| Sullivan and crew at the Shamrock Shuffle |
Seeing the trees through the forest
Welcome to the March edition of our newsletter!
This past weekend I participated in the 5k portion of the Shamrock Shuffle in Sauk Rapids, MN. I like this race because it signifies the start of spring (in my mind) and it celebrates my Irish heritage too.
This year was extra fun as I coerced several friends to join me. It was the first competitive running event that most of them had ever participated in. It was interesting to watch their nervous energy before the race and I was impressed that they all had an idea or goal in which to finish. I am happy to report all achieved their goal with the exception of one...ME! Let me explain.
The run started out great and I felt very good. I had been training outside and had really started to knock the winter rust off and my stride was getting much better. I was near the lead runners when we were coming to the point where the 5k runners were to make a turn and the 10k runners were to continue on an extended course. One of the course volunteers shouted instructions that 5k runners were to turn and the 10k runners were to go straight. As I looked up, I saw a couple of runners a block or two ahead of me turn to the right so I assumed it was the route to follow. As I started to head back onto the 5k route I could see individuals cutting in a block or two in front of me. I initially thought they were mistaken...and then realized I was the one mistaken! I ended up finishing second overall and finished out of first by 53 seconds! What's the saying -- shoulda coulda woulda?
In business we often plow ahead without having a true vision of the objective at hand. A little planning and prep (like reading the MAP!) can result in a positive experience and add to the bottom line. Not taking the time to prepare costs time and money. This is one of the lessons we learned from the Great Recession and have tried to do our best to invest more time and energy in prepping and planning. The efficiencies have had a positive result on our bottom line. It has also had a positive result on our overall company health. The morale has improved because there are fewer mistakes being made. It's only human to think negatively towards someone who may have, right or wrong, been responsible for a less-than-positive result on a project.
I'm happy to report that we are finally getting into our back log and the bidding activity remains strong at all of our locations. I recently returned from the BEC conference in Las Vegas and heard similar reports from all areas of the country. That is good news indeed.
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. I appreciate all of the positive comments and constructive criticism too. Next month we'll talk turkey....Did I ever tell you about the time I took a wrong turn in a bike race?
Wishing you continued success!
President/CEO, Heartland Glass
Executive Vice President, Brin Northwestern
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Glenwood-based Glacial Ridge Hospital expansion includes fresh features from Heartland Glass
| Heartland Glass is proud to be a building partner in the newly expanded Glacial Ridge Health Center in Glenwood. |
Capping off a $5.2 million, 14-month expansion project, Glacial Ridge Health System is now open in Glenwood, MN. Heartland Glass participated in the project through general contractor JE Dunn. "There were 750 square feet of storefront and a few high-thermal, triple glazed pre-manufactured Wausau windows at select locations," said Garrity Gerber, Heartland Glass project manager. "We did a 10-foot tall 3-sided entrance vestibule with thermally broken doors and a long run of sunshades that were custom-made to match the existing because the original manufacturer was unknown." The remodeled rehabilitation/physical therapy room had 2 mirrored walls in one room and one other in an adjacent room. The hospital was active the entire time and the project was phased to limit disruption to the staff and patients. "We worked closely with the project superintendent to plan each trip," Garrity said, "There were critical turnover dates revolving around the MRI unit because delivery and training were scheduled months in advance. We had to work closely with the contractor to coordinate the sunshade install because no structural support was shown on the structural drawings." Thank you for considering Heartland Glass for your next commercial construction project!
| Glacial Ridge Hospital, Glenwood, MN. |
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March Featured Employee, Mark Crowson
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Brin Northwestern sales representative and triathlete,
Mark Crowson.
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Contract sales rep Mark Crowson hasn't been hitting the streets for Brin Northwestern for long, but when it comes to logging miles on the road, Mark has set some personal bests.
