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Josh Wignall is the Director of Marketing at EFCO, responsible for all product and brand strategy in the company. For today’s member profile, we talked with him about being part of a younger generation of the industry and the importance of both mentorship and strong messaging.

Could you describe your role at your company?

My team is made up of our product marketing group, which is in charge of all product management functions and product strategy. When most people think of marketing, they don’t necessarily think of product design, research, life cycles or managing gaps, but this group is the overall control of the products we launch to the market. The other part of my team is our marketing communications group. They get to do all the cool marketing stuff that most people think of! They help control the brand messaging, scope and feel of EFCO internally and to the market.

What products does your company manufacture?

We manufacture a wide variety of aluminum windows, doors, storefront and curtain wall products.

Give a brief history of your professional background and how you originally became involved in the industry.

I started my career in the fenestration industry on the residential side of the business straight out of college. I worked in operations management for Pella on second shift and moved over to EFCO shortly after the acquisition. I have worked in many roles over my career at EFCO and have really enjoyed working in this industry for the past 13 years.

What accomplishment are you most proud of regarding your work as an AAMA member?

I’m really proud of the accomplishments that our AMC marketing team has brought about over this past year. We have really refocused back on our scope, purpose and messaging. Through the use of prioritization tools, we have been able to address the top concerns in the market. Not only are we changing how we scope, it’s exciting to trial new messaging techniques to the market. For instance, trying infographics to drive messaging via social media versus just using white papers.

Where do you see the fenestration industry in the next 10 years?

In 10 years, I think the fenestration industry will continue to morph along with other industries. As we have already seen, the millennial generation is changing the face of our industry already. Construction labor continues to dwindle, and I think this will drive the fenestration industry to provide more value-added options like pre-assembled/glazed products, service features and technology solutions.

How can the industry work together to be more successful?

I think that the industry working together to educate our younger generations about the potential career paths is the most important thing moving forward.

What is the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

Make every decision in your career with integrity and as if you owned the company.

Who has been most influential for you in your professional life?

I’ve been fortunate to have many great mentors throughout my career. The one that sticks out the most to me, was my manager Pete when I was in manufacturing. He was one of the most driven, passionate and intense managers I’ve worked with. He always pushed his team for the best and had fun while doing it! I’ve had other managers who had the same drive and intense focus before, but what set him apart was that he was always willing to listen and be humble. I always knew that I could speak my opinion (even if he didn’t like it), and he would listen. This lesson is something I try to carry with me each day!

Would you like to add anything else?

For all of you new members (or not so new members), we are looking for people to get involved in our new Onboarding Task Group that is designed to help bring people into AAMA and keep them active and engaged. If you would be interested in having your voice heard and making a difference for the future of AAMA, look me up!