The Window Safety Task Force was formed in 1997 to provide education to help parents and caregivers prevent window falls. Upon joining the task force (and the fenestration industry) in 2004, I could immediately see the benefit of this important work; however, I didn’t really have any skin in the game. Now, I have 21 years of industry experience under my belt and serve as the co-chair of the WSTF, while also being the mother of two amazing kids and the neighborhood “window safety lady.”As...

It has been a particularly long winter, with snow days approaching the double digits here in the Mid Ohio Valley where I live, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! And, as is the case each spring, with warmer weather comes this reminder to parents: Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not to keep kids in. This is just one of many pieces of advice offered by the Window Safety Task Force. This industry group takes the time each year to...

We are fresh off the heels of one of our most successful events yet: the 2025 FGIA Annual Conference, which was held in Orlando, FL and had a space-centric theme of igniting innovation. This included an exceptional private tour of the Kennedy Space Center, two virtual reality headsets on site for participants to try and a panel of member companies talking about the innovations being made within their organizations. Plus, we offered plenty of content around our strategic objectives – research, industry leadership, advocacy, product...

Consensus-based document development is one of the strengths of FGIA, and as a member, your participation is important. When documents, in the form of ballots or surveys, are sent for review, and hopefully approval, it is important to respond to those ballots, and any ballot-related emails. Not responding can throw up roadblocks in the document development process.Having a say in the development and updating of industry standards and documents may be the largest benefit of membership. Throughout our history of industry leadership, FGIA has become...

Will you be in Orlando for the FGIA Annual Conference? Even if you can’t be on site, FGIA’s social media presence makes it easy to keep up with highlights in real time. The Annual Conference is our biggest event each year, and it’s when we get the chance to recognize our members for their contributions, their tenure with the organization and more. Here are four things to watch for on social media during the event, taking place February 17-20.Tenure Awards: Many FGIA members are celebrating...

Member awards are an important part of every FGIA Annual Conference, and this year will be no exception. The awards ceremony and reception is a time when we can look back on the work of the previous year and recognize the members who went above and beyond to contribute to our success. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the awards nomination and selection process, I wanted to share some information about how FGIA’s winners were selected and why.For each award, nomination surveys are...

While FGIA always brings in quality keynote speakers, I must admit, I am especially excited for FGIA members to hear from Ryan Hawk, best-selling author and podcast host, at the upcoming FGIA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL. I first heard Ryan speak at my husband’s company’s event, and I was moved by his stories of being capable of going after the things he wanted while also taking care of those around him. He spoke about how this philosophy can be applied to leadership in business...

The start of a new year is a great time to reassess goals and strategies, whether that means personally or professionally. Plus, it is a convenient time during which to take stock of what worked – and what didn’t – so we can make plans for the coming weeks and months. Below are my three New Year’s resolutions for FGIA’s social media channels for 2025, which include planning ahead, exploring new (or new to you) platforms and making good use of the existing tools and...

2024 was a big year for FGIA. We enhanced our new member database, released an updated edition of an important education program and developed or updated many technical documents critical to our industry’s success. From our must-attend events and trainings to our technical advancements and improvements, the Association took on a lot of projects that have positively impacted the industry. Let’s take a look back on the year that was as we make plans for what is to come in 2025. We are so proud of...

Did you hear the news? There is a new (the third!) edition of FenestrationMasters®, FGIA’s flagship education program. This was an ongoing project for me throughout 2024, and I am glad to see it revealed to the world. If you aren’t aware, FenestrationMasters is a professional certification and education program that covers the full breadth of our industry, including performance standards, products and materials, test methods and code requirements. With updated visuals and interactive elements, the third edition includes new segments covering the NAFS Canadian...