20 Under 40 - Glass Magazine

The judges
Nicole Harris
Publisher
Matt Slovick
Editor in chief
Sahely Mukerji
Managing editor
Jenni Chase
Senior writer
Lorin Hancock
Assistant editor
Vy Koenig
Production manager
Amanda Behnke
Special projects
coordinator
20 under 40 View more at www.glassmagazine.net/20under40.htm
Year No. 5
Winners are intense, ambitious; like Zeppelin, Monty Python
in its fifth year, Glass Magazine’s 20 Under 40 honors generated a record 105 nominations.
The increase from 60 nominees a year ago is a testament to the talent throughout the glass
industry. Our winners range in age from 27 to 39, working in 11 states from Connecticut to
Hawaii. Four are women.
They describe themselves as energetic, optimistic, independent, intense, ambitious, driven,
conscientious, resourceful and happy. One is a self-proclaimed oddball.
Their diverse movie tastes include comedy, thriller, fantasy, action and drama with favorite titles
such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Philadelphia,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “The
Shawshank Redemption,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Walk the Line,” “North by Northwest,” “Pulp
Fiction,” “Braveheart” and “The Bourne Supremacy.”
If you’re in their cars or pick up their iPods, you might hear Led Zeppelin, Keith Jarrett, U2,
Frank Sinatra, the Dave Matthews Band, Diana Krall, Rob Zombie, REM, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison
or Eric Clapton.
And they are all now members of the Glass Magazine’s 20 Under 40 Class of 2008.
Staff writers
Matt Slovick Page 32
Sahely Mukerji Pages 40, 47
Jenni Chase Pages 33, 44
Katy Devlin Pages 42, 44
Lorin Hancock Pages 28, 48
Freelance writers
A.S. Berman Page 24
Laura Carlson Page 46
Marilyn Dickey Page 25
Bob Gatty Pages 30, 34
Jane Holtje Pages 28, 39
Gina Rollins Page 24
Julie Sturgeon Pages 29, 46
February 2008 • Glass Magazine ® 1

Education: 1998, Economics, University of London, Royal
Holloway College
Career: Sept. 2007-present, marketing director;
2006-07, architectural products consultant, Advanced
Glazings USA LLC, Burnaby, B.C.; 2003-06, vice president of
business development, altPOWER Inc., New York; 2002-03,
head of commercial lending, Stanley Capital Corp.,
Englewood, N.J.
Personal: Age, 31; born, Naharia, Israel; married to Lilach
Shvartz-Bar, one son
Diversions: Scuba diving, hiking, jazz
One-word description of self: Multicultural
Favorite Web site: Google
Lesson learned the hard way: Life is cyclical; never assume
you are either at the top or the bottom
Favorite movie: “Life of Brian”
Favorite musical artist: Keith Jarrett
Favorite book: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
Favorite sports team: Springboks, the South African national
Rugby team.
2 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
39
Avi Bar
Marketing director | Advanced Glazings USA LLC | Burnaby, British Columbia
C oming
to the architectural glazing industry with an economics degree
and a background that includes commercial lending, Avi Bar brings a
different perspective to the daylighting and Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design projects: “If it is not financially viable, it’s not going
to happen,” he says.
Bar comes by his passion for renewable energy honestly. “Not to sound too
tree-huggerish, but I’ve always been interested in how to make this planet a
better place,” he says.
He started at Advanced Glazings in August 2006 as an architectural
products consultant, and recently was promoted to director of marketing.
In that time, Bar has co-authored a number of marketing materials on topics
including Solera and LEED.
“His dedication to green buildings … has resulted in buildings making better
use of glass,” says President Doug Milburn in his nomination form.
It’s dedication that Bar is bringing to his family’s new three-bedroom highrise
apartment in the Bronx. “I’m planning on using Solera glass as a
partition to … diffuse light deeper into the space,” he says.
The greatest challenge, though, is justifying the expense to others.
“When you’re going to insulate a house when you’re building it, you can show
the payback,” he says. Doing so with a renewable-resources home can be more
difficult.
Recycled glass for the countertops and low-VOC, or volatile organic
compound, paints are also in the offing, he adds, the latter because he wants to
protect the health of his 10-month-old son, Yonathan. It’s the least he can do,
he says, as Yonathan routinely looks out for him.
He’s “been sucking on my [cell] phone, so there’s been a bit of water damage,”
Bar says. “It’s a blessing in disguise - I can avoid a lot of unnecessary calls.”
Vinu Abraham
CEO | Hurricane Test Laboratory | Riviera Beach, Fla.
V inu
Abraham has played a key role in transforming
Hurricane Test Laboratory from a fledgling threeperson
company devoted exclusively to hurricanerelated
certification testing to a thriving multistate operation
with more than 40 employees and several service
lines. Starting as a test engineer directly overseeing performance
tests, Abraham has seen the company through several
key milestones, while maintaining a solid reputation
for his know-how, customer service and practical
approach to testing.
“He’s become a very influential person in the industry.
People look up to him and respect his opinions,” says
Shawn Donovan, president of Donovan and Associates, a
marketing firm in Tampa. A one-time customer, Donovan
now works as a marketing consultant for HTL.
The son of Indian nationals who worked for the Nigerian
government, Abraham immigrated to the United States for
college and is living his own version of the American dream.
He and two partners boarded the thrill ride of entrepreneurship
when they sought funding for HTL’s first permanent

