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Top Glass unveils all-star lineup for 2022 live event

Canada’s trade conference for the architectural glass and metal industry returns as a live event April 20 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., and organizers are having a hard time containing their excitement about the big names appearing. The one-day conference and trade show attracts hundreds of glazing contractors, glass fabricators, architects and building engineers each year for education and networking around the commercial glazing industry. The 2022 event will be the first in-person edition of Top Glass since the 2020 show was moved online due to the pandemic.

Here is the agenda. Top Glass sessions qualify for Continuing Education credits with most Canadian professional organizations.

9:30 Keynote address

SUPPLY AND DEMAND: Our challenge in an era of entangled global supply chains

presenter: The Hon. Tony Clement, Reshoring Canada

Before the pandemic, our biggest concern was finding the customers and making the sales. Now, with the phone ringing off the hook, the difficulty is getting the supplies and equipment we need. This global crisis has laid bare the downside of depending on offshore suppliers for critical products…but are our economies now irrevocably tied to the advantages of cheap labour, less regulation and scale of production that can be found overseas? These are questions that Tony Clement, as former federal Industry Minister, grappled with directly. Today, his concern with the state of our supply chains has led him to co-found Reshoring Canada, an information and advocacy group exploring ways to bring manufacturing back home. Join us at Top Glass to collect Mr. Clement’s insights, prescriptions and predictions for how and where we’ll get our critical supplies going forward.

Tony Clement is a former minister in the Harper government federally, and Harris government in the province of Ontario. During his time in the House of Commons, Mr. Clement served as both Minister of Health and Minister of Industry, playing a lead role in getting Canada’s economy back on track after the most significant global economic recession since the 1930s. In 2011, Mr. Clement was re-elected for a third consecutive time. Shortly after his re-election, he was asked by the Prime Minister to take on the responsibilities of President of the Treasury Board. In this capacity, Mr. Clement lead the development and implementation of a cross-government spending review—looking at transformational ways to support and deliver services to taxpayers in the most effective and efficient means possible. Within the federal government, Mr. Clement chaired five different committees of Cabinet and served on the Cabinet Committee on Priorities and Planning, chaired by the Prime Minister. Mr. Clement’s dedication to public service spans three decades. During his eight years as an Ontario MPP, he held prominent Cabinet positions in the Ontario government, including Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment.

11:00

GOOD IDEAS: Collected strategies for making our businesses better

presenter: Max Perilstein, Sole Source Consultants

This one is more about “who” than “what.” Top industry influencer, Max Perilstein, will share his insights and observations from a life spent in the glass industry, with perspective from his position as writer of the popular From the Fabricator blog. Put your hand up to chat with Max about what he’s hearing in his conversations with architectural glass professionals across North America.

Max Perilstein has the glass and glazing industry in his blood. Thanks to roots that harken back more than 120 years and a passion for the industry today, what goes on in the present and future of the glass industry is always something at the forefront of Max’s world. Max’s great grandfather Harris Perilstein arrived in North America in 1898 with only $34 dollars and glasscutter in his pocket. He started a glass company in Philadelphia, Pa, and delivered his material by bicycle. Fast forward to today and Max’s current role in the glass world. He is the founder of Sole Source Consultants, a consulting firm that focuses on the glass and glazing industry and specializes in market research, branding, communication strategy and overall reputation management. For the past 30 years Max has been involved at some of the highest levels in the glass and glazing industry including time as vice-president of marketing for Arch Aluminum & Glass, and chief marketing officer for Vitro America. Max served four years on the Board of Directors of the Glass Association of North America and during that time oversaw the explosive growth of the annual BEC show, taking from 200 people to a high of more than 800 in 2007. Max still serves on the planning committee of that event and moderates at least one panel discussion each year. Max is also very involved with GlassBuild America and lends his expertise to the National Glass Association staff with regards to the planning and execution of that event. For many, Max is best known through his blog From the Fabricator which is now going on its 16th year after being the first such industry piece of its kind. The blog is published 48 weeks a year and re-transmitted on glassmagazine.com. In addition, in 2021, Max launched a monthly podcast also named “From the Fabricator” that features multiple guests from various segments of the glass and glazing world. Max considers himself an enthusiastic and independent observer of the industry and the people and products that make the glass world go.Max is a graduate of Ohio University. He and his wife Beth live with their two children in New Baltimore, Michigan.

12:45

THE ENGINEER: What’s new and what’s coming in commercial codes and standards

Presenter: David Heska, WSP

The rules for designing, making and installing glass facades are constantly evolving and today’s need to drive energy efficiency forward has accelerated the process. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. David Heska is here to help with an expert look at recent changes to the National Building Code and the standards important to the architectural glazing industry. He’ll draw on his diverse experience and the deep well of knowledge at WSP to not only explain the changes that are happening, but share some insight into likely future directions.

David Heska is a professional engineer and the southwestern Ontario director at WSP. In addition to his regional role, David provides leadership on operational initiatives across the building sciences team from coast-to-coast. David is a contributing columnist in Glass Canada magazine and has spoken at The Buildings Show and the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association trade show. He is also a member of the Fenestration Canada Education Committee.  David’s areas of expertise include building envelope projects (windows, curtainwall, roofs) as well as concrete restoration projects (balconies, walls and parking garages). He has been involved in the assessment and repair of hundreds of buildings across Ontario, including multi-unit residential structures (all types of high-rise, townhouses, condominiums, co-ops), office towers, industrial buildings, stadiums, arenas and other public facilities. WSP is one of the world’s leading consulting engineering firms, working with building owners, governments, businesses and providing integrated solutions across many disciplines with over 49,000 employees across 40 countries.

2:15

RISE UP, GLAZIER NATION: Innovative solutions to today’s labour challenges

Presenter: David Schwieterman, Glazier Nation

The struggle to find and retain skilled glass installers and fabrication workers is familiar to everyone in the architectural glass business. Increasingly, our old networks of trade schools, apprenticeship programs and recruiting struggle to meet the needs of our industry. It’s time for some fresh thinking. Glazier Nation is a new recruiting, training and placement service for skilled commercial glaziers that has put hundreds of glaziers into the trade across North America. As a partner in Glazier Nation, David Schwieterman has seen it all when it comes to skilled trades recruiting and has pioneered surprising tactics that are helping glass companies across the U.S. find the workers they need. Schwieterman will share his insights into the labour market, and describe some of the services Glazier Nation will soon be offering Canadians.

David Schwieterman is president of Global Construction Industries, a production software provider. Hailing from Laotto, Ind., David has nine years’ experience in the glazing trades as a project manager and estimator, where he designed his proprietary software products. Schwieterman teamed with Matt Day, founder of Glazier Nation, in 2021 to advance the network’s online capabilities and roll out a new suite of digital tools for glaziers and managers in the architectural glass industry.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

As always, admission and parking at Top Glass is free, thanks to our generous sponsors.

SHOW FLOOR

The Top Glass show floor is a who’s who of Canada’s top suppliers to the architectural glass industry. Check out our current exhibitor list. It’s open continuously throughout the day from 9:00 to 4:00.

OUR ASSOCIATION PARTNERS

Top Glass benefits from our alliances with North America’s glass industry associations.

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