Volume 35, Number 5, May 2000
NEWSNOW
latest news developments
Industry Loses Two of its Own: Lionel Vachon and Herman Lazar
Lionel Vachon
In early May, the industry lost two of its pioneers: Lionel Vachon of National Glass and Gate in Lincoln, R.I., and Herman Lazar of Globe Glass & Mirror of Chicago.
Lionel Vachon passed away on May 8 at the age of 81. Vachon, a 1996 inductee into the USGlass Glass and Metal Hall of Fame™, founded National Glass and Gate, which many in the industry recognize as the first flat glass network.
In 1971, Vachon was providing glass replacement and related services for accounts in the Rhode Island area. When the accounts began to grow, Vachon called on glaziers in the areas he could not service, asking them to bill him for the work, and he in turn would bill the accounts.
Vachon soon found the need to establish a similar network in the entire New England
area and eventually built a nationwide glazing network. In 1984, Vachon added
installations of gates and grilles to the company’s list of services. He is survived
by his wife
Carol, three children and eight grandchildren.
Herman Lazar, a career employee of Globe Glass and Mirror passed away on Thursday, May 4, 2000 at the age of 83. Lazar was born May 25, 1916.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Gladys Lazar, who first met Herman when she
worked for him many years ago. Other
survivors include three children and five grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, Palliative Care, 28121 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201.
Window Company Faces Minority Set-Aside Controversy
Tru-Lite Windows, based in Alsip, Ill., is under fire as the Chicago public school system charged the company with fraud. According to an April 26 report in the Chicago Sun-Times, Tru-Lite allegedly recruited an African American employee to head a phony business so it could meet the city’s minority set-aside requirements.
According to the article, inspector General Maribeth Vander Wheele said her office learned of the scheme by an African American Tru-Lite window installer who was recruited by Tru-Lite to be president of a new company called Quality Windows Inc.
According to Vander Wheele, Tru-Lite’s owner directed his company accountant to help the employee establish a checking account and articles of incorporation. But Vander Wheele said the employee continued to work as a window installer and his office, Quality Windows, had no office and no employees.
Tru-Lite is not associated with Trulite of Mississauga, Ontario. Quality Windows is not connected to Quality Window and Door in Orland Park, Ill.
Making the List: Several Industry Companies are Named in Fortune List of Top 500 Corporations
Software companies and Internet providers weren’t the only ones recognized by one of America’s leading magazines. A few glass industry businesses are among very good company: Fortune magazine ranked them in its list of top 500 corporations.
Alcoa, of Pittsburgh, was ranked 106, although this was a ten point drop compared to its 96 ranking in 1998. Monsanto, of St. Louis, Mo., rose 20 spots this year to come in at 167; Ranking 199 in 1998, Ingersoll-Rand of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., dropped to spot number 210, while close behind, PPG Industries of Pittsburgh dropped from 221 to 227. The most impressive increase goes to Philadelphia’s Rhom & Haas who jumped nearly 100 places to 310, compared to last years 409 ranking.
USG
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