Michelle Fainberg
Partner, CAD Designer/IT Manager
Giroux Glass | Los Angeles
M ichelle
Fainberg has been at Giroux
Glass for 11 years. She started making
her mark there shortly after she 35
arrived. It was her first job after graduating
from the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture, and
company president Anne-Merelie Murrell quickly realized she had hired a
star.
Several years ago, Fainberg introduced a computer-aided design system to
the company, a glazing contractor, which has streamlined the drawing process
and improved accuracy and efficiency by 60 percent, Murrell says. Cutting
pieces of metal to hold the glass in place used to involve hand-generated lists
of what needed to be cut. Then the fabricators would measure each piece, cut
it, measure it again, and manually make a note about the size of the piece and
where it needed to go. Now that process has been automated, thanks to
Fainberg’s system that “does everything but pull the saw,” Fainberg says. It
even generates color-coded labels so it’s easy to see which floor of a multistory
building each piece goes on.
Working with fabricators, installers, architects, estimators and project
managers, Fainberg plays a central role in the company. As if that weren’t
enough, five years ago, she added the job of IT manager to her other responsibilities.
“She has no clock,” Murrell says. “She works until something is done. She
moves very quietly and has focus. Unfortunately, I can’t sit down with all the
people in our company, but some things just shine. And Michelle just shines
without my being there.”
39
facility. “It was accompanied by
a lot of butterflies in the stomach
in terms of if we built it
would they come?” Abraham
recalls “Even if all the indicators
say you should proceed there’s
always the uncertainty of ’is this
going to work out?’ ”
Abraham took the edge off
the fear factor by guiding the
company through controlled
growth. “We decided not to
deviate too far from our core
business and also make sure no
customer accounts for more
than 10 percent of the workload,”
he says.
Abraham attributes HTL’s
success to employing “the
brightest professionals in the
business,” and operating with
integrity. “Without it you don’t
have a leg to stand on in this
industry,” he says.
Education: 1996, B.A., School of Architecture, University of
Southern California, Los Angeles
Career: July 2006-present, partner, Giroux Glass Inc., Los
Angeles office; September 1996-present, CAD designer/IT
manager, Giroux Glass
Personal: Age, 35; born, Los Angeles; single
Diversions: Spending time with family and friends and reading
One-word description of self: Conscientious
Favorite Web site: www.wikipedia.org
Lesson learned the hard way: Back up all your work. I used
to never back anything up while working on the computer.
While I was working on my thesis, my computer crashed. I
tried and tried to recover the data. I even sought professional
help. Nothing worked. I had to recreate everything I had done
for that entire day, about eight hours worth of drawings. The
only saving grace I had was that I saved the file each day
with the date. Since then, I back up everything. Whether at
work or home, I have backup procedures in place.
Favorite movie: “The Wizard of Oz”
Favorite sports team: Any team from Southern California for
any sport
Education: 1995, M.S., Civil Engineering, Texas Tech
University, Lubbock, Texas; 1993, B.S., Civil Engineering,
Texas Tech University
Career: 2006-present, CEO; 2000-06, managing partner;
1996-2000, general manager; 1994-96, test engineer,
Hurricane Test Laboratory LLC, Riviera Beach, Fla.
Personal: Age, 39; born, Ogbomosho, Nigeria; married, wife
Sandra, three children
Diversions: Volunteering at church; deep-sea fishing;
outdoor activities with children
One word description of self: Leader
Favorite Web site: Delta Airlines/other travel-related sites
Lesson learned the hard way: Life is short and you have to
remain positive no matter what it throws at you
Favorite movie: “North by Northwest”
Favorite musical artist: Diana Krall
Favorite book:
“Good to
Great” by Jim
Collins
Favorite sports
team: Miami
Dolphins.
February 2008 • Glass Magazine ® 3

Career: 2006-present, vice president; 2005-06, director of
research and development; 1997-2005, general manager;
1991-97, independent subcontractor, skylight installation for
O’Keeffe’s Inc., San Francisco; 1986-91, general contracting
work
Personal: Age, 39; born, San Mateo, Calif.; single
Diversions: Building hot rods, live music, clubs, museums,
art exhibits, American Institute of Architects’ presentations
and travel
One-word description of self: Oddball
Favorite Web site: Google
Lesson learned the hard way: Too many to list
Favorite movie: “Pulp Fiction”
Favorite musical artist: Rob Zombie
Favorite book: “Huckleberry Finn”
Favorite sports team: San Francisco 49ers.
4 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
39
Kelly O’Keeffe
Vice president | O’Keeffe's Inc. | San Francisco
K elly
O’Keeffe, third generation at O’Keeffe’s Inc. and exposed to the
business early, spent days in the factory as a young boy. Always interested
in how things work and being in an environment where things
were constantly built, from simple access ladders to complex monumental
custom skylights, O’Keeffe says his decision to stay with his roots was easy.
“This career path, though I was born into it, was not forced on me,” he says.
Installing skylights as a teenager, O’Keeffe got on-the-job training, and while
advancing within the company, had the opportunity to be as hands-on as he
wanted. “You really don’t know what you are capable of accomplishing unless
you try, and I was fortunate to be able to tackle projects and make decisions
knowing that I have the company’s support,” he says.
O’Keeffe designed, tested and supervised installation of the first fire- and
hurricane-rated glazed assembly passing Miami-Dade standards, says Diana San
Diego, marketing and communications manager, Safti First, San Francisco, a
division of O’Keeffe’s Inc. “The builder of an ocean front high-rise in Fort
Lauderdale didn’t want condos to lose ocean views,” San Diego says. “The glazing
had a hurricane rating, but the fire marshal said it needed a fire rating also.”
The company went to work developing the product, testing took place in 2006
and installation was completed in 2007.
O’Keeffe will take the company to the next level, San Diego says. “He’s a forward
thinker, he gets along with a lot of people … and not very many people
know as much about fire-rated glass as he does; the knowledge is second nature
to him,” she says.
Tahira Murello
Office/project manager | All Weather Tempering | Phoenix
T ahira
Murello was looking for any entry level position when she started
with Glassworks of Phoenix about 10 years ago. “I have a pretty confident
attitude,” she says, which led her to believe she could do anything.
Turns out, she was right.
Murello began in customer service and glass optimization, where she
quickly got noticed. When the company was acquired by All Weather Tempering
of Arizona, she stayed on. It was a good fit, and she was promoted to
office/project manager in January 2006. The company and the family that
owns it are the best part of her job “because they’re confident in my abilities,”
she says. They are quick to “realize who has the ability and who can run with
it,” she says. She has been involved in every aspect of the business, from marketing,
quoting, working with optimization software to managing projects
and setting up office processes. “Every day I’ll look for ways to save time and
be more efficient,” she says.
Sarah Porter, head of new business development for All Weather, says
Murello is incredible, making the office fun while running a tight ship. “If I
had to hand-optimize for a day, I wonder if my best glass cutter, with 15 years
of experience, could hand-optimize better than Tahira.” Porter calls Murello
“wickedly sarcastic and outgoing.”
Those traits come from her large family, who she sees at least every weekend.
“It’s good that my boyfriend gets along with my family really well,”
Murello laughs. With two brothers, three sisters, and 11 nieces and nephews,
“it’s always a party because we’re all really loud.”

