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Canada’s Glass Associations: October 2022

AVFQ
The AVFQ takes the representation and defence of its members to heart. Following its last annual general meeting, the AVFQ board of directors elected Frederic Grondin as its new president. Grondin is the sales director at Robover and became the 34th president of the AVFQ, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary. Lisa Bergeron of Jeld-Wen, who has served and chaired the association for the past four years, remains active on the board of directors as ex-official chair. 

Adopted last June, the AVFQ’s 2022 to 2025 strategic plan is already under way. 

We remind you that technical bulletins on the AVFQ’s Curtain Wall Guide are available on the guidemurrideau.com website. The bulletins are useful for workers, designers and site supervisors.

The AVFQ continues to offer the FIT window-installer training which presents the best practices with regards to the CSAA440.4:19 standard. The training is available in English and French and it provides the knowledge to take the Installer Certification Program exam.

Eager to get together and fraternize, the members of the AVFQ participated in large numbers at the Omnium AVFQ golf tournament on Aug. 25, which was sold out. Likewise, the numerous sponsoring partners were able to impress the participants throughout the day.

The AVFQ is organizing a new trade mission. Following the great success of the trade mission held in July in Germany, AVFQ members are invited to the GlassBuild America exhibition to be held in Las Vegas in October. A very large number of people have already confirmed their attendance.

AGMCA
From time to time the AGMCA uses this space to shine the spotlight on its member glazing contractors. This month we recognize Burlington Glass and Mirror.

Burlington Glass and Mirror is a shining example proving a completely family-owned and operated business can truly be successful. BGM was founded in 1981 by Bill Parkin and his father,  Albert. They had one installer in a 2,500-square-foot shop on Harvester Road in Burlington, Ont. In the early days, they specialized in shop replacement of broken storm windows and sashless sliders, shelving, table tops, picture framing, mirror walls and tempered glass shower enclosures.

In 1983, after graduating college and gaining a few years of experience in the glass industry, Bill’s son Greg joined BGM as shop manager and coordinator. By 1985 they expanded to 5,000 square feet at the same address.

Not long after Albert retired in 1987, Bill’s son, Stephen, with 12 years’ experience as a union glazier, joined the company to manage contract installations. In 1992, when the need for an office manager became evident, Bill turned to his wife, Margaret, and, in 2000, Greg’s wife, Brenda, joined the family business as administration manager. A few years later, Bill’s daughter, Sarah, joined the company as project manager. In 2007, Greg became president and general manager and Bill retired a year later. As the next generation came of age, Bill’s grandsons, Ben, Josh and Luke, joined the Burlington Glass team.

Burlington Glass has a long track record of customer
satisfaction, fairness and honesty, and has established a reputation within the industry as being a glazing contractor who can always be relied on. To this day, Bill credits their long-term success to the dedication of their employees and family members, as well as the established close relationships with several quality general contractors.

At present, Greg, Sarah and Brenda share management duties, supervising 16 employees in total. BGM is in the same location, 41 years later. Business has evolved over the years and BGM now also specializes in glass mall fronts and curtainwall in office buildings.

Well wishers can reach Bill at whbillparkin@gmail.com or Greg at greg@burlingtonglass.ca.

Visit agmca.ca for membership information. 

FENBC
The Fenestration Association of British Columbia became a Canadian region of the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance in September.  As a result of the merger, FenBC will no longer appear on the association page, but information about the organization can be found in the regular FenBC column.  Zana Gordon,  the FenBC executive director, also recently retired from the industry. 

“This transition will allow FenBC to substitute an even stronger administrative and technical team for a sole-person executive director position that would have been very difficult to fill and will allow FenBC’s vision as an industry association to thrive far into the future,” said Dave Goldsmith, chairman of the FenBC board. 

OGMA
The OGMA is happy to announce that we will once again be recognizing great glass and metal work in Ontario with our Awards of Excellence. There are two, one for excellence in execution and one for excellence in design. Any OGMA member and/or Ontario Architect Association architect is eligible to win an award for a project completed in Ontario by submitting photos and a write-up about it. Check out ogma.ca for a full list of criteria. Nominations will open in January, with the awards being presented to a rapt crowd at Top Glass on April 19. Winners receive a handsome plaque, effusive praise and have their submissions featured for all time on our website. To nominate yourself or another worthy party, email Steve Gusterson at s.gusterson@alumicor.com to get the ball rolling. Next year will mark the first time the awards have been presented since their cancellation in 2020.

We are in the final stages of designing and launching a new website at ogma.ca. By the end of the year, it should be easier than ever to find all the critical information you want about Ontario’s glass and metal industry.

Speaking of remarkable technological innovations, the OGMA is now able to accept credit cards as payment for dues, event registrations and the like. Put away that chequebook…your association has officially entered the 20th century.

Our usual winter education seminar has been cancelled due to ongoing COVID concerns. We’re hopeful that this popular gathering can be reconvened in the spring.