GlassBuild is almost here! The largest event for the glass, window and door industries in North America is taking place September 30-October 2 in Dallas, TX. While GlassBuild American is known for being the place to hear about new technologies and products first, it is also a great place to make connections within the industry. Here are some tips for how to make the most of the networking you’ll be doing at the show.Before you get to the show, you can lay some groundwork for...

As you may have heard, registration is now open for the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) 2024 Fall Conference! This special industry event is taking place September 16-19 in Minneapolis, MN, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. I am especially excited for the theme of this conference: “Oktoberfest”! We will be celebrating this introduction to autumn with a fun night out at Surly Brewing, complete with a performance from a Minnesota Hall of Fame inductee, the Jolly Huntsmen Polka Band. But as you know, FGIA...

The 2024 FGIA Summer Conference is approaching, and now is the time to get the best rate for attending this must-see experience in beautiful Montreal. The event is taking place at Le Westin Montreal from June 3-6 and we are excited to share what we have planned! The preliminary conference schedule is packed with a blend of technical content and unique networking in an engaging format.Content highlights include sessions addressing embodied carbon, plastics regulations, natural disaster standards and testing, and our always popular codes and...

It is almost time for the FGIA Summer Conference in Vancouver, BC! We will be there June 12-15 and there is a jam-packed conference schedule available here. We are so excited to share what we have in store. As you can see, the schedule includes a variety of presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on demonstrations. Numerous committees, councils, and task groups will also have an opportunity to meet.Plus, there are also several opportunities for networking in the Vancouver area. Register now for three different optional events...

I am looking forward to being in California this month for the 2023 FGIA Annual Conference! One of my favorite FGIA events each year is the Awards Banquet, because it’s an opportunity for the Association to recognize its leadership for the hard work they do the previous year. Plus, from a social media standpoint, it’s fun to have the “scoop” when we announce the winners on social media! Whether you will be participating in-person or virtually for this conference, you can get involved with #FGIAconf...

Involvement in industry associations can be helpful to individuals and companies in a lot of ways, whether it means having a strong handle on news and updates, gaining knowledge from those closest to the work being done or doing the work yourself to shape an industry’s future. Trade associations like FGIA can gain you and your company access to things like the latest market study information, economic updates, opportunities for professional development and resources that can help your company plan for the future and succeed.Here...

The 2021 FGIA Hybrid Fall Conference was a great success last week, merging an in-person audience with an online one for a widely attended event full of excellent speakers and presentations. From Janine Driver’s insight into body language and workplace culture to a live demonstration of InstallationMasters®, there was plenty to learn. We held several networking events, including online and in-person costume contests with prizes. See below for some photos from Phoenix and our online crowd.Before the conference officially kicked off, I went horseback riding...

Prior to my time with FGIA, I worked for a start-up in downtown Chicago. It was a new company with a lot of venture capital, and they invested deeply into portraying a fun, quirky company culture. With lime green walls and indoor swing sets, word quickly spread about the company’s culture. At one point, we had a game room, but it was almost always empty because everyone at the company was always too busy to enjoy it – perhaps a more telling detail about what...