Nov. 24, 2009 – The Canadian Window & Door Manufacturers Association (CWDMA) honoured many of Canada’s window and door leaders with the “Industry Pioneer” awards held at the Win-door North American Show held in Toronto on November 18. The awards were held in conjunction with the celebration of Win-door North America's 15th anniversary.
Nov. 24, 2009 – The Canadian Window & Door Manufacturers Association (CWDMA) honoured many of Canada’s window and door leaders with the “Industry Pioneer” awards held at the Win-door North American Show held in Toronto on November 18. The awards were held in conjunction with the celebration of Win-door North America's 15th anniversary.
Twenty-two of 42 honorees (above) were at a special presentation to accept their award from CWDMA's president Kevin Pelley of Kohltech International and Pioneer Committee Chair, Knut Holmsen of Marvin Windows. Robert Latour of Novatech called up the winners and gave a background on each of their histories and accomplishments. The awards were followed by guest speaker Walter Gretzky.
The Pioneers and their guests were treated to a “Special Dinner” in their honour. Several of the honorees took to the podium at the dinner to “tell their stories” and thank CWDMA for the honour.
The “Pioneer Designation” recognizes the nominee's efforts to promote and to better the objectives of the industry and association nationally. The 42 Pioneers are:
Michel Pion
Portes Métaliques Jacob
1983 Started prehanging doors, 1984-5 opened several retail outlets.
Reg Pollard
Pollard Windows (retired)
1949 N Pollard & Son built first windows, 1955 new building in Burlington, 1964 patented “removeable double glazing.” 1972 added prehung doors, 1980 added vinyl windows. Retired in 1995.
Al Rankin
Icynene Inc.
1973 Dashwood Industries, 1984 Indal – Lock-West Windows,
Indal Building Products, Season-Al Industries, 1994 World of Warmth Windows, 1996
Window World Magazine. Chairman of Window Metric Commission, Chairman of CSA
A440 Window Standards, Past President of CWDMA. Recipient of CP Loewen Award,
Eddie Rochmann
Mitch & Harry
1987 Founded Rochmann Universal Doors. Developed sales of stock doors & doorlites to retail outlets in Canada & USA from 3 facilities. 2009 started Mitch & Harry to supply composite framing system for doors.
Stanley Rokicki
Inline Fiberglass
1974 manufactured aluminum windows & doors with unique hardware, 1992 Inline Fiberglass – developed largest line of fiberglass window and door products, developed first Urethane pultrusions. Active in the community and has set up Engineering scholarships for development of composite materials.
Jack Rooney (retired)
1967 Stanley Berry – 1969 introduced Steel doors, -1973 U.S. Division, 1975 Indal started steel door company which became Peachtree Doors, 1980's Indal Products, 1986 Peachtree Doors, 1997 introduced ODL to Canada, 2001 retired.
Daniel Royer
Groupe Promax
Founded Celco doors in 1985 in St Romuald, QC. Sold to Masonite Corp. in 1997. Currently partner in Groupe Promax screen company.
Jack Smith (retired)
Stanley Doors
1964 Berry Doors Calgary, 1968 Stanley Berry Toronto, 1976 President Stanley Door Systems Canada, 1991 President Stanley Door Systems International. Past president CWDMA, CP Loewen Award. HUDAC Maple Leaf Award. Active in the community – Past President Mississauga Rotary Club.
Ralph Spanier
Calgary Sash & Door
1955 joined father's millwork & window company in Calgary, 1977 became president. Builds custom wood and clad wood windows for Heritage Buildings and renovations. Community volunteer for 15 years.
Saul Spears (retired)
1954 Premium Forest Products, 1971 President of Premium, 1986 went public as Premdor, 1990's bought Masonite, 2004 sold business.
Dave Townsend (retired)
Mid 1980s Founded Specialty Doorlites, sold business to Masonite.
Abe Wiebe (retired)
1969 Co-founded Berdick Manufacturing in Winkler, Manitoba. Berdick was one of the first to offer PVC windows to the mobile home industry. October 2009 sold the business and has recently retired.
Barry Yane
Standard Building Products
1958 started Sashless/Security Windows & Doors, 1974 started “2 Plus 2 Doors” which became Standard Doors.
Dennis Zentner (retired)
1971 Almetco in Vancouver, 1974 Alcan Bldg. Products in Calgary, 1989 CBS Building Products. In 1983, with 4 partners, bought Gienow Sash & Door and later Award Windows in Edmonton and Farley Windows in Alexandria.
Glen Abray (retired)
1974 Started Peachtree Doors Canada (Div. of Indal), 1983 Divisional VP of Indal Ltd. For North American window & door Companies.
Jim Blessin
Oakmont Industries Ltd.
1971 Accurate Doors, 1976 Oakmont Doors, 1998 Oakmont bought by Cameron Ashley & in 2000 by Guardian Industries, 2007 Jim bought the company.
Jean-Louis Bonneville
Bonneville Portes et Fenêtres (retired)
1962 Jean-Louis and his two brothers bought the company that had started in 1946. 1986 company became Groupe Bocenor Inc. Company had grown into a major player when Jean-Louis retired in 2001.
Harry Buhler (retired)
1962 Loewen Windows, 1974 Willmar Windows, 1978 Founded All Weather Windows.
Ray Caravaggio (retired)
1960 Golden Triangle Windows, became president in 1981. Past president CWDMA, Recipient CP Loewen Award, Active volunteer in Waterloo Region committees.
Serge Chalifour
Solaris Quebec Inc.
1991 became president. Provides leadership and direction to a group of 20 employee board members. The company employs more than 200 people and is a leader in PVC windows and doors.