Steve Frey Sales engineer
Mr. Shower Door Inc. | Norwalk, Conn.
S teve
Frey began working at his girlfriend’s
father’s glass business at the
age of 15. His high school sweetheart
lasted two years; his career in the industry
proved stronger.
Frey flirted with other careers, eyeballing
automotive and engineering in college, “but
I was more interested in glass than anything,” says the sales engineer for Mr.
Shower Door in Norwalk, Conn.
Whether it’s on the creative or corporate side, Frey loves a challenge. He
recently taught himself the ins and outs of 3-D CAD package Inventor in the
evening on his own time. He used the program to do extensive CAD work and
logistics for the Foxwood/MGM casino project. Mr. Showerdoor supplied
enclosures for the project this past year. “In the end, the suppliers said we pulled
it off without one glitch,” says Tom Whitaker, president. “Steve likes to look for
innovative ways to solve enclosure design work, breaking out of the rut.”
Whitaker also can thank Frey for the new SAP management database Mr.
Shower Door uses to track everything from accounting to manufacturing,
inventory to appointment setting, installations to satisfaction ratings. Running
a tight ship puts a smile on Frey’s face, and he is excited because a total enterprise
system streamlines the operation. But he knows this business can’t be all about
numbers. “If you don’t have people skills, you really can’t settle even the smallest
problems,” he says. “You have to be able to relate to people.”
37
Education: 1992, associate of applied science, Automotive
Engineering, Rockland Community College, Suffern, N.Y.
Career: May 2004-present, sales engineer, Mr. Shower Door Inc.,
Norwalk, Conn.; January 2003-May 2004, glazier, Mirage Mirror
& Glass, Ossining, N.Y.; March 2000-May 2002, product manager,
C.R. Laurence Co., Los Angeles; May 1987-March 2000,
production manager, Harvard Reflections Ltd., New City, N.Y.
Personal: Age, 37; born, Norwalk, Conn.; married, wife
Jessica, one son
Diversions: Spending time with family, tools, computers
One-word description of self: Resourceful
Favorite Web site: Google
Lesson learned the hard way: Measure twice, cut once
Favorite movie: “Walk the Line”
Favorite musical artist: The Dave Matthews Band
Favorite book: “The Catcher in the Rye.”
27
Education: 2000, associate degree in business, Mesa (Ariz.)
Community College
Career: 1998-present, office/project manager, formerly
customer service representative, All Weather Tempering,
Arizona, Phoenix, formerly Glassworks
Personal: age, 27; born, Mesa, Ariz.; single
Diversions: Family
One-word description of self: Happy
Favorite Web site: None
Lesson learned the hard way: People don’t always mean
what they say
Favorite movie: “Braveheart”
Favorite musical artist: Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric
Clapton, but there’s not really a favorite
Favorite book: “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa
Yogananda
Favorite sports team: None.
February 2008 • Glass Magazine ® 5

David Fleming President | Architectural Aluminum Consultants | Springfield, Mo.
Education: 1996, some college, Missouri State University,
Springfield, Mo.; 1993, high school, Kickapoo High School,
Springfield
Career: 2004-present, president, Architectural Aluminum
Consultants, Springfield; 2002-04, project manager, Silicon
Valley Glass, Morgan Hill, Calif.; 2001, project
manager, Fredericksburg Glass and Mirror, Fredericksburg,
Va.; 1999-2001, president, Architectural Aluminum
Consultants, Springfield; 1996-99, shop drawing
draftsman, Fen Con, Nixa, Mo.
Personal: Age, 32; born, Springfield; married wife Robin
Diversions: Spending time with wife; filmmaking,
both narrative and documentary; travel;
writing
One word description of self: Sincere
Favorite Web site: I should be promoting
myself by saying its www.aaconline.com but
www.google.com is the homepage on both my
computers and mobile phone. I also often
check out the classifieds at www.craigslist.org
or read up on the filmmaking forums at
www.dvinfo.net or www.avid.com
Lesson leaned the hard way: You can’t cut tempered
glass. I actually learned this before I was 35
in the glass business, but the larger lesson is
to know that there is a lot you don’t know.
Favorite movie: I really liked “Once.”
Favorite musical artist: Ken Quilici
Favorite book: Anything from the reference
section
Favorite sports team: My nieces’ and
nephews’ soccer and baseball teams.
2004 20 under 40 winners
6 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
O ne
afternoon Travis Heimer, project manager at Sol’s Glass Co., Springfield,
Mo., faced a problem. Changed specs meant that new shop drawings
were needed in a hurry.
Heimer called David Fleming, president of Architectural Aluminum Consultants.
“Any way I can get these drawings by 9 a.m. tomorrow?” he asked.
“There is a morning meeting with the client.” By 3 a.m. Fleming delivered
those drawings. “He stayed up all night to make sure I had what I needed,”
Heimer says.
“Maybe I do more than I should,” Fleming admits, “but I think people catch
on that you care about their needs.”
Fleming launched his company in 1999 after working as a shop drawing
draftsman at another firm. Today, Fleming is
Architectural Aluminum Consultants. “I’m
the guy who answers the phone, cleans the
office, does the filing, and manages the
books,” he says. Of course, he also produces
the drawings for his customers.
“My philosophy is to care about my clients,
their projects, and the pressures they face,”
Fleming says. “Since many of them are project
managers for glazing contractors and I have
done that job myself, I can identify. Obviously,
maintaining a high quality of work is key.
“I find myself talking about my customers
like they are my friends,” Fleming
says. “I also like the fact that I can receive a
project, complete it, and start something
new all within a week or two.”
Does he want his company to get bigger?
“I would do this for another 30 years,”
Fleming says. “Right now, it feels like the
right size and the right place to be.”
Name Age Title Company
Clark, Brian 27 Vice president Trainor Glass Co.
Cope, Cody 26 Assistant branch manager Mammen Glass & Mirror Inc.
Fehmerling, Erich 30 Senior project manager Lake Glass & Mirror Inc.
Ferraro, Jason 26 Customer service representative, Royal Door Division Craftsman Fabricated Glass
Guest, Aaron 28 Glazer Clarity Glass
Johnson,Curt 34 Operations manager Harmon Inc.
Johnson, Erin 34 Marketing director Edgetech I.G. Inc.
Joshi, Sushil 34 Glazier/Journeyman The Skylight Place
Lucas, Lisa 38 Lead glazier Oakes & Parkhurst Glass
Nolan, Sean 36 Vice president, Operations U.S. Bullet Proofing Inc.
O'Callaghan, James 32 Principal Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners PC
Patterson, Larry 32 President Mustang Glass Inc./Glass Doctor of North Texas
Randall, Bob 32 Director of sales Viracon Inc.
Romanoski, Jim 36 President Romanoski Glass & Mirror Co.
Scearce, Melissa 37 Inside sales rep J.E. Berkowitz
Schimmelpenningh, Julia C. 37 Technical applications manager Solutia Inc.
Tolson, John 37 Facility manager, Greeneville, Tenn. The Vistawall Group
Weiner, Zachary 28 President Colonial Mirror & Glass Corp.
Westerberg, Craig E. 35 Safety manager Ken Caryl Glass Inc.
Williams, Douglas G. 36 Director of architectural services C.R. Laurence Co.

