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KUDOS
Glass Doctor® of Southeast Wisconsin Wins Franchisee of the Year Award
The Glass Doctor of Southeast Wisconsin franchise, owned by David Kozlowski, was named the 2009 Glass Doctor Franchisee of the Year during the company’s 2010 Reunion Conference held June 20-23 at the Marriott Hill Country Resort in San Antonio.

The Franchisee of the Year Award is presented to the franchisee who has consistently grown his or her business through the Glass Doctor training system and has achieved a consistently high level of success through quality and professional service.
Kozlowski purchased an existing franchise based in New Berlin, Wis., in 2007. The next year, he was named the Glass Doctor Rookie of the Year.

In addition, Glass Doctor recently named Robert Rice of the Glass Doctor of Columbus franchise the national outside sales representative of the year. The outside sales representative of the year award is presented to the outside sales representative who has a reputation for exceptional commercial account management, customer service and sales performance, according to the company. Rice was nominated for the award by Tim Billman, owner of the Glass Doctor of Columbus franchise.

APPOINTMENTS
PGW Names New Director of Quality
Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) LLC recently hired Richard Corliss as its new director of quality—a newly created position.

In this role, Corliss assumes overall responsibility of PGW’s global quality organization. His primary focus will be collaborating with PGW’s manufacturing and commercial teams to enhance the company’s quality systems from end to end to meet PGW’s customers’ needs, according to a statement from the company.

Corliss has 35 years of management, quality and operations leadership experience, and most recently was with Tinnerman Palnut Engineered Products, where he served as director, engineering and quality, and worked with plant managers and local quality managers to root cause and countermeasure internal product and processing challenges, as well as optimize quality opportunities as identified through internal reviews and cooperative discussion with customers.

Prior to his position with Tinnerman, Corliss spent 30 years with Alcoa, where he also managed the company’s quality and technology functions.

OBITUARIES
Tri-City Glass Founder Passes Away
Richard (Dick) Bender, the founder of Tri-City Glass in Appleton, Wis., passed away in September. Bender, who died at the age of 78, founded the company in 1960 with Shirley Bender-Gehrt.

The two originally ran the company from their home, along with a 2,000-square-foot warehouse, offering mobile auto glass service only. In 1976, the business moved to its present location and added several other services, including residential windows, glass, mirrors and acrylics, along with furnishing glass and glazing products, to its offerings. A second location was added in 1986, and the company went on to open a new division, Valley Door Sales, in 1991.

In 1992, the Benders transferred the business to four of their children—Charles, who now serves as president; Larry, vice president, Donna Dorn, vice president and secretary; and JoAnn, vice president and treasurer. Since the transfer, the company has expanded further and in 2004 was re-named Tri-City Glass & Door.

Long-Time Belron Executive Ken Reeds Passes Away
Ken Reeds, who once owned Laddaw, a United Kingdom-based auto glass distribution firm, passed away in July. He was 77.
Reeds had sold his company to Belron in 1999, but had stayed on in a purchasing role.

He is survived by his wife, Pat; his children, John, Glenda, Mark, Julia and Lynn; and several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Neil.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the British Heart Foundation, c/o Arnolds Funeral Service, 48 Roff Avenue, Bedford, MK41 7TE United Kingdom.

ASSOCIATION NEWS
IGA Board Elects Epley President; Short Joins Board
The Independent Glass Association’s (IGA) board of directors recently elected Alan Epley of Southern Plastics and Glass in Columbia, S.C., as its new president. He succeeds David Zoldowski of Auto One in Brighton, Mich., who now serves as past-president.

“My sole purpose is to ensure and do everything we possibly can to level the playing field,” says Epley.

In addition, Jim Short of Klein-Dickert in Madison, Wis., was elected to the board of directors.



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