a high quality of work is key.

“I find myself talking about my cus-tomers like they are my friends,” Flemingsays. “I also like the fact that I can receive aproject, complete it, and start somethingnew all within a week or two.”

Does he want his company to get bigger?“I would do this for another 30 years,”Fleming says. “Right now, it feels like theright size and the right place to be.”

David Fleming President | Architectural Aluminum Consultants | Springfield, Mo.

Education: 1996, some college, Missouri State University,Springfield, Mo.; 1993, high school, Kickapoo High School,SpringfieldCareer: 2004-present, president, Architectural AluminumConsultants, Springfield; 2002-04, project manager, SiliconValley Glass, Morgan Hill, Calif.; 2001, project manager, Fredericksburg Glass and Mirror, Fredericksburg,Va.; 1999-2001, president, Architectural AluminumConsultants, Springfield; 1996-99, shop drawing draftsman, Fen Con, Nixa, Mo. Personal: Age, 32; born, Springfield; married wife Robin Diversions: Spending time with wife; filmmak-ing, both narrative and documentary; travel;writingOne word description of self: SincereFavorite Web site: I should be promotingmyself by saying its www.aaconline.com butwww.google.com is the homepage on both mycomputers and mobile phone. I also oftencheck out the classifieds at www.craigslist.orgor read up on the filmmaking forums atwww.dvinfo.net or www.avid.com Lesson leaned the hard way: You can’t cut tem-pered glass. I actually learned this before I wasin the glass business, but the larger lesson isto know that there is a lot you don’t know.Favorite movie: I really liked “Once.” Favorite musical artist: Ken QuiliciFavorite book: Anything from the referencesectionFavorite sports team: My nieces’ andnephews’ soccer and baseball teams.

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Name Age Title CompanyClark, Brian 27 Vice president Trainor Glass Co.Cope, Cody 26 Assistant branch manager Mammen Glass & Mirror Inc.Fehmerling, Erich 30 Senior project manager Lake Glass & Mirror Inc.Ferraro, Jason 26 Customer service representative, Royal Door Division Craftsman Fabricated GlassGuest, Aaron 28 Glazer Clarity GlassJohnson,Curt 34 Operations manager Harmon Inc.Johnson, Erin 34 Marketing director Edgetech I.G. Inc.Joshi, Sushil 34 Glazier/Journeyman The Skylight PlaceLucas, Lisa 38 Lead glazier Oakes & Parkhurst GlassNolan, Sean 36 Vice president, Operations U.S. Bullet Proofing Inc.O'Callaghan, James 32 Principal Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners PCPatterson, Larry 32 President Mustang Glass Inc./Glass Doctor of North TexasRandall, Bob 32 Director of sales Viracon Inc.Romanoski, Jim 36 President Romanoski Glass & Mirror Co.Scearce, Melissa 37 Inside sales rep J.E. BerkowitzSchimmelpenningh, Julia C. 37 Technical applications manager Solutia Inc.Tolson, John 37 Facility manager, Greeneville, Tenn. The Vistawall GroupWeiner, Zachary 28 President Colonial Mirror & Glass Corp.Westerberg, Craig E. 35 Safety manager Ken Caryl Glass Inc.Williams, Douglas G. 36 Director of architectural services C.R. Laurence Co.

2004 20 under 40 winners

early 2006, Scott Surma left Pilkington North America after nine years tojoin DecoTherm, an iimak company, in Amherst, N.Y. During his first yearas national sales manager, Surma says he traveled almost every day, and it was-

n’t because he liked hotel rooms.“I really enjoy working with glass,” Surma says. “I’ve gotten hooked on it …

the creative process working with new projects and challenges. My job is to sup-ply solutions. Architects have ideas, but they are not always feasible or practicalor have been done before. My job is to find unique solutions for them.”

DecoTherm’s digital, ceramic frit glass decoration is a patented process forplacing graphic designs permanently on glass without sandblasting or screenprinting. The company licenses its technology to glass fabricators; its licensee basetripled in size in 2007 and is projected to grow by more then 50 percent in 2008.

“It’s basically digital technology for a primarily analog industry,” Surma says.“That sold me. Any new technology usually takes 10 to 20 years to catch on inglass unless it’s dictated by code. I can say it’s definitely resonating within thearchitectural and design communities. It starts with architects and designersspecifying it early on in projects. We’re seeing a large uptick.”

Surma is an active member of the Glass Association of North America, Topeka,Kan., serving as the chair of the Decorative Division’s marketing committee.

“The guy knows his stuff, and people know him or will,” says Kris Vockler,vice president, ICD High Performance Coatings, Vancouver, who chairs theDecorative Division. “He is a true leader who creates excitement and drive forthose who follow him.”