Scott Surma National sales manager | DecoTherm | Amherst, N.Y.
Education: : 2005, MBA in strategic management, DePaul
University, Chicago; 1997, bachelor’s in supply chain management,
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.
Career: 2006-present, national sales manager, DecoTherm,
Amherst, N.Y.; 2002-06, regional territory manager, building
products, Pilkington North America, Toledo, Ohio; 1999-2002,
sourcing manager, building products, Pilkington North
America; 1998-99, sourcing specialist, building products,
Pilkington North America; 1997-98, sourcing analyst, building
products, Pilkington North America
Personal: 33; born, Trenton, Mich.; married, wife, Anjanette,
and a daughter
Diversions: Fishing, including fly fishing, reading, golf, travel,
soccer
One-word description of self: Ambitious
Favorite Web site: Google
Lesson learned the hard way: Sometimes the best sales are
the ones you don’t make
Favorite movie: “Shawshank Redemption”
Favorite musical artist: U2
Favorite book: “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl
Best quote in the book is “Everything can be taken from a
man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to
choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to
choose one’s own way.”
Favorite sports team: Detroit sports teams: NFL Lions, MLB
Tigers, NBA Pistons, NHL Red Wings.
8 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
33
I n
early 2006, Scott Surma left Pilkington North America after nine years to
join DecoTherm, an iimak company, in Amherst, N.Y. During his first year
as national sales manager, Surma says he traveled almost every day, and it was-
n’t because he liked hotel rooms.
“I really enjoy working with glass,” Surma says. “I’ve gotten hooked on it …
the creative process working with new projects and challenges. My job is to supply
solutions. Architects have ideas, but they are not always feasible or practical
or have been done before. My job is to find unique solutions for them.”
DecoTherm’s digital, ceramic frit glass decoration is a patented process for
placing graphic designs permanently on glass without sandblasting or screen
printing. The company licenses its technology to glass fabricators; its licensee base
tripled in size in 2007 and is projected to grow by more then 50 percent in 2008.
“It’s basically digital technology for a primarily analog industry,” Surma says.
“That sold me. Any new technology usually takes 10 to 20 years to catch on in
glass unless it’s dictated by code. I can say it’s definitely resonating within the
architectural and design communities. It starts with architects and designers
specifying it early on in projects. We’re seeing a large uptick.”
Surma is an active member of the Glass Association of North America, Topeka,
Kan., serving as the chair of the Decorative Division’s marketing committee.
“The guy knows his stuff, and people know him or will,” says Kris Vockler,
vice president, ICD High Performance Coatings, Vancouver, who chairs the
Decorative Division. “He is a true leader who creates excitement and drive for
those who follow him.”
Surma says a mountainscape inside a Salt Lake City hospital is one of the more
creative DecoTherm applications he has seen. “Digital artwork was put on glass for
49 panels inside the hospital,” he says. “They took the outside and brought it inside.”
Steven Chen
Executive vice president | Crystal Window & Door Systems | Flushing, N.Y.
S teve
Chen graduated from
Penn State in 2001 with a
degree in economics and
accepted a job as leader of a team of
investment account managers. He
always knew he’d be part of Crystal
Window & Door Systems, Flushing,
N.Y., he says, the business
founded by his father, Thomas.
“I was involved since I was 12
years old,” Chen says. “I grew up
with it. I knew so much about it. I
had a bigger advantage than the
competitors. And I felt a sense of
ownership.”
As a boy, Chen accompanied his
dad to business meetings or helped
at the factory on Saturdays. He
made windows, helped in accounting
and with computer systems and
loaded trucks.
29

Syed Kazim Application engineering and sales representative
United States Aluminum | Los Angeles
W hen
Syed Kazim graduated from India’s University of Madras in
1995, little did he know his degree in mechanical engineering would
take him around the world. After working in Dubai for three years as
a fabrication estimator for Alico Aluminum, Kazim moved to the United
States in 1999.
Just six months into his career at the Los Angeles location of United States
Aluminum, Kazim was promoted from estimator to engineering and sales
representative. His responsibilities at the architectural aluminum product
supplier include application engineering, project estimating and project management.
Kazim works with customers throughout the entire construction process,
from the initial bid to the final installation, and is known for going above and
beyond to help his customers.
“Syed is a committed, exceptional person for the glass industry to have,” says
Lisa Mueller, an assistant project manager for Sashco Inc., Los Angeles, who has
worked with Kazim for three and a half years. “He is dedicated to the work he
does and the outcome of the entire project. Syed spends weekends doing takeoffs
and reviewing plans to make sure he can satisfy all his customers.”
Says Kazim: “I’m most proud of the customer relationships I’ve built. My
customers are more like a big family to me now. The biggest challenge is being
able to accommodate all of their requests.”
It’s all worth it to Kazim. “The [United States] really is a land of opportunity.
All the hard work I did in the last seven years has paid off. I’ve developed
relationships with customers who I talk to every day, and when I come to
work, there’s always something new.”
Chen returned to Crystal in 2003 and is now executive vice president,
focusing on sales and marketing for the company’s curtain wall and high-end
fenestration efforts as well as its aluminum extrusion subsidiary. Sales grew
from $48.6 million in April 2005 to $62.1 million two years later. Crystal
made Inc. Magazine’s inaugural list of America’s 5,000 Fastest Growing Private
Companies last year.
“He’s just a terrific, humble young man who has really taken values he has
learned from his father,” says Howard Ecker, president of Ecker Windows,
Yonkers, N.Y. “He knows the importance of this bond between customers and
suppliers.”
It’s more than just numbers that motivate Chen. “We’re actually creating real
products here,” he says. “I can see my product working on a building. There’s a
lot of pride in that. As the business grows, we like to shape the landscape, especially
the landscape of New York City.”
Crystal had a part in shaping Manhattan by supplying 2,500 window units
for Confucius Plaza, which at 44 stories is the tallest building in Chinatown.
The Chen family, emigrated from Taiwan, is also known for its philanthropy.
The nonprofit Crystal Foundation, created in 2002, sponsors art exhibits and
provides college scholarships for lower-income Asian Americans.
“Being a minority business in Queens, N.Y., it was a community that helped
build our business,” Chen says. “We always believed in giving back. Now that
we’ve done well, we’d like to be a role model. If you take care of the community
around you, it will eventually take care of your back.”
34
Education: 1995, Bachelor of Science, mechanical engineering,
University of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Career: June 2000-present, application engineering and
sales rep; August 1999-June 2000, estimator, United States
Aluminum, Los Angeles; 1996-98, fabrication estimator, Alico
Aluminum, Dubai
Personal: Age, 34; born, Chennai, India; single
One-word description of self: Independent
Favorite Web site: www.howstuffworks.com
Lesson learned the hard way: Sometimes you have to say no
Favorite movie: “Philadelphia”
Favorite sports team: San Diego Chargers.
Education: 2004-05, Executive Business Program, Tucks
School of Business, Dartmouth University, Hanover, N.H.;
2001, Bachelor of Science in economics, Penn State
University, University Park, Pa.
Career: January 2006-present, executive vice president,
Crystal Window & Door Systems, Flushing, N.Y.; 2003-05,
project manager and special assistant to the president,
Crystal Window & Door Systems; 2001-03, team leader, First
Union Asset Management, Malvern, Pa.
Personal: Age, 29; born, Taiwan; single
Diversions: Performance cars
One-word description of self: Energetic
Favorite Web site: eBay
Lesson learned the hard way: Managing the credit department
Favorite movie: “Shawshank Redemption”
Favorite musical artist: Frank Sinatra
Favorite sports team: New York Yankees.
February 2008 • Glass Magazine ® 9

