The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) is still accepting registrations for the upcoming AAMA 2014 Fall Conference. It will be held Sept. 14-17 in Westminster (Denver), Colorado. An action-packed week in the heart of the Centennial State has been planned for attendees, who can test their industry knowledge with a game show during the Product Supplier Display, and enjoy a night on the town at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Those interested in making a hotel reservation at the Westin in Westminster may contact Florence Nicolici directly.

Exhibits
Exhibitor spots for the Supplier Product Display are still available, although time is running out to join the 14 currently filled. This opportunity is offered to Category 1 supplier members and provides the opportunity to exhibit products and services during an informal reception. Exhibitors are able interact with a number of potential customers without the added expense of separate trips or time away from the office. Local architects, specifiers and other industry professionals also have been invited to attend.

While at the display, attendees can test their knowledge by playing “Are You Smarter than a FenestrationMaster?” and win discounts off FenestrationMasters™ courses and exams. Players can earn savings on the only publicly available professional education and certification program by correctly answering questions from the course work.

Networking
Attendees also can look forward to optional Sunday events, including a Colorado Foothill sightseeing tour with a visit to the Coors Brewery and a golf scramble tournament. The tour will be from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the golf scramble will have a 9 a.m. tee time. A group outing for dinner and karaoke at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre will happen Tuesday night starting at 4 p.m.

During these networking events and throughout the conference, attendees are encouraged to tweet using the hashtag “#AAMAConf” and mention @AAMAinfo.

To stay in the loop and have a custom-built agenda in your pocket all week, attendees can download the free AAMA app. During the Fall Conference, app users can receive notifications with pertinent event information, connect and interact with AAMA staff, take notes during conference sessions and much more. The app is available in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play.

Speakers
Michael Hodgson, ConSol founder, has more than three decades’ worth of experience in making new and existing buildings more energy efficient. His presentation, “California Regulatory Proceedings Impacting the Nation,” will be given Tues., Sept. 16. Hodgson will discuss how California’s leading edge energy policy is driving the market to time-of-use energy pricing, incentivizing ways to reduce peak load and detailing how the policy impacts energy choices in buildings.

Additional speakers will include Dick Doyle, who will present an update on The Vinyl Institute, and Sherwin-Williams representatives Kathy Andersson and Eric Crosby, who will give an aluminum-focused presentation on coatings trends and residential and commercial exteriors.

Spouses
On Monday, spouses attending the conference are invited to roll up their sleeves from 9-11 a.m. to fill backpacks with school supplies to benefit a Title I elementary school serving underprivileged children in the Westminster area.

A Title I area school is designated as such for having a poverty level at or above 40 percent. Children attending Title I schools are typically in homes where the household income is under $23,000 per year. AAMA will be filling and delivering more than 400 backpacks at a cost of $22 per backpack.

Volunteers will travel to the school to distribute the backpacks as well. Thanks to those who helped sponsor this important project and for World Vision’s efforts in bringing this cause to the conference.

World Vision is a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to help them reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. AAMA and World Vision have been working together since February 2012.

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The Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award flag now flies at Wausau Window and Wall Systems. Janie Ritter, director of the Wisconsin Safety Council, visited Wausau in August to present the flag and award plaque to company president Jim Waldron and safety manager Doug Janz.

At the award ceremony, Waldron said, “Safety is at the top of the list of our core values and we have a great team of associates that made this recognition happen.” After being honored five years in a row as an award finalist, Wausau Window and Wall Systems was selected as one of only 13 winners in the state of the prestigious, 20th annual Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award.

During her visit, Ritter toured Wausau’s manufacturing facility and spoke to the associates. She explained the history of the Wisconsin Safety Council and the Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award: “There is a rigorous nomination process where statistical information, as well as information on the organization’s safety programs is considered by a panel of judges. There are many companies in Wisconsin doing the right things to provide safe workplaces, and the winners of the Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award are the best of the best.”

The Wisconsin Safety Council website elaborates, “This awards program honors businesses for exemplary safety records and excellence in safety and health management. These businesses are making safety a top priority. They have gone to extensive measures to assure their most valuable asset — their employees — are safe on the job.”

Waldron added, “This is an incredible award. It shows that every associate takes their own safety and the safety of their team members seriously.”

To learn more about Wausau’s safe, green business practices, products and employment opportunities, please visit http://www.WausauWindow.com.

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“Top 10 Considerations in Healthcare Renovation” is a new paper from Knutson Construction sharing its extensive experience in healthcare facilities renovation projects and key points that should be addressed when selecting a contractor. The paper can be viewed by online.