"I started as a sales rep for Brin this January," the St. Paul native said, "I've been a glazer for 15 years but I asked Bill to take a chance on me up in the office and so far so good." Mark's not afraid to dig deep and find a new skill he never knew he had. After graduating from Johnson Senior High School in St. Paul, he went on to become a successful professional chef in Minneapolis for many years before switching gears into the glass industry as a glazer for 15 years, 7 months of that stint at Brin, and now again is taking on a fresh role as a commercial sales representative.
Another gift he never knew he had was that of an endurance athlete. At the age of 35 (almost exactly 10 years ago), Mark ran his first step which has led to a serious track record since that day. "My first accomplishment through running was losing 70 pounds in 9 months," Mark said, "Since then I've run many competitive races including duathlons, triathlons, 13 marathons and an Ironman." A true Ironman race includes swimming for 2.4 miles, biking for 112 miles and running for 26.2 miles in under 17 hours.
Mark's professional and athletic success stories have been inspiring for many but he recently did a truly inspiring thing -- he gave his training bike to an army veteran named Dan Z. "I follow this multi sport garage sale online and Dan had posted that he needed some clip-on aerobars for a road bike because he was training for a triathlon," Mark said, "I said what he really needs is a time trial bike - so I gave him mine. How often do you get to say thanks to a vet for all he or she has done?" That triggered a flood of responses from other athletes who wanted to help Dan too. "He got a wetsuit, equipment, swim caps, anything a guy could need to compete in a triathlon," Mark said. Today Mark and Dan keep in touch about their training and racing.
I've really appreciated the opportunities I've had here at Brin," Mark said, "The first project I worked on here was the Lifesource project, which was a new facility for an organ transplant company here in Minneapolis. The people from the company were so grateful and our Brin crew was amazing. I was helping install two-story curtain walls and anchoring them into place which was quite an experience." Mark appreciates the creative and challenging nature of the glass industry as a whole. "I learn something new every day and I love it," Mark said.
Mark and his wife Jamie live in St. Paul with their two children, Bella who is 13 and William who is 10.
Thank you to each and every one of our team members for making our blended family of Heartland Glass and Brin Northwestern such a strong, successful one!
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We need
YOU!
Volunteer for the 2015 Sartell Apple Duathlon!
Our Heartland Glass team is looking for volunteers
to help on the evening of
Friday May, 22nd and early morning Saturday May 23rd.
As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to do the following:
-Registration
-Course direction and guidance
-Body & age marking
-Timing and receipt assistance
-Food & T-shirt tent
-Parking coordination
*Volunteer with a friend! The more the merrier, Please talk with
Suzy about teaming up with a friend.
For more information contact Suzy Albrecht:
[email protected]
RUN WITH US!
Run-n-ride the Apple with us! Sign up to race!
Check out the 2015 course:
| Sartell Apple Duathlon Course |
We are currently looking for sponsors for the 2015 Sartell Apple Duathlon. If you are interested please contact [email protected].
Attention FIRST-TIMERS!
We also have a new promotion to first time DUers.
If this is your first time racing the Sartell Apple Duathlon ever or in the past 5 years we'll give you $5 off.
Just email [email protected] for your promotion code.
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The Apple Store "Look" = Glass!
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Apple Store Architect:
Why All My Stores Are Glass
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Steve Job's vision for the now infamous Apple stores was a clear one. He wanted them entirely made of glass. Large format glass projects like the Apple stores are rare and gorgeous.
From the beginning, Jobs vision was "a very simple structure." It all started with the staircase. The first store location in SoHo NYC featured all-glass stair rail and treads with minimal hardware. The Los Angeles store includes a stair that can meet significant seismic loads and the staircase is hung rather than supported at the base, and it can accommodate lateral sway.
Then came longer staircases including a 5-meter stair in the Beijing store and circular staircases that required chemically tempered glass, like that in Osaka. From single-story circular staircases came two-story staircases and in 2006, the company moved beyond stairs to develop a full glass cube entrance such as the one on the 5th Avenue underground store in Manhattan. The cube had 30-foot sides with 106 panels of glass total. The design team continued to investigate ways to get larger glass lites to maximize transparency and minimize fittings eventually completing a store in Palo Alto, California where glass columns support a steel roof. The new Apple store in Istanbul has just four massive panels of glass that are joined at the corners with silicone joints and topped with a carbon fiber roof.