Greg Header President | Solar Innovations Inc. | Myerstown, Pa.
38
Education: 1997, bachelor’s, management and finance,
Alvernia College, Reading, Pa.
Career: 1997-present, president, Solar Innovations Inc.,
Myerstown, Pa.; 1990-present, president, Header Trading
Co., Myerstown; 1994-99, president, Header Financial
Services, Myerstown
Personal: Age, 38; born, Richland, Pa.; married wife Stacey,
two daughters
Diversions: Hunting, fishing, almost any outdoor activity
One-word description of self: Driven
Favorite Web site: www.solarinnovations.com
Lesson learned the hard way: You can’t do it all yourself
Favorite movie: I prefer historic films.
Favorite musical artist: I listen to it all
Favorite book: “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman
Vincent Peale
Favorite sports team: All Philadelphia teams, even though
they never seem to win.
10 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
W hen
Greg Header began working with the company that would
become Solar Innovations, he “didn’t even know what a sunroom was
and never worked in manufacturing.” His business acumen, determination,
creativity and leadership talents helped produce dramatic and impressive
results for the now thriving company.
Retained in 1997 as a financial consultant, Header helped the firm reorganize
as Solar Innovations and became president. He and a team of seven employees,
including Vice President Darren Coder, began creating a custom glazed structures
manufacturing company that would be well-positioned for the future.
Header says his team was committed to never saying “no” to a customer, but
asking “how” instead. Consequently, without knowing any boundaries, they
developed new methods and soon began to produce their own accessories for
the company’s structures. That resulted in a door and window department, and
this year, the team developed Tilt-n-turn, Tilt-n-slide, and double hung windows,
as well as numerous variations of sliding and folding glass product lines.
“I like seeing our team members grow in their positions and develop both
personally and professionally,” Header says.
Coder credits Header’s enthusiasm and drive as being the backbone of the
organization. “Solar Innovations’ diversification is his quest to deliver the highest
quality products to our customers,” Coder says.
“He is a go-getter,” says Charles Michie, sales manager at Southern Stretch
Forming & Fabrication, Denton, Texas. “He works hard. His employees seem
to like working there. The company is unbelievably well-organized. To hear him
speak about the company’s plans with the enthusiasm that he does, I’ve been
thoroughly impressed.”
Header and Coder have “grown that business with blood, sweat and tears,”
says Mark Kearns, vice president, sales, Dlubak Corp., Blairsville, Pa., another
supplier. “Greg is an innovative person who gets involved with marketing, fabrication,
ordering, estimating, even going to the job site to help with installation.
He’s done it all.”

Tom Howhannesian Vice President | Heinaman Contract Glazing | Lake Forest, Calif.
Education: 1990, Bachelor of Science, finance and management,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Career: 2001-present, vice president and general manager,
California operations, Heinaman Contract Glazing, Lake
Forest, Calif.; 1995-2001, owner, Property Care Services,
Irvine, Calif., 1990-95, operations manager, Sunset Property
Services, Irvine, Calif.
Personal: Age 39; hometown Coto de
Caza, Calif; married, wife Gay Lynne,
three children
Diversions: Ice hockey, golf,
skiing and racing cars
One-word description of
self: Intense
Favorite Web site: Home
page on excite where I get
my news, stock information
and weather
Lesson learned the hard
way: Too many to count. I
constantly am pushing the
envelope, creating many opportunities
for growth.
Favorite movie: Tie between “Monty
39
Python and the Holy Grail” and “Slap Shot”
Favorite musical artist: Led Zeppelin
Favorite book: “Cat's Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut
Favorite sports team: University of Southern California
Trojans.
2005 20 under 40 winners
T om
Howhannesian’s wife, preparing for maternity leave as Heinaman
Contract Glazing’s chief financial officer, needed a temporary replacement.
Having just sold his business, Tom Howhannesian accepted the
temporary arrangement. “Quite candidly, I was not looking for a permanent
position working for my wife’s family.”
However, the company turned out to be “the ideal work environment where
creativity and respect are valued,” and Howhannesian decided to stay on
as vice president and general manager of its California operations.
During the last two years, he’s taken over company leadership
from the slowly retiring President John Heinaman.
“Tom led the company from yearly sales of 10 million to
over 28 million in sales,” says Randy Diener, senior project
manager. “He’s been in charge for several years but
it’s in the last year that he’s truly brought this company
to its full potential and has earned all of our support as
a team.”
Howhannesian learned team-building skills while
starting a commercial property service company prior
to joining Heinaman Contract Glazing. “… When you
start a company from scratch, like the seed of a plant,
you need to nurture it and give it the proper amount of
attention and nutrients to ensure the development through
each stage of growth,” he says.
Unafraid of the hard work of managing, Howhannesian
believes in delegating authority, Diener says. “Tom has formed a core
leadership group … that sets and holds each other and all of our team accountable
to the company goals.”
Howhannesian enjoys problem-solving with his team and seeing team members
grow in knowledge and confidence. “I want to be remembered as a person
who enabled the team members to achieve greatness,” he says.
Name Age Title Company
Gum, Andy 39 President Thomas Glass Co.
Valdes, Rene 36 Glazier Faour Glass Technologies
Boroian, Simone 29 Marketing director/training administrator Trainor Glass Co.
Wayne, Kelly 34 President and CEO True North Drafting
Porter, Sarah 25 General manager Arizona Tempering
Forrest, Jr., Daryl 39 President and owner East Coast Glass System Inc.
Newlin, Dina 35 Controller Allmetal Inc.
Kerr, Chris 36 Plant manager Tremco Inc.
Silverstein, Rick 37 Vice president of operations Arch Aluminum & Glass
Rouhana, Khalil 34 Project executive PCC Construction Components Inc.
DeBruer, Jason 28 Technical specialist Basco Shower Door Co.
Nielsen, Michael 37 Shareholder and president W.S. Nielsen Co.
Greer, Christine 35 Corporate logistics manager Guardian Industries
Huebner, Charles 32 Manager of customer service Schneider Specialized Carriers
Gorzelsky, Barry 38 Project manager/glazier/installer Modern Art & Plate Co.
Montoya, Dean 36 Production supervisor Meltdown Glass Art & Design LLC
Haffke, Nathan 34 Franchise director Glass Doctor
Jones, J. Darrell 38 Manager, Marketing & Sales Jones Window Systems Inc.
Anderson, Pete 34 Research and development manager Viracon Inc.
Moore, Jeff 34 Vice president Moore Glass Inc.