Surma says a mountainscape inside a Salt Lake City hospital is one of the morecreative DecoTherm applications he has seen. “Digital artwork was put on glass for49 panels inside the hospital,” he says. “They took the outside and brought it inside.”

Scott Surma National sales manager | DecoTherm | Amherst, N.Y.

S teve Chen graduated fromPenn State in 2001 with adegree in economics and

accepted a job as leader of a team ofinvestment account managers. Healways knew he’d be part of CrystalWindow & Door Systems, Flush-ing, N.Y., he says, the businessfounded by his father, Thomas.

“I was involved since I was 12years old,” Chen says. “I grew upwith it. I knew so much about it. Ihad a bigger advantage than thecompetitors. And I felt a sense ofownership.”

As a boy, Chen accompanied hisdad to business meetings or helpedat the factory on Saturdays. Hemade windows, helped in account-ing and with computer systems andloaded trucks.

Steven ChenExecutive vice president | Crystal Window & Door Systems | Flushing, N.Y.

Education: : 2005, MBA in strategic management, DePaulUniversity, Chicago; 1997, bachelor’s in supply chain man-agement, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.Career: 2006-present, national sales manager, DecoTherm,Amherst, N.Y.; 2002-06, regional territory manager, buildingproducts, Pilkington North America, Toledo, Ohio; 1999-2002,sourcing manager, building products, Pilkington NorthAmerica; 1998-99, sourcing specialist, building products,Pilkington North America; 1997-98, sourcing analyst, build-ing products, Pilkington North AmericaPersonal: 33; born, Trenton, Mich.; married, wife, Anjanette,and a daughterDiversions: Fishing, including fly fishing, reading, golf, travel,soccerOne-word description of self: AmbitiousFavorite Web site: GoogleLesson learned the hard way: Sometimes the best sales arethe ones you don’t makeFavorite movie: “Shawshank Redemption”Favorite musical artist: U2Favorite book: “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor FranklBest quote in the book is “Everything can be taken from aman but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—tochoose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, tochoose one’s own way.”Favorite sports team: Detroit sports teams: NFL Lions, MLBTigers, NBA Pistons, NHL Red Wings.

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W hen Syed Kazim graduated from India’s University of Madras in1995, little did he know his degree in mechanical engineering wouldtake him around the world. After working in Dubai for three years as

a fabrication estimator for Alico Aluminum, Kazim moved to the UnitedStates in 1999.

Just six months into his career at the Los Angeles location of United StatesAluminum, Kazim was promoted from estimator to engineering and salesrepresentative. His responsibilities at the architectural aluminum productsupplier include application engineering, project estimating and project man-agement.

Kazim works with customers throughout the entire construction process,from the initial bid to the final installation, and is known for going above andbeyond to help his customers.

“Syed is a committed, exceptional person for the glass industry to have,” saysLisa Mueller, an assistant project manager for Sashco Inc., Los Angeles, who hasworked with Kazim for three and a half years. “He is dedicated to the work hedoes and the outcome of the entire project. Syed spends weekends doing take-offs and reviewing plans to make sure he can satisfy all his customers.”

Says Kazim: “I’m most proud of the customer relationships I’ve built. Mycustomers are more like a big family to me now. The biggest challenge is beingable to accommodate all of their requests.”

It’s all worth it to Kazim. “The [United States] really is a land of opportu-nity. All the hard work I did in the last seven years has paid off. I’ve developedrelationships with customers who I talk to every day, and when I come towork, there’s always something new.”

Education: 2004-05, Executive Business Program, TucksSchool of Business, Dartmouth University, Hanover, N.H.;2001, Bachelor of Science in economics, Penn StateUniversity, University Park, Pa.Career: January 2006-present, executive vice president,Crystal Window & Door Systems, Flushing, N.Y.; 2003-05,project manager and special assistant to the president,Crystal Window & Door Systems; 2001-03, team leader, FirstUnion Asset Management, Malvern, Pa.Personal: Age, 29; born, Taiwan; singleDiversions: Performance carsOne-word description of self: EnergeticFavorite Web site: eBayLesson learned the hard way: Managing the credit departmentFavorite movie: “Shawshank Redemption”Favorite musical artist: Frank SinatraFavorite sports team: New York Yankees.

Education: 1995, Bachelor of Science, mechanical engineer-ing, University of Madras, Tamil Nadu, IndiaCareer: June 2000-present, application engineering andsales rep; August 1999-June 2000, estimator, United StatesAluminum, Los Angeles; 1996-98, fabrication estimator, AlicoAluminum, DubaiPersonal: Age, 34; born, Chennai, India; singleOne-word description of self: Independent Favorite Web site: www.howstuffworks.com Lesson learned the hard way: Sometimes you have to say noFavorite movie: “Philadelphia”Favorite sports team: San Diego Chargers.