Looking ahead, products such as Corning's Gorilla Glass, an ultra-thin, ultra-strong glass will create even more architectural possibilities for glass buildings such as Apple's creations.
To read the full story from Glass Magazine about how Apple pushes the envelope of what is possible in glass design, click here.
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| Apple Granted Patent On Glass Cube Store |
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Heartland Glass is a full service glass company serving both commercial and residential customers throughout Central Minnesota and beyond.
- Curtain Wall
- Architectural Windows
- Aluminum Doors
- Storefront
- Glass Hand Rails
- Heavy Glass Entrances
- Glass and Glazing
- Windows for New Construction or Replacement
- Custom Shower Doors
- Refurbish Shower Doors
- Specialty Mirrors
To learn more about our full line of glass products and services, contact us or stop by our Waite Park showroom. |
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Quote to Consider...
In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
~ Henry David Thoreau
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Current Projects
Annandale Middle School
Annandale, MN
Blattner Energy
Avon, MN
The Bluffs of Williston Williston, ND
Camp Ripley Bldg 2-198
Little Falls, MN
Camp Ripley Bldg. 7-1
Little Falls, MN
Cardinal Point Apartments
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Cashwise
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CentraCare
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Centra Care / St. Cloud Hospital
Heart Center
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Cielo Apartments
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College of Saint Benedict Nursing
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Cypress Courts
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Dairy Queen
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Davita Dialysis
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Davita Dialysis
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Davita Dialysis
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Davita Dialysis
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Davita Dialysis
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Davita Dialysis
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Elk River Water Treatment, Elk River, MN
Granite Apartments
Alexandria, MN
Graybar Electric
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Hinckley Medical Office Building
Hinckley, MN
Hubbard County Courthouse
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Joint Regional Material Recovery Renville, MN
Kennedy School Addition
St. Joseph, MN
Litchfield Water Facility
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Lupulin Brewing
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Mahnomen Assisted Living
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Maryland Park Apartments St. Paul, MN
Pierz Public Schools Pierz, MN
Pine City Clinic Pine City, MN
Preferred Credit
St. Cloud, MN
Quinlivan & Hughes Office St. Cloud, MN RBS Corporate Office Remodel Sauk Rapids, MN Regency Apartments Waite Park, MN Renaissance Heights Williston, ND
Renville County Hospital Olivia, MN Roseville Parks Roseville, MN
Saint Benedict's Center
Monticello, MN
St. Cloud Hospital Renovation
St. Cloud, MN
St. John's Lutheran Church
Zimmerman, MN
Stillwater Fire Hall
Stillwater, MN
Trinity Logistics
Sartell, MN
VA Rehab Center
St. Cloud, MN
VA Hospital revolving door addition
St Cloud, MN
Viking Electric Waite Park, MN Waconia Manufacturing Waconia, MN Watford Commercial Center Watford, ND
Williston Commercial Suites, Williston, ND
Woods Nursery St. Cloud, MN
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Industry Events
NFRC Spring Committee Week
MARCH 23-25, 2015
Annapolis, MD
NeoCon
JUNE 15 - 17, 2015
Chicago, IL
GlassBuild America
SEPTEMBER 16 - 18, 2015
Atlanta, GA
GANA Fall Conference
OCTOBER 13 - 16, 2015
San Antonio, TX
Watch for these WONDERFUL upcoming events too!
Big Brothers Big Sisters Magic Moments Gala
April 10, 2015
St. Cloud, MN
Earth Day Half Marathon
April 18, 2015
SCSU, St. Cloud, MN
Apple Kids Duathlon
May 22, 2015
Sartell, MN
Apple Duathlon
May 23, 2015
Sartell, MN
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