Rob Guzzo Production operations manager/owner | Glass Source & Solutions Inc. | Sarasota, Fla.
Education: 1994, Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, University
of Central Florida, Orlando
Career: 2004 to present, production operations
manager/owner, Glass Source & Solutions Inc., Sarasota,
Fla.; 2001-03, architectural glass sales representative,
Gulfstar Industries, Bradenton, Fla.; 1999-2001, general
manager, The Awning Factory, Sarasota;
1997-99, route sales manager, JIT
Distribution, Bradenton; 1995-97,
production operations manager,
Architectural Glass Sales,
Gulfstar Industries, Sarasota
Personal: Age, 39; born,
Sarasota; single, one child
Diversions: Relaxing on
patio/pool, travel, going
to football games,
grilling out with family
and friends
One-word description of
self: Driven
Favorite Web site:
www.comcast.net, the home
page for all the gossip
Lesson learned the hard way: Slow
growth in business
Favorite movie: “The Hunt for Red October”
Favorite musical artist: Keith Rich
39
Favorite book: “The Perfect Storm”
Favorite sports team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2006 20 under 40 winners
Name Age Title Company
Grosze, Robert 33 Vice president, Physical Security & Glazing Division Masonry Arts Inc.
Gill, Sherry 37 Senior interior designer Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo
Janssen, Christian 32 Director special projects/partner/member Ron Wood Architectural Art Glass LLC
Kelly, Shawn 36 Head shower door installer Palo Alto Glass
Reyes II, Rob 32 Owner/operations manager BP - Glass Garage Doors
Vincent, David 37 Vice president Division 8 Contract Glazing
Clarke, Molly 29 Vice president, operations Alpen Inc.
Thompson II, Thomas D. 25 Designer, production manager Colorado Classic Sunrooms
Fontela, Jose 36 President American Glass & Mirror
Lefrancois, Jean 35 Vice president Gamma USA
Czechowski, Tim 37 Co-founder Artwork in Architectural Glass Studios
Laporte, Dan 37 Architectural technical service manager Solutia Inc.
O’Connor Jr., Tim 36 Retail store manager/retail estimator Granite State Glass
Geyman, Ed 31 Vice president Carvart Glass
Bouquot, Tony 37 Director of engineering Patio Enclosures Inc.
Hoover, Scott 39 Senior manager, Architectural Products Pilkington North America
McDougle, Ryan 30 Customer service manager Oldcastle Glass, Perrysburg
Sebold, Mike 38 Business leader, Commercial Glazing Solutions Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing
Marin-Garcia, Alfonso 31 Shift foreman Mammen Glass & Mirror Inc.
Overbay, Brandie 35 Corporate account executive Alumco Inc.
12 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
A t
GlassBuild 2006, Rob Guzzo, along with co-owners Joseph Kutniewski
and John Tagle, bought a tempering oven to expand business and add fabrication
to their shop’s list of services. With that purchase, Guzzo’s job
description changed to production manager. He had spent many hours to get
the new oven online and check off another item in their business plan.
Guzzo, Kutniewski and Tagle originally all worked together
at a glass distributor and fabrication plant, and decided to
start a business of their own. They formed Glass
Source & Solutions Inc. in 2004.
“Managing the day-to-day operations and
finding new ways to streamline the process
from the front office all the way to shipping”
is what Guzzo likes most about his job.
The youngest of five brothers and the
only one to graduate from college, Guzzo
started in the glazing business in 1995 at
a local glass distributor and worked his
way through the ranks. He began in the
warehouse loading trucks and fabricating
glass, working his way to purchasing and
inside sales. Six months later he was transferred
to outside sales.
The rest is history, as they say. “Rob
excelled as sales rep for his company for several
years,” says Rosemary Kauffman, president/
owner, Nilsen Glass Co., Sarasota, Fla. “Key to their
success was building partnerships with glass and aluminum
vendors, thereby offering themselves protection as a
distributor. … He is just as concerned with seeing his customers succeed
as he is his own business; a rare quality in today’s business.”

Ellen Zerucha Market manager | Tremco Inc. | Beachwood, Ohio
Education: 2003, Master of Business Administration, international
business concentration, Weatherhead School of
Management, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland;
1993, B.S., business administration, marketing, University
of Akron (Ohio).
Career: 2005-present, market manager,
Sealants and Glazings; 2003-05,
product manager, Glazing
Solutions Group, Tremco
Inc., Beachwood, Ohio;
2002-03, manager of
applications engineering;
1998-2002,
applications
engineer; 1997-98,
sales coordinator,
XLO Group,
Cleveland
Personal: Age, 39;
Brecksville, Ohio;
single
Diversions: Tennis, running,
sand volleyball, reading,
spending time with friends
and family
Favorite movie: “The Seventh Sign”
39
Favorite Web site: www.SeeJaneWork.com
Favorite book: “The Grapes of Wrath”
Favorite sports team: I’m a tennis fan. Marat Safin is my
favorite men’s player.
2007 20 under 40 winners
14 Glass Magazine ® 14 Glass Magazine • www.glassmagazine.net
® 14 Glass Magazine • www.glassmagazine.net
® • www.GlassMagazine.net
D uring
ing.
Ellen Zerucha’s four years at Tremco Inc., the Commercial Sealants
and Waterproofing division has transformed from the new guy in glazing
into a major player in glazing sealants, tapes and extrusions manufactur-
Zerucha has been critical to that transformation, says Jim Doell,
vice president of marketing, North America. “Ellen has accepted
and aggressively pursued every challenge thrown her way,”
Doell says.
To grow the division, Zerucha implemented brand
positioning, value models and long-term marketing
plans. She faced challenges gaining acceptance to
the strategic changes from others at the company.
“I like to break things down to the lowest common
denominator and be prepared with a lot of
data when I encounter a major obstacle, like trying
to get the entire sales force and upper management
to buy into supporting new ideas,”
Zerucha says. “This way, I can go back to them
with a compelling argument explaining where
there is value in the new program. Then I can ultimately
gain their acceptance.”
Since joining Tremco, Zerucha has become
involved in industry associations, including the Protective
Glazing Council, Topeka, Kan., and the Glass Association
of North America, Topeka, where she serves as chairperson
for the Sealants Manual Task Force.
“These groups are great for networking in our industry and educating
each other,” Zerucha says. “You really learn a lot more by joining a committee.
Tremco has gained several partnership opportunities that would not have happened
if we were not active in industry organizations.”
Name Age Title Company
Adeli, Bob 39 Director of design Glass Design Concepts
Kind Berman, Evan 25 Vice president of operations Gordon & Sons Glass and Mirrors
Canizales, Marcos 33 Vice president California Shower Door Corp.
Cohen, Randy 38 Vice president of sales & marketing Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket Co.
Dickie, Greg 29 Director of manufacturing Atlantic Windows
Donovan, Brent 25 Foreman Mid-Atlantic Glass Corp.
French, James 38 Owner Bowling Green Glass Company LLC
Gebruers, Michael 33 Project manager Sierra Glass & Mirrors Inc.
Heagney, Sharon 27 Director of engineering and project management Safti First Fire Rated Glazing Solutions
Jackson, Chad 33 Lab supervisor CCL West
Johnson, Danielle 27 Senior project manager Trainor Glass Co.
Krier, Daniel 35 Manager Doylestown Glass
Lindeborg, Derek 36 President On-Site Systems
Mejia, Herman 31 Architectural designer Architectural Designs Inc.
Randall, Robin 35 Vice president of marketing Traco
Revenew, Patrick 38 Corporate vice president American Douglas Metals Inc.
Stanley, James 31 Vice president, lead installer Harbor Glass & Mirrors Inc.
Vockler, Kris 35 Vice president, operations ICD High Performance Coatings
Vogt, David 37 Vice president of engineering and chief technical officer Ceres Systems Corp.
Winkler, Mike 39 Architectural sales representative Viracon Inc.

