News Makers

associations
GANA Names Insulating Educational Seminar Leader, Honorary Member
The Glass Association of North America (GANA) has selected Jon Kimberlain of Dow Corning Corp. as its new Insulating Division Educational Seminar chairperson. The position represents GANA’s Insulating Division on the annual glass fabrication educational seminar’s program planning committee.

Kimberlain has been with Dow Corning for more than eight years. He has been mainly involved in engineering for the processing of silicone sealants and currently serves as technical service engineer, in support of silicone sealants in glass and glazing. In addition, the association has named William Coddington, president of WS Coddington Consulting LLC in Perrysburg, Ohio, and formerly engineered products manager with Oldcastle Glass, an honorary member.

“We are very pleased to recognize Bill Coddington for his tremendous contributions to GANA and the entire glass and glazing industry,” says Stanley L. Smith, executive vice president of GANA. “Bill’s efforts have helped create a great deal of educational content for GANA, most recently with the point-supported glass informational bulletin, which is a free download on our website.”

Coddington, a Vietnam veteran, graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines in 1959 with a bachelor’s of science degree in general engineering and a commission in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, from which he retired in 1997. Over the past 40 years in the glass and glazing industry, his employers have included Hope’s Windows, Falconer Glass, TempGlass and Oldcastle Glass. In 1993 he was named chairman of the Glass Tempering Association (GTA, a predecessor of GANA) Glass Door Subcommittee.  After becoming GANA, the subcommittee helped create and publish the GANA Fully Tempered Heavy Glass Door and Entrance Systems Design Guide, which is still in print. Coddington is also featured in Who’s Who in the Architectural Glass and Metal Industry.“My involvement with GANA for the past 20-plus years has most always been on the technical side,” says Coddington. “It was a privilege to collaborate with other GANA members to provide clear, authoritative technical information to the design community about glass products. Striving to improve the quality of the products offered and ensuring that the correct product is used for the specific design application should always be our goal. I was pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to GANA’s efforts to educate the trade, and I want to thank GANA for this honorary membership.”

appointments
Guardian Names New Legal Counsel
Guardian Industries Corp. in Auburn Hills, Mich., has appointed attorney David Jaffe as general counsel, responsible for all worldwide legal matters. He also was named secretary of the corporation. Jaffe joined Guardian in 1990 and has held a variety of legal positions over the past 17 years. Throughout his Guardian career, Jaffe has been closely associated with the firm’s corporate and international development activities, including negotiating and providing continuous legal advice for the company’s joint ventures around the world.

Lisec America Makes Management Shifts
Lisec America Inc. in Egan, Minn., appointed a new management team in early July. Hubert Haselsteiner resigned as president of Lisec America. Bob Quast has been appointed president, chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer of the company. Working with Quast are Hans Hoenig, vice president and sales director, whose position incorporates the duties formerly done by Greg Deweese, and Barbara Ziervogl, vice president and secretary. Both Hoenig’s and Ziervogl’s positions were newly created for Lisec.

Quast, who has a financial background, had been employed with Lisec for six years, before taking a position at another company two years ago.

“The company decided to take this opportunity to diversify its skills sets. We basically took the opportunity to separate sales from the CEO position,” Quast says.

According to Quast, the new management team will work toward “improved organization and better servicing of our company’s customers.”

promotions
Azon Promotes Director of International Technical Services
Azon USA Inc. in Kalamazoo, Mich., has promoted Patrick Muessig to the position of director of international technical services. Muessig’s responsibilities will expand to include Azon’s international services, entailing close work with all associations and technical groups outside the United States. He also will be responsible for direct coordination and communications between Azon USA Inc. and Azon UK Ltd. 

Muessig will continue his current work as technical director with the company’s domestic associations and outside industry groups, as well as his role overseeing the Azo/Tec^® design and simulation services division. Additionally, Muessig will be installed as a member of the Azon corporate management committee.

USGlass Promotes Headley
Megan Headley, who joined USGlass magazine in 2004 as an assistant editor, has been promoted to the position of editor of USGlass magazine. She takes over her new position with the October 2007 issue of USGlass.

In addition to her work as an assistant editor for USGlass, Headley has been involved as a writer and editor for several of Key’s other publications, including DWM, Shelter and Window Film magazines. She also has served as editor of Mold & Moisture Management magazine since its 2005 inception. Headley holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va.

Headley succeeds Ellen Giard, who will now work as a contributing editor to USGlass and in new project development for Key Communications.

“Both Megan and Ellen are extremely talented editors and we are happy to be able to utilize these talents for the benefit of USGlass,” says Debra Levy, publisher. 