Chen returned to Crystal in 2003 and is now executive vice president,focusing on sales and marketing for the company’s curtain wall and high-endfenestration efforts as well as its aluminum extrusion subsidiary. Sales grewfrom $48.6 million in April 2005 to $62.1 million two years later. Crystalmade Inc. Magazine’s inaugural list of America’s 5,000 Fastest Growing PrivateCompanies last year.

“He’s just a terrific, humble young man who has really taken values he haslearned from his father,” says Howard Ecker, president of Ecker Windows,Yonkers, N.Y. “He knows the importance of this bond between customers andsuppliers.”

It’s more than just numbers that motivate Chen. “We’re actually creating realproducts here,” he says. “I can see my product working on a building. There’s alot of pride in that. As the business grows, we like to shape the landscape, espe-cially the landscape of New York City.”

Crystal had a part in shaping Manhattan by supplying 2,500 window unitsfor Confucius Plaza, which at 44 stories is the tallest building in Chinatown.

The Chen family, emigrated from Taiwan, is also known for its philanthropy.The nonprofit Crystal Foundation, created in 2002, sponsors art exhibits andprovides college scholarships for lower-income Asian Americans.

“Being a minority business in Queens, N.Y., it was a community that helpedbuild our business,” Chen says. “We always believed in giving back. Now thatwe’ve done well, we’d like to be a role model. If you take care of the communityaround you, it will eventually take care of your back.”

Syed Kazim Application engineering and sales representative

United States Aluminum | Los Angeles34



When Greg Header began working with the company that wouldbecome Solar Innovations, he “didn’t even know what a sunroom wasand never worked in manufacturing.” His business acumen, determi-

nation, creativity and leadership talents helped produce dramatic and impres-sive results for the now thriving company.

Retained in 1997 as a financial consultant, Header helped the firm reorganizeas Solar Innovations and became president. He and a team of seven employees,including Vice President Darren Coder, began creating a custom glazed struc-tures manufacturing company that would be well-positioned for the future.

Header says his team was committed to never saying “no” to a customer, butasking “how” instead. Consequently, without knowing any boundaries, theydeveloped new methods and soon began to produce their own accessories forthe company’s structures. That resulted in a door and window department, andthis year, the team developed Tilt-n-turn, Tilt-n-slide, and double hung win-dows, as well as numerous variations of sliding and folding glass product lines.

“I like seeing our team members grow in their positions and develop bothpersonally and professionally,” Header says.

Coder credits Header’s enthusiasm and drive as being the backbone of theorganization. “Solar Innovations’ diversification is his quest to deliver the high-est quality products to our customers,” Coder says.

“He is a go-getter,” says Charles Michie, sales manager at Southern StretchForming & Fabrication, Denton, Texas. “He works hard. His employees seemto like working there. The company is unbelievably well-organized. To hear himspeak about the company’s plans with the enthusiasm that he does, I’ve beenthoroughly impressed.”

Header and Coder have “grown that business with blood, sweat and tears,”says Mark Kearns, vice president, sales, Dlubak Corp., Blairsville, Pa., anothersupplier. “Greg is an innovative person who gets involved with marketing, fabri-cation, ordering, estimating, even going to the job site to help with installation.He’s done it all.”

Greg Header President | Solar Innovations Inc. | Myerstown, Pa.

Education: 1997, bachelor’s, management and finance,Alvernia College, Reading, Pa.Career: 1997-present, president, Solar Innovations Inc.,Myerstown, Pa.; 1990-present, president, Header TradingCo., Myerstown; 1994-99, president, Header FinancialServices, MyerstownPersonal: Age, 38; born, Richland, Pa.; married wife Stacey,two daughtersDiversions: Hunting, fishing, almost any outdoor activityOne-word description of self: DrivenFavorite Web site: www.solarinnovations.comLesson learned the hard way: You can’t do it all yourselfFavorite movie: I prefer historic films. Favorite musical artist: I listen to it allFavorite book: “The Power of Positive Thinking” by NormanVincent PealeFavorite sports team: All Philadelphia teams, even thoughthey never seem to win.

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Name Age Title CompanyGum, Andy 39 President Thomas Glass Co.Valdes, Rene 36 Glazier Faour Glass TechnologiesBoroian, Simone 29 Marketing director/training administrator Trainor Glass Co.Wayne, Kelly 34 President and CEO True North DraftingPorter, Sarah 25 General manager Arizona TemperingForrest, Jr., Daryl 39 President and owner East Coast Glass System Inc.Newlin, Dina 35 Controller Allmetal Inc.Kerr, Chris 36 Plant manager Tremco Inc.Silverstein, Rick 37 Vice president of operations Arch Aluminum & GlassRouhana, Khalil 34 Project executive PCC Construction Components Inc.DeBruer, Jason 28 Technical specialist Basco Shower Door Co.Nielsen, Michael 37 Shareholder and president W.S. Nielsen Co.Greer, Christine 35 Corporate logistics manager Guardian IndustriesHuebner, Charles 32 Manager of customer service Schneider Specialized CarriersGorzelsky, Barry 38 Project manager/glazier/installer Modern Art & Plate Co.Montoya, Dean 36 Production supervisor Meltdown Glass Art & Design LLCHaffke, Nathan 34 Franchise director Glass DoctorJones, J. Darrell 38 Manager, Marketing & Sales Jones Window Systems Inc.Anderson, Pete 34 Research and development manager Viracon Inc.Moore, Jeff 34 Vice president Moore Glass Inc.