Brian Filipiak Vice president | Alliance Glass Metal Inc. | Romeoville, Ill.
Career: 2000-present, vice president; 1996-99, estimating
project manager; 1994-96, part-time employee, Alliance
Glass Metal Inc., Romeoville, Ill.
Personal: Age 32; born, Oak Lawn, Ill.; married, wife Diane,
three daughters
Diversions: Avid pilot and skydiver.
32
Education: 1994, associates degrees in mechanical engineering
technology and industrial engineering technology, Kent
State University, Kent, Ohio
Career: 2005-present, product manager; 2002-05, Western
regional sales manager; 1999-2002, technical services manager;
1996-99, technical services representative; 1994-96,
production supervisor, Edgetech I.G., Cambridge, Ohio; June
1994-September 1994, draftsman, Lauren Manufacturing,
New Philadelphia, Ohio
Personal: Age, 35; born, Gnadenhutten, Ohio; married, wife
Heather, three children
One-word description of self: Optimistic
Favorite movie(s): “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Passion
of the Christ”
Favorite sports team: Ohio State Buckeyes.
W hen
Joe Erb Product manager | Edgetech I.G. | Cambridge, Ohio
35
Brian Filipiak started working part time for his family’s business at
the age of 16, Alliance Glass and Metal Inc., Romeoville, Ill., was a
small company specializing in window service and repair. Sixteen years
later, the company is a leading glass company in the Chicago region, completing
major educational and health care jobs in the area.
Filipiak, who advanced to become vice president of AGM
Inc., led the company’s growth, says Patrick Love, operations
manager, AGM Inc. “He has nearly tripled the company’s
sales, which allowed him to create more than 50 new
employment opportunities within the industry,” Love says.
Despite rapid changes, Filipiak worked to maintain the
family business’ core values. “We started focusing our efforts
on larger commercial projects, but we used the same values
that I learned from my father,” he says. “Treat people the way
you want to be treated. We started getting a good base of customers
that counted on us and led us into more and more work.”
About 85 percent of AGM Inc.’s jobs come from repeat customers in large
part due to the customer service commitment, Love says.
Filipiak’s dedication extends to his employees. “Brian is a boss who constantly
invests in his employees. He will send employees to various seminars as
well as offer company incentives for jobs well done,” Love says.
T iming
is everything, and for Edgetech’s Joe Erb, this rings especially true. In
1994, he accepted a part-time drafting position at Edgetech parent company
Lauren Manufacturing in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Shortly thereafter,
Edgetech moved into its current location in Cambridge, where the window
spacer manufacturer was looking to grow its staff. “I took a chance,” says
Erb. “I happened to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right skill
set. I took a position and things escalated from there.”
Erb quickly worked his way up the ranks at Edgetech, advancing from technical
services manager to Western regional sales manager to his current position
as product manager.
“I’ve seen Joe transform from a technical services manager to a product
manager in a few short years with great success,” says Larry Johnson, executive
vice president, Edgetech. “He is one of the reasons Edgetech continues to grow
in a down market. He is now our driving force into the commercial warm-edge
market.”
Erb’s primary responsibilities “involves everything from making
sure the support is there for all of our distribution channels, to being
available for hands-on training, to providing the necessary tools to
take products to market, to making sure the products get into the
markets we’re looking to develop,” he says.
Erb also dedicates a significant amount of time giving back to the
industry as an active member of the Insulating Glass Certification
Council, Sackets Harbor, N.Y., and the Insulating Glass Manufacturers
Alliance, Ottawa, Ontario.
It’s not all work and no play for this father of three, however. An
assistant to the headmaster of his son’s Cub Scouts den, he enjoys
biking the Ohio Rails and Trails with his family, hunting and fishing.

Doran L. Chavez Chief operating officer | Reflections Inc. | Waipahu, Hawaii
35
[ ]
Education: 1996, Bachelor of Science, Marketing/Small
Business Management, University of Colorado, Boulder
Career: 2004-present, chief operating officer; 2004-01, sales
manager; 1998-2001, estimator/project manager; 1996-98,
field installation, Reflections Inc. Custom Glass and Mirrors,
Waipahu, Hawaii
Personal: Age, 35; born, Denver; engaged to Tracy Jefferson
Diversions: Snowboarding, trail running, golf
Connections: 94-350 Uke'e St., Waipahu, Hawaii, 96797,
808/676-6767, doran@reflections-glass.com, www.reflectionsglass.com
One word description of self: Alive
Favorite Web site: Google
Lesson learned the hard way: Influence can come from
anywhere, however, always be truthful to your unique style.
Early on in my career I tried managing personnel in ways
that were not reflective of my personal style. This created
more negative results than positive.
Favorite sports teams: X Games, Denver Broncos or any
Colorado sports team, University of Hawaii Warriors football
team
Favorite books: Stephen Covey, Michael Gerber, and Jeffery
Gitomer
Favorite music: Any classic or live jazz.
18 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net
W hile
most executives would consider the client’s satisfaction paramount to
the success of any company, Doran Chavez knows that keeping employees
happy is the surest path to satisfied customers. His experience in the ranks of
Reflections Inc. Custom Glass and Mirrors has helped him develop a close rapport
with his staff. He began working in-house with a crew of four installing glass into
window frames. “An employee must want to be a part of the successes of the organization
in order to satisfy our client base,” he says. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Part of the company’s “cradle to grave” approach to projects is to ensure oversight
of every facet of a job—from planning to fabrication to installation—a
work style that Chavez took to readily. At only 35, Chavez has risen to chief operating
officer of Reflections Glass and continues to demonstrate the thoroughness
for which the company is known. Twenty hour workdays are not uncommon,
but he keeps focused on the goal. “I enjoy a successful installation and completion
of a project; I enjoy the entire process,” he says.
“I have been in the industry for 22 years and have never seen the energy, skill,
motivation and thirst for success that Doran embodies,” says Eric L. Carson,
president and CEO of Reflections Glass. Chavez manages an operation on Oahu
with revenues exceeding $3 million annually and simultaneously runs more than
$1 million of backlog on the island of Maui, Carson says.
The Colorado native plays as hard as he works. A devoted snowboarder, Chavez
makes at least one snowboarding trip to the mainland each year. “An eventual
goal of mine is to snowboard everywhere in the world,” he says. So far he’s snowboarded
in New Zealand, British Columbia, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Anthony Pereira
President | altPOWER Inc. | New York
P eek
behind the scenes at some of the world’s more innovative building
projects, count on altPOWER President Anthony Pereira to be involved.
He was on the roof of Rockefeller Center with New York Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, installing a solar-electric panel system that would generate more
than enough electricity to power all of the 30,000 LED lights on the famous
Christmas tree during the 42-day holiday celebration. He’s at the table in planning
meetings for the new World Trade Center. He flies to Paris to work on a
200,000-square-foot commercial project.
“We do a lot of firsts, but it’s never that important to me,” Pereira says.
“I’m coming from a very sincere interest in expanding the use of solar power
because I feel it’s going to help the planet out.”
Pereira grew up helping out in his father’s concrete construction company,
then earned his bachelor’s in economics from Fordham University. He spent a
semester at architecture school after graduation, but eventually wandered away
to work for Greenpeace. He’d found his niche—design that addresses environmental
concerns—and never looked back. Today, finding new ways to make
solar energy viable and attractive remains Pereira’s focus.
“He inspires me because he’s passionate about his work,” says Andy Allbee,
project manager. “But he’s human. He makes mistakes, depends on other
people and genuinely cares about other people.” His staff also describes this
boss as humble and friendly.
That doesn’t mean Pereira pooh-poohs the impact of his work. “I feel proud
when I walk into one of my buildings,” he says. “It’s a great feeling, and what is
coming down the pipeline will be so amazing.”