“Megan has been preparing for this move for more than a year. We are excited for USGlass—and for the new project Ellen is developing for the company.”

new hires
Bader and Mathews Promoted as Managers for Edgetech
Edgetech I.G. Inc. in Cambridge, Ohio, has promoted Ramsey Bader to international market manager. Bader has been with the company since 2003. He most recently managed the company’s business development in Australia and New Zealand and has been responsible for international market research. In his new role, Bader will manage the company’s international market sales team. In addition, Rick Mathews is a new regional sales manager. Mathews comes to the company with more than eight years experience in the steel industry in sales and sales management. He worked another eight years in the fenestration industry with assembly automation systems. Mathews earned a bachelor’s of science from The Ohio State University.

Gray and Gilson Hired as Sales Managers for Roto Frank
Roto Frank of America Inc. in Chester, Conn., has announced two new sales appointments. Dan Gray will serve as director of sales and marketing. In his new position, Gray is managing the company’s four North American regional managers in addition to 12 independent sales reps. He also will be responsible for development of the company’s marketing and sales programs.

Roto Frank also named David Gilson Eastern regional sales manager. Gilson is responsible for managing and servicing the company’s East Coast region and for introducing new products to new and existing customers. He also is assisting Roto’s network of independent sales representatives in the region. Gilson has been with Roto since 2003. 

David Daniels Joins Lincoln Distributors 
Lincoln Distributors in Tempe, Ariz., has hired David Daniels as general manager. He will lead the company’s operation in Tempe. Daniels comes to the company with experience in operational strategy and finance experience from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. He received his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and his certified public accountant license in Georgia. 

Nordson Hires New Manager for Business Development
Nordson Corp., headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, has hired Frank Burkus as global business development manager for its new materials in the company’s adhesive systems group. Burkus will be based in the company’s Duluth, Ga., offices. In his new position he will be responsible for assessing and managing new global business opportunities as well as current and potential Nordson technologies to help solve material processing and delivery needs across various industries. retirements 

Jim Charles Retires from Vitro America
Jim Charles, director of sales and marketing for Vitro America in Memphis, Tenn., has retired. 

Charles has served the glass industry since 1971. He began his career in the mirror industry working for Carolina Mirror Co., and joined Binswanger Mirror and ACI Distribution in 1990. 

When ACI was purchased by Vitro in 1992, Charles gained responsibility for the sale of flat glass east of the Rockies. Prior to his retirement, he was responsible for sales and marketing for Vitro America’s subsidiaries and worked to promote The Classic Line, ScarGard Mirror and MPactsafe Glass product offerings. Charles was an active member of the National Association of Mirror Manufacturers (NAMM) from 1990 to 1996, when it joined the Glass Association of North America (GANA) and became the Mirror Division. 

Charles served as president of NAMM from 1994 to 1996. On behalf of ACI Distribution, he served as a member of GANA, where he worked on the promotions and technical committees of the association’s Laminated Division, Tempering Division, Distribution Division and Mirror Division.

Guardian Plant Manager Retires After 27 Years
About 400 people gathered in Corsicana, Texas, in June to commemorate the retirement of Wally Palma, glass manufacturing plant manager for Guardian Industries. Palma joined Guardian during the construction of its first float glass plant, and was with the company for 27 years. Palma is a native of Detroit and plans to spend his time with his sons developing a hunting and fishing ranch in Michigan.

Vistawall Announces Van Grouw’s Retirement 
Larry Van Grouw officially retired from Vistawall Architectural Products in Terrell, Texas, in June. The 22-year veteran most recently was manager of the company’s Modesto, Calif., facility. 

Van Grouw entered the business in 1985 as a sales representative for Pacific Aluminum, which was purchased by Vistawall in 1987. He was named general manager of the company’s Western region in 1989, and was then promoted to vice president and general manager in 1999. He chose to step out of the general manager role in 2005. 

“Vistawall was very fortunate to have someone with Larry’s experience, dedication to the company and commitment to growing our business on the West Coast,” says Cindy Aveard, general manager of Vistawall’s Western region. “Over the years he has earned the highest respect from employees, customers and suppliers. He truly will be missed.”

The company also named Patrick Boucher Western regional sales manager. Boucher, who has been with the company for 18 years, was previously a sales engineer in the Western region. He has 28 years of experience in the architectural aluminum industry. 

Glass Industry Veteran Retires After 44 Years
After 44 years in the glass business Frank Poce has retired from the Walker Glass Company in Quebec, Canada. Poce began his career with the insulating glass company Ply-Pane, which later became DC Glass, in 1963. From there he joined Fabreville, where he worked for 11 years, and then was hired at Walker Glass Ltd. in 1992. 

“It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with Frank for so long,” says Marc Deschamps, Walker Glass business development manager. “His camaraderie, his great sense of humor and his true loyalty to his company, his customers and his friends will be sorely missed.” 

Poce officially retired from Walker Glass on June 30. 

USG
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