Tom Howhannesian’s wife, preparing for maternity leave as HeinamanContract Glazing’s chief financial officer, needed a temporary replace-ment. Having just sold his business, Tom Howhannesian accepted the

temporary arrangement. “Quite candidly, I was not looking for a permanentposition working for my wife’s family.”

However, the company turned out to be “the ideal work environment wherecreativity and respect are valued,” and Howhannesian decided to stay on

as vice president and general manager of its California operations. During the last two years, he’s taken over company leader-ship from the slowly retiring President John Heinaman.

“Tom led the company from yearly sales of 10 million toover 28 million in sales,” says Randy Diener, senior pro-ject manager. “He’s been in charge for several years butit’s in the last year that he’s truly brought this companyto its full potential and has earned all of our support asa team.”

Howhannesian learned team-building skills whilestarting a commercial property service company prior

to joining Heinaman Contract Glazing. “… When youstart a company from scratch, like the seed of a plant,

you need to nurture it and give it the proper amount ofattention and nutrients to ensure the development through

each stage of growth,” he says.Unafraid of the hard work of managing, Howhannesian

believes in delegating authority, Diener says. “Tom has formed a coreleadership group … that sets and holds each other and all of our team account-able to the company goals.”

Howhannesian enjoys problem-solving with his team and seeing team mem-bers grow in knowledge and confidence. “I want to be remembered as a personwho enabled the team members to achieve greatness,” he says.

Education: 1990, Bachelor of Science, finance and manage-ment, University of Southern California, Los Angeles Career: 2001-present, vice president and general manager,California operations, Heinaman Contract Glazing, LakeForest, Calif.; 1995-2001, owner, Property Care Services,Irvine, Calif., 1990-95, operations manager, Sunset PropertyServices, Irvine, Calif.Personal: Age 39; hometown Coto deCaza, Calif; married, wife Gay Lynne,three childrenDiversions: Ice hockey, golf,skiing and racing carsOne-word description ofself: IntenseFavorite Web site: Homepage on excite where I getmy news, stock informa-tion and weatherLesson learned the hardway: Too many to count. Iconstantly am pushing theenvelope, creating many opportu-nities for growth.Favorite movie: Tie between “MontyPython and the Holy Grail” and “Slap Shot”Favorite musical artist: Led ZeppelinFavorite book: “Cat's Cradle” by Kurt VonnegutFavorite sports team: University of Southern CaliforniaTrojans.

Tom Howhannesian Vice President | Heinaman Contract Glazing | Lake Forest, Calif.

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Name Age Title CompanyGrosze, Robert 33 Vice president, Physical Security & Glazing Division Masonry Arts Inc.Gill, Sherry 37 Senior interior designer Wimberly Allison Tong & GooJanssen, Christian 32 Director special projects/partner/member Ron Wood Architectural Art Glass LLCKelly, Shawn 36 Head shower door installer Palo Alto GlassReyes II, Rob 32 Owner/operations manager BP - Glass Garage DoorsVincent, David 37 Vice president Division 8 Contract GlazingClarke, Molly 29 Vice president, operations Alpen Inc.Thompson II, Thomas D. 25 Designer, production manager Colorado Classic SunroomsFontela, Jose 36 President American Glass & MirrorLefrancois, Jean 35 Vice president Gamma USACzechowski, Tim 37 Co-founder Artwork in Architectural Glass StudiosLaporte, Dan 37 Architectural technical service manager Solutia Inc.O’Connor Jr., Tim 36 Retail store manager/retail estimator Granite State GlassGeyman, Ed 31 Vice president Carvart GlassBouquot, Tony 37 Director of engineering Patio Enclosures Inc.Hoover, Scott 39 Senior manager, Architectural Products Pilkington North AmericaMcDougle, Ryan 30 Customer service manager Oldcastle Glass, PerrysburgSebold, Mike 38 Business leader, Commercial Glazing Solutions Tremco Commercial Sealants & WaterproofingMarin-Garcia, Alfonso 31 Shift foreman Mammen Glass & Mirror Inc.Overbay, Brandie 35 Corporate account executive Alumco Inc.