Usha Mhay
CSR and part owner | GlassFab Tempering Services | Tracy, Calif.
U sha
Mhay wears many hats at GlassFab Tempering Services. “Usha’s story
tells us that no matter where you start in our business, provided you stay
focused and put your mind to it, you too can be a partner,” says Brian
Frea, operations manager, GlassFab Tempering.
Mhay’s parents immigrated to England more than 45 years ago. Her family
still lives in England, but she came to the United States in 1998 and joined the
glass business in 2000 as a customer service representative.
“I was looking for a career that
allowed me to have interaction with customers,
and an opportunity to broaden
my knowledge in an industry that I was
not accustomed to,” she says.
Mhay joined Oldcastle Glass in Fremont,
Calif., as a customer service representative.
In the next five years, she
kept her full-time job and worked on a
bachelor’s degree in business management,
while juggling a family with two children.
“Our industry is changing faster and for the
better,” Mhay says. “I continually focus my efforts on
the things that I can control. I do my absolute best to take care of our great customers
and suppliers. This to me is a positive influence on our industry.”
39
35
Education: 2003, Bachelor of Science in Business
Management, University of Phoenix, Fremont, Calif.
Career: June 2006-present, finance manager, GlassFab
Tempering Services Inc., Tracy, Calif.; November 2005-June
2006, sales territory manager, ACI Distribution, Santa
Clara/Stockton, Calif.; January 2001-November 2005, customer
service/technical manager, Oldcastle Glass, Fremont.
Personal: Age, 35; born, Wolverhampton, England; married,
two children
Diversions: Going to son’s high school football games,
movies, reading
One-word description of self: Dedicated
Favorite Web site: www.joelosteen.com
Lesson learned the hard way: Go to college right after high
school
Favorite movie: “Ghost”
Favorite musical artist: Kenny G, Celine Dion
Favorite book: “Secret of the Ages” by Robert Collier
Favorite sports team: San Francisco 49ers.
Education: 1990, bachelor’s
in economics, minor in art
history, Fordham University,
Bronx, N.Y.
Career: 2002-present, president
and CEO, altPOWER,
Inc., New York; July 2003–
July 2005, COO, ZIA Power
Inc., Brewster, N.Y.; 1998–2002, president, Alternative
POWER Inc., New York; 1996–1998, Independent consultant
for various architectural and contracting firms in New York
Personal: Age, 39; born, Manhattan; married, wife Janna,
two children
Diversions: painting, photography, travel
One-word description of self: Open-minded.
Favorite Web site: CIA—full of cool facts about other countries
Lesson learned the hard way: Take care of things yourself if
you need to get it done. I was once asked to make sure our
materials were all accounted for and stored properly at one
of our early NYC project sites. Nothing was to be left on the
floor. I noticed some fabricated aluminum parts we had
shipped sitting in boxes on the floor and thought the ornamental
ironworkers were on top of it. A couple of days later I
returned and the stuff was gone—it had been thrown out by
the cleanup crew, and it cost us a few thousand dollars.
Favorite movie: “Cinema Paradiso”
Favorite musical artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite book: “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac.
February 2008 • Glass Magazine ® 19

Thomas Huff
Manager | Go-Glass Corp. | Dover, Delaware
T o
describe Thomas Huff as well-traveled is an understatement.
“I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and I
had never been on a plane until I was 17,” says Huff, who
kicked off his international travels in college with a semester in
Vienna, visiting a total of 29 countries over 20 years. He worked
for large corporations in Germany and the United States, but
when his brother-in-law added two locations of Go-Glass in
Delaware, he was up for a “different type of challenge. I always had
as a goal to go back and work for a smaller company,” he says. “I
like the ability to really have an impact on the business every day.”
Huff accepted the position of manager for Delaware operations
of Go-Glass, a Salisbury, Md., company. Working in a small company
in a small town is both the best and worst part of the job, he
says. “If you don’t treat people the right way, you are going to see
them in your personal life,” he says. “There’s nowhere to hide.” On
the other hand, “positive interactions can help grow the business.”
“With less than three years in the glass industry, Tom has performed
as [if he were] a high-level performer [with] a decade or
more of industry experience,” says Doug Linderer, president of
Go-Glass Corporation and Huff’s brother-in-law.
By all accounts, Huff is running with the challenges of small
company work in a small town. Maybe at some point he’ll want to
be back in the city, but for now he’s really enjoying small town life,
he says. And he hasn’t lost the traveling bug: he and his wife still try
to get to Europe every year.
38
Education: 1997, Master of Business Adminsitration, marketing/international
management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; 1991, Bachelor of Arts,
history, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Career: 2005-present, manager, Delaware operations, Go-Glass Corp., Dover
office, Del.; 2003-05, senior consultant, U.S. Navy Subsector, BearingPoint
Inc., Public Services Business Unit, Alexandria, Va.
Personal: age, 38; born, Bow, N.H.; married, one lemon beagle
Favorite Web site: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com
Lesson learned the hard way: Take a long-term view of problems. Have the
patience to look at situations in the long term.
Favorite movie: “The Bourne Supremacy”
Favorite musical artist: “I’m a child of the ’80s, so the first five REM CDs are
my favorites. I can also listen to Wilco or Buffalo Tom any time.”
Favorite book: “Churchill: The Last Lion” by William Manchester, Volumes I and II.
Favorite sports team: Boston Red Sox.
20 Glass Magazine ® • www.GlassMagazine.net