Raymond Dallaire
P.H. TECH
For more than 45 years Raymond and PH Tech have been leaders in design and extrusions. The business serves customers in Canada, USA and Overseas. Past president CWDMA, First recipient of the CP Loewen Award.
Laurie Davies
Omniglass
1971 Dorwin Industries – co-developed fiberglass shapes, 1982 built first fiberglass windows. 1982 Founded Omniglass the first to protrude “thin walled profiles” for windows. Besides Dorwin, three American and three overseas companies are licensed to use products. Owner of 16 North American pultrusion and process patents.
Bernie Dudeck
Paramount Windows
Started in sales at the family business in 1958, moved up to General Manager in 1989. A wood window company in the early years, today they build wood, clad wood, vinyl and composite products. Paramount has customers in Mid Canada and the US mid-west and southwest states.
Larry Elliott
Trimlite
1971 Sauder Industries, 1982 started Trimlite, introduced “brass” to the modern door era, manufacture doorlites and stile and rail doors, plants located in Canada, USA, Vietnam and China.
Bill Fast (retired)
1960's Allmar Distributors, 1972 Founded Willmar Windows. Company grew to seven plants across Canada. 1997 Sold to Jeld-wen.
Jake Fast
Sauder Industries (retired)
1952 Sauder Industries, 1965 to 1994 manager of Richmond door plant. Helped develop “Door Construction Standards” & “Fire Rated Doors.” Past president CWDMA, recipient CP Loewen Award.
Robert Gilles
All Weather Windows
1960's started very young in family business (copper art and doors), 1974 Donat Flamand, 1984 Unique, 1990 Window Tech div of AWW, 1995 amalgamated as All Weather Windows. Director of IGMA.
Guy Gingras
Supervision
Guy's father, Joseph, began making windows by hand in his garage in 1937. In 1966, Guy and his brothers formed Supervision. Guy held the position of president at Supervision until the company was sold in 1993. He is now retired and would like to travel with his wife to visit his children and grandchildren.
Pierre Grand' Maison (retired)
1988 Thermoplast. 1992-President of Thermoplast. Past president of CWDMA, Recipient of the C.P. Loewen award (2004), President of the Quebec Window & Door Industry Association, Recipient of Armand Patenaude award(2008). Pierre is still active as Corporate Director and Business Advisor.
Robert Hunt
Robert Windows
1959 Carhayes Windows, 1961 Founded Robert Hunt Corp. 1998 Bought Robert Windows. Currently active in developing upscale Florida residential & commercial properties.
Cecil Kline (retired)
1963 Calgary window dealer, 1967 Western Aluminum Products as sales manager, 1972 appointed president.
Clare Knechtel
KML (retired)
1959 Time Glass Sashless Dept, 1965 Hunt Windows, 1982 founded Knechtel Millwork (KML), sold business to Andersen Windows.
Peter Kohler
Peter Kohler Windows & Entrances
1978 founded Kohler Windows in
Debert, NS. They pioneered the sale of PVC windows in the Atlantic region. They developed innovations in design, options and manufacturing processes. Today they market their products in Canada, USA and Europe. He is a recipient of the CP Loewen Award.
Tom Lesosky (retired)
1972 Founded Decor Doors in Kelowna, the first steel door manufacturer in the West.
Len Lockart
Lockwood Windows (retired)
Founded Lockwood Windows. Past president CWDMA, Recipient CP Loewen Award
Paul Loewen
Accurate Dorwin
1960's As a teenager worked at Loewen doing odd jobs for 10 cents an hour. 1975 joined company full time starting in HR, Saskatoon branch manager, assistant GM and President. He left Loewen in 1999. 2005 joined Accurate Dorwin. Past President of CWDMA – Certification Program was started in his presidency.
Don Martin
Clearwater Doors
1974 Western Pacific Building Centre, 1979 formed Doorland, sold to JELD-WEN, 1997, 2006 Bought Clearwater Door Manufacturing.
Ron Martini
Starline Windows
1970 bought Starline. The company has manufacturing and distribution outlets in British Columbia, Washington and California.
Bob Mason
Mason Windows
The business was started in the 40's by Bob's father Bruce. Bob and his siblings built a strong loyal customer base. They introduced “pressure treated wood” and “vinyl wrapped wood” to the North American Market.
John Mathews
Dynamic Architectural Windows & Doors
Joined company in 1991. Dynamic specializes exclusively in architect-designed luxury residential projects, supplying signature estate homes and residences across the continent and internationally from their 110,000 sq. ft. factory in Abbotsford, BC.
J. F. McCracken
Executive Director CLA (retired)
1967 Spearheaded the developing of CWDMA from CLA woodworking bureau. Active in World Boy Scouts. Received 1st “Pinnacle Award” from Cdn. Society of Association Executives.
Gérard Milette
Milette Doors
1967 The company began in the wooden door and window business for the local Mauricie region. In 1980, Mr. Milette focused on the manufacturing of solid wood interior and exterior doors. Milette Doors Inc. has become one of the most successful wood door manufacturers.
Barry Murphy
Therma-Tru Doors
1953 Lloyd Doors, 1973 Premdor, 1979 Stanley Doors, 2001 LBM Marketing. Past president of CWDMA, Recipient of CP Loewen Award.
Ray Ouellette
Novatech Group
1974 Les Industries Philias Flamand, 1976 Unik Industries, 1982 founded Novatech Group. Past president of CWDMA, Recipient of CP Loewen Award, Recipient of Canada Award for Business Excellence.
Jim Parker
Win-door Consultants
1960 Pilkington Glass, 1973 Hunt Windows, 1986 Indal Building Products, 1990 Engineered Profiles, 1996 Berlinex, 2000 Novatech Glass. 1995 Co-founded the Win-door Show, Recipient of CP Loewen Award.
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