A t GlassBuild 2006, Rob Guzzo, along with co-owners Joseph Kutniewskiand John Tagle, bought a tempering oven to expand business and add fab-rication to their shop’s list of services. With that purchase, Guzzo’s job

description changed to production manager. He had spent many hours to getthe new oven online and check off another item in their business plan.

Guzzo, Kutniewski and Tagle originally all worked togetherat a glass distributor and fabrication plant, and decided to

start a business of their own. They formed GlassSource & Solutions Inc. in 2004.

“Managing the day-to-day operations andfinding new ways to streamline the process

from the front office all the way to shipping”is what Guzzo likes most about his job.

The youngest of five brothers and theonly one to graduate from college, Guzzostarted in the glazing business in 1995 ata local glass distributor and worked hisway through the ranks. He began in thewarehouse loading trucks and fabricatingglass, working his way to purchasing and

inside sales. Six months later he was trans-ferred to outside sales.

The rest is history, as they say. “Robexcelled as sales rep for his company for several

years,” says Rosemary Kauffman, president/owner, Nilsen Glass Co., Sarasota, Fla. “Key to their

success was building partnerships with glass and alu-minum vendors, thereby offering themselves protection as a

distributor. … He is just as concerned with seeing his customers succeedas he is his own business; a rare quality in today’s business.”

Education: 1994, Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, Universityof Central Florida, Orlando Career: 2004 to present, production operationsmanager/owner, Glass Source & Solutions Inc., Sarasota,Fla.; 2001-03, architectural glass sales representative,Gulfstar Industries, Bradenton, Fla.; 1999-2001, gen-eral manager, The Awning Factory, Sarasota;1997-99, route sales manager, JITDistribution, Bradenton; 1995-97,production operations manager,Architectural Glass Sales,Gulfstar Industries, Sarasota Personal: Age, 39; born,Sarasota; single, one child Diversions: Relaxing onpatio/pool, travel, goingto football games,grilling out with familyand friendsOne-word description ofself: DrivenFavorite Web site:www.comcast.net, the homepage for all the gossipLesson learned the hard way: Slowgrowth in businessFavorite movie: “The Hunt for Red October”Favorite musical artist: Keith RichFavorite book: “The Perfect Storm”Favorite sports team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Rob Guzzo Production operations manager/owner | Glass Source & Solutions Inc. | Sarasota, Fla.

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14 Glass Magazine® • www.glassmagazine.net

During Ellen Zerucha’s four years at Tremco Inc., the Commercial Sealantsand Waterproofing division has transformed from the new guy in glazinginto a major player in glazing sealants, tapes and extrusions manufactur-

ing. Zerucha has been critical to that transformation, says Jim Doell,

vice president of marketing, North America. “Ellen has acceptedand aggressively pursued every challenge thrown her way,”

Doell says. To grow the division, Zerucha implemented brand

positioning, value models and long-term marketingplans. She faced challenges gaining acceptance tothe strategic changes from others at the company.

“I like to break things down to the lowest com-mon denominator and be prepared with a lot ofdata when I encounter a major obstacle, like try-ing to get the entire sales force and upper man-agement to buy into supporting new ideas,”Zerucha says. “This way, I can go back to them

with a compelling argument explaining wherethere is value in the new program. Then I can ulti-

mately gain their acceptance.”Since joining Tremco, Zerucha has become

involved in industry associations, including the Protec-tive Glazing Council, Topeka, Kan., and the Glass Associ-

ation of North America, Topeka, where she serves as chairper-son for the Sealants Manual Task Force.

“These groups are great for networking in our industry and educatingeach other,” Zerucha says. “You really learn a lot more by joining a committee.Tremco has gained several partnership opportunities that would not have hap-pened if we were not active in industry organizations.”

Education: 2003, Master of Business Administration, interna-tional business concentration, Weatherhead School ofManagement, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland;1993, B.S., business administration, marketing, University of Akron (Ohio). Career: 2005-present, market manager,Sealants and Glazings; 2003-05,product manager, GlazingSolutions Group, TremcoInc., Beachwood, Ohio;2002-03, manager ofapplications engineer-ing; 1998-2002,applications engineer; 1997-98,sales coordinator,XLO Group,ClevelandPersonal: Age, 39;Brecksville, Ohio; single Diversions: Tennis, run-ning, sand volleyball, read-ing, spending time with friendsand familyFavorite movie: “The Seventh Sign”Favorite Web site: www.SeeJaneWork.comFavorite book: “The Grapes of Wrath”Favorite sports team: I’m a tennis fan. Marat Safin is myfavorite men’s player.

Ellen Zerucha Market manager | Tremco Inc. | Beachwood, Ohio

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14 Glass Magazine® • www.glassmagazine.net

Name Age Title CompanyAdeli, Bob 39 Director of design Glass Design ConceptsKind Berman, Evan 25 Vice president of operations Gordon & Sons Glass and MirrorsCanizales, Marcos 33 Vice president California Shower Door Corp.Cohen, Randy 38 Vice president of sales & marketing Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket Co.Dickie, Greg 29 Director of manufacturing Atlantic WindowsDonovan, Brent 25 Foreman Mid-Atlantic Glass Corp.French, James 38 Owner Bowling Green Glass Company LLCGebruers, Michael 33 Project manager Sierra Glass & Mirrors Inc.Heagney, Sharon 27 Director of engineering and project management Safti First Fire Rated Glazing SolutionsJackson, Chad 33 Lab supervisor CCL WestJohnson, Danielle 27 Senior project manager Trainor Glass Co.Krier, Daniel 35 Manager Doylestown GlassLindeborg, Derek 36 President On-Site SystemsMejia, Herman 31 Architectural designer Architectural Designs Inc.Randall, Robin 35 Vice president of marketing TracoRevenew, Patrick 38 Corporate vice president American Douglas Metals Inc.Stanley, James 31 Vice president, lead installer Harbor Glass & Mirrors Inc.Vockler, Kris 35 Vice president, operations ICD High Performance CoatingsVogt, David 37 Vice president of engineering and chief technical officer Ceres Systems Corp.Winkler, Mike 39 Architectural sales representative Viracon Inc.



Education: 1994, associates degrees in mechanical engineer-ing technology and industrial engineering technology, KentState University, Kent, OhioCareer: 2005-present, product manager; 2002-05, Westernregional sales manager; 1999-2002, technical services man-ager; 1996-99, technical services representative; 1994-96,production supervisor, Edgetech I.G., Cambridge, Ohio; June1994-September 1994, draftsman, Lauren Manufacturing,New Philadelphia, OhioPersonal: Age, 35; born, Gnadenhutten, Ohio; married, wifeHeather, three children One-word description of self: OptimisticFavorite movie(s): “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Passionof the Christ”Favorite sports team: Ohio State Buckeyes.

When Brian Filipiak started working part time for his family’s business atthe age of 16, Alliance Glass and Metal Inc., Romeoville, Ill., was asmall company specializing in window service and repair. Sixteen years

later, the company is a leading glass company in the Chicago region, complet-ing major educational and health care jobs in the area.

Filipiak, who advanced to become vice president of AGMInc., led the company’s growth, says Patrick Love, operations

manager, AGM Inc. “He has nearly tripled the company’ssales, which allowed him to create more than 50 newemployment opportunities within the industry,” Love says.

Despite rapid changes, Filipiak worked to maintain thefamily business’ core values. “We started focusing our efforts

on larger commercial projects, but we used the same valuesthat I learned from my father,” he says. “Treat people the way

you want to be treated. We started getting a good base of cus-tomers that counted on us and led us into more and more work.”

About 85 percent of AGM Inc.’s jobs come from repeat customers in largepart due to the customer service commitment, Love says.

Filipiak’s dedication extends to his employees. “Brian is a boss who con-stantly invests in his employees. He will send employees to various seminars aswell as offer company incentives for jobs well done,” Love says.

Brian Filipiak Vice president | Alliance Glass Metal Inc. | Romeoville, Ill.

Career: 2000-present, vice president; 1996-99, estimatingproject manager; 1994-96, part-time employee, AllianceGlass Metal Inc., Romeoville, Ill. Personal: Age 32; born, Oak Lawn, Ill.; married, wife Diane,three daughters Diversions: Avid pilot and skydiver.

T iming is everything, and for Edgetech’s Joe Erb, this rings especially true. In1994, he accepted a part-time drafting position at Edgetech parent com-pany Lauren Manufacturing in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Shortly there-

after, Edgetech moved into its current location in Cambridge, where the win-dow spacer manufacturer was looking to grow its staff. “I took a chance,” saysErb. “I happened to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right skillset. I took a position and things escalated from there.”

Erb quickly worked his way up the ranks at Edgetech, advancing from tech-nical services manager to Western regional sales manager to his current positionas product manager.

“I’ve seen Joe transform from a technical services manager to a productmanager in a few short years with great success,” says Larry Johnson, executivevice president, Edgetech. “He is one of the reasons Edgetech continues to growin a down market. He is now our driving force into the commercial warm-edgemarket.”

Erb’s primary responsibilities “involves everything from makingsure the support is there for all of our distribution channels, to beingavailable for hands-on training, to providing the necessary tools totake products to market, to making sure the products get into themarkets we’re looking to develop,” he says.

Erb also dedicates a significant amount of time giving back to theindustry as an active member of the Insulating Glass CertificationCouncil, Sackets Harbor, N.Y., and the Insulating Glass Manufac-turers Alliance, Ottawa, Ontario.

It’s not all work and no play for this father of three, however. Anassistant to the headmaster of his son’s Cub Scouts den, he enjoysbiking the Ohio Rails and Trails with his family, hunting and fishing.

Joe Erb Product manager | Edgetech I.G. | Cambridge, Ohio

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32

Doran L. Chavez Chief operating officer | Reflections Inc. | Waipahu, Hawaii

P eek behind the scenes at some of the world’s more innovative buildingprojects, count on altPOWER President Anthony Pereira to be involved.He was on the roof of Rockefeller Center with New York Mayor Michael

Bloomberg, installing a solar-electric panel system that would generate morethan enough electricity to power all of the 30,000 LED lights on the famousChristmas tree during the 42-day holiday celebration. He’s at the table in plan-ning meetings for the new World Trade Center. He flies to Paris to work on a200,000-square-foot commercial project.

“We do a lot of firsts, but it’s never that important to me,” Pereira says.“I’m coming from a very sincere interest in expanding the use of solar powerbecause I feel it’s going to help the planet out.”

Pereira grew up helping out in his father’s concrete construction company,then earned his bachelor’s in economics from Fordham University. He spent asemester at architecture school after graduation, but eventually wandered awayto work for Greenpeace. He’d found his niche—design that addresses environ-mental concerns—and never looked back. Today, finding new ways to makesolar energy viable and attractive remains Pereira’s focus.

“He inspires me because he’s passionate about his work,” says Andy Allbee,project manager. “But he’s human. He makes mistakes, depends on otherpeople and genuinely cares about other people.” His staff also describes thisboss as humble and friendly.

That doesn’t mean Pereira pooh-poohs the impact of his work. “I feel proudwhen I walk into one of my buildings,” he says. “It’s a great feeling, and what iscoming down the pipeline will be so amazing.”

Anthony PereiraPresident | altPOWER Inc. | New York

Education: 1996, Bachelor of Science, Marketing/SmallBusiness Management, University of Colorado, BoulderCareer: 2004-present, chief operating officer; 2004-01, salesmanager; 1998-2001, estimator/project manager; 1996-98,field installation, Reflections Inc. Custom Glass and Mirrors,Waipahu, HawaiiPersonal: Age, 35; born, Denver; engaged to Tracy Jefferson Diversions: Snowboarding, trail running, golfConnections: 94-350 Uke'e St., Waipahu, Hawaii, 96797,808/676-6767, [email protected], www.reflections-glass.comOne word description of self: AliveFavorite Web site: Google Lesson learned the hard way: Influence can come from anywhere, however, always be truthful to your unique style.Early on in my career I tried managing personnel in waysthat were not reflective of my personal style. This createdmore negative results than positive. Favorite sports teams: X Games, Denver Broncos or anyColorado sports team, University of Hawaii Warriors footballteamFavorite books: Stephen Covey, Michael Gerber, and JefferyGitomer Favorite music: Any classic or live jazz.

While most executives would consider the client’s satisfaction paramount tothe success of any company, Doran Chavez knows that keeping employeeshappy is the surest path to satisfied customers. His experience in the ranks of

Reflections Inc. Custom Glass and Mirrors has helped him develop a close rapportwith his staff. He began working in-house with a crew of four installing glass intowindow frames. “An employee must want to be a part of the successes of the organi-zation in order to satisfy our client base,” he says. His enthusiasm is contagious.

Part of the company’s “cradle to grave” approach to projects is to ensure over-sight of every facet of a job—from planning to fabrication to installation—awork style that Chavez took to readily. At only 35, Chavez has risen to chief oper-ating officer of Reflections Glass and continues to demonstrate the thoroughnessfor which the company is known. Twenty hour workdays are not uncommon,but he keeps focused on the goal. “I enjoy a successful installation and comple-tion of a project; I enjoy the entire process,” he says.

“I have been in the industry for 22 years and have never seen the energy, skill,motivation and thirst for success that Doran embodies,” says Eric L. Carson,president and CEO of Reflections Glass. Chavez manages an operation on Oahuwith revenues exceeding $3 million annually and simultaneously runs more than$1 million of backlog on the island of Maui, Carson says.

The Colorado native plays as hard as he works. A devoted snowboarder, Chavezmakes at least one snowboarding trip to the mainland each year. “An eventualgoal of mine is to snowboard everywhere in the world,” he says. So far he’s snow-boarded in New Zealand, British Columbia, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

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Education: 2003, Bachelor of Science in BusinessManagement, University of Phoenix, Fremont, Calif. Career: June 2006-present, finance manager, GlassFabTempering Services Inc., Tracy, Calif.; November 2005-June2006, sales territory manager, ACI Distribution, SantaClara/Stockton, Calif.; January 2001-November 2005, cus-tomer service/technical manager, Oldcastle Glass, Fremont. Personal: Age, 35; born, Wolverhampton, England; married,two children Diversions: Going to son’s high school football games,movies, readingOne-word description of self: DedicatedFavorite Web site: www.joelosteen.comLesson learned the hard way: Go to college right after highschoolFavorite movie: “Ghost”Favorite musical artist: Kenny G, Celine DionFavorite book: “Secret of the Ages” by Robert CollierFavorite sports team: San Francisco 49ers.

U sha Mhay wears many hats at GlassFab Tempering Services. “Usha’s storytells us that no matter where you start in our business, provided you stayfocused and put your mind to it, you too can be a partner,” says Brian

Frea, operations manager, GlassFab Tempering.Mhay’s parents immigrated to England more than 45 years ago. Her family

still lives in England, but she came to the United States in 1998 and joined theglass business in 2000 as a customer service repre-

sentative. “I was looking for a career thatallowed me to have interaction with cus-

tomers, and an opportunity to broadenmy knowledge in an industry that I wasnot accustomed to,” she says.

Mhay joined Oldcastle Glass in Fre-mont, Calif., as a customer service rep-resentative. In the next five years, she

kept her full-time job and worked on abachelor’s degree in business management,

while juggling a family with two children. “Our industry is changing faster and for the

better,” Mhay says. “I continually focus my efforts onthe things that I can control. I do my absolute best to take care of our great cus-tomers and suppliers. This to me is a positive influence on our industry.”

Education: 1990, bachelor’sin economics, minor in arthistory, Fordham University,Bronx, N.Y.Career: 2002-present, pres-ident and CEO, altPOWER,Inc., New York; July 2003–July 2005, COO, ZIA PowerInc., Brewster, N.Y.; 1998–2002, president, AlternativePOWER Inc., New York; 1996–1998, Independent consultantfor various architectural and contracting firms in New York Personal: Age, 39; born, Manhattan; married, wife Janna,two children Diversions: painting, photography, travelOne-word description of self: Open-minded.Favorite Web site: CIA—full of cool facts about other countriesLesson learned the hard way: Take care of things yourself ifyou need to get it done. I was once asked to make sure ourmaterials were all accounted for and stored properly at oneof our early NYC project sites. Nothing was to be left on thefloor. I noticed some fabricated aluminum parts we hadshipped sitting in boxes on the floor and thought the orna-mental ironworkers were on top of it. A couple of days later Ireturned and the stuff was gone—it had been thrown out bythe cleanup crew, and it cost us a few thousand dollars. Favorite movie: “Cinema Paradiso” Favorite musical artist: Red Hot Chili PeppersFavorite book: “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac.

Usha MhayCSR and part owner | GlassFab Tempering Services | Tracy, Calif.

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39

Thomas HuffManager | Go-Glass Corp. | Dover, Delaware

To describe Thomas Huff as well-traveled is an understate-ment. “I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and Ihad never been on a plane until I was 17,” says Huff, who

kicked off his international travels in college with a semester inVienna, visiting a total of 29 countries over 20 years. He workedfor large corporations in Germany and the United States, butwhen his brother-in-law added two locations of Go-Glass inDelaware, he was up for a “different type of challenge. I always hadas a goal to go back and work for a smaller company,” he says. “Ilike the ability to really have an impact on the business every day.”

Huff accepted the position of manager for Delaware operationsof Go-Glass, a Salisbury, Md., company. Working in a small com-pany in a small town is both the best and worst part of the job, hesays. “If you don’t treat people the right way, you are going to seethem in your personal life,” he says. “There’s nowhere to hide.” Onthe other hand, “positive interactions can help grow the business.”

“With less than three years in the glass industry, Tom has per-formed as [if he were] a high-level performer [with] a decade ormore of industry experience,” says Doug Linderer, president ofGo-Glass Corporation and Huff’s brother-in-law.

By all accounts, Huff is running with the challenges of smallcompany work in a small town. Maybe at some point he’ll want tobe back in the city, but for now he’s really enjoying small town life,he says. And he hasn’t lost the traveling bug: he and his wife still tryto get to Europe every year.

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Education: 1997, Master of Business Adminsitration, marketing/internationalmanagement, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; 1991, Bachelor of Arts,history, University of Michigan, Ann ArborCareer: 2005-present, manager, Delaware operations, Go-Glass Corp., Doveroffice, Del.; 2003-05, senior consultant, U.S. Navy Subsector, BearingPointInc., Public Services Business Unit, Alexandria, Va. Personal: age, 38; born, Bow, N.H.; married, one lemon beagle Favorite Web site: http://boston.redsox.mlb.comLesson learned the hard way: Take a long-term view of problems. Have thepatience to look at situations in the long term.Favorite movie: “The Bourne Supremacy”Favorite musical artist: “I’m a child of the ’80s, so the first five REM CDs aremy favorites. I can also listen to Wilco or Buffalo Tom any time.”Favorite book: “Churchill: The Last Lion” by William Manchester, Volumes I and II. Favorite sports team: Boston Red Sox.

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