“Having led over 150 healthcare construction projects for over 20 different organizations in the last 15 years, Knutson is well-versed in the joint commission standards, and literally wrote the book on interim life safety measures and infection control,” says Todd Vigil, Knutson’s vice president of project development. In addition to safety and communication, the Top 10 list addresses such topics as value-conscious budgeting and the benefits of using larger, self-performing contractors for renovation projects.

Vigil adds, “Our Top 10 list reflects our philosophy that it’s not the construction that comes first, it’s the needs of patients and staff; minimizing disruption and maximizing convenience is more than a priority – it’s a requirement.

Knutson has contributed to notable healthcare projects for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services, and a major healthcare provider in Rochester, Minnesota. Other healthcare clients include Hazelden Foundation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Allina Health, and Park Nicollet.

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The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) announces new staff appointments, which include Jason Seals as certification manager and Rich Rinka as technical/industry affairs manager.

Jason Seals, Certification Manager

Seals comes to AAMA with over 15 years of experience in the fenestration industry. As AAMA’s certification manager, he will direct all certification-related activities of the association with direct management responsibilities for the AAMA air, water and structural Gold Label Certification Program, as well as the AAMA Thermal Certification Program (Silver Label). Also, Seals will manage all aspects of the ANSI accreditation requirements in addition to certification-related audits and act as advisory staff liaison to assigned member groups within the association.

“We are very fortunate to have Jason join AAMA in the role of certification manager,” says AAMA’s president and CEO, Rich Walker. “He will be a valuable asset to the association and our members since he brings with him more than 15 years of testing and member company knowledge and experience.”

In his most recent position with a window and door manufacturer, Seals managed certifications and approvals from various independent inspection agencies and code organizations, including AAMA.

Rich Rinka, Technical/Industry Affairs Manager

As AAMA’s technical/industry affairs manager, Rinka will serve as a technical spokesperson and liaison representing AAMA at the meetings of key affiliated industry organizations to identify any areas of interest or impact to AAMA members. He also will conduct critical reviews of the association’s technical documents to ensure consistency, stringency and accuracy, as well as coordinate the use and acceptance of AAMA standards by other consensus bodies. As staff liaison for assigned committees and task groups, Rinka will provide technical expertise and direction for members.

“In a relatively short period of time as the previous certification manager at AAMA, Rich grasped all the challenging nuances of the certification program. We have no doubt he will excel as technical/industry affairs manager,” says Walker. “Rich’s impressive technical credentials and troubleshooting experience in the field underlie his versatility, and we look forward to him solidifying AAMA’s relationships and collaboration with our key industry partners.”

Prior to joining AAMA in 2012, Rinka worked in the industry as a field technical engineer for a component supplier and also served as chair of the AAMA 800 Maintenance Committee. During his time in product development for the automotive industry, he developed and still holds four patents related to sealants.

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The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has released AAMA 663-14, Voluntary Specification for In-Process Quality Control Requirements for Applicators of Organic Coatings to Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Exterior Profiles, which establishes the minimum requirements for applicators of organic coatings to PVC exterior profiles that are used in windows, doors and skylights.

“This new document is important to the fenestration industry because it lets consumers know that the finish applied to their AAMA-certified windows has been done properly and in accordance with the standards AAMA intended,” says David Harris (Renolit), chair of the Third Party Finishes Certification Task Group.

Harris adds that this standard is a guideline for in-process quality control during the application of paints to windows, doors and skylights made of PVC. In the past, standards existed for extruders or window manufacturers when working with the paint process, but there was no AAMA standard for in-process quality control when painting was being done at outside contractors.

“From an applicator’s perspective, it gives the ability to substantiate that the application process is being followed to the defined standards,” says Mark Bamford (Milgard), vice chair of the task group. “From a manufacturer’s perspective, it gives them an additional quality check from their external vendor to make sure that application process is going correctly. It provides some oversight.”

Bamford adds that sometimes vendors may check paint and then store any unused excess, but then not test the remaining paint later. This will no longer be the case.

“This allows testing to occur at the point of application and not just at the receipt of product,” says Bamford. “It gives enhanced material quality control.”

AAMA 663-14, along with other AAMA documents, may be purchased from AAMA’s Publication Store.

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The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has released AAMA TIR-15-14, Overview of Design Wind Load Determination for Fenestration Systems. This report discusses the determination of design wind loads on curtainwalls and other building cladding systems.

The document originally was published in 1985, when Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel (BLWT) testing was a relatively new field, and limited information was available on its methods and uses.

“There have been numerous changes and developments in identifying wind speeds more accurately,” says Doug Holmberg (Wausau Window and Wall Systems), chair of the Design Wind Loads on Fenestration Task Group. “As a result, this document needed to be updated to reflect those changes. The BLWT testing has been around now for quite a few years, and when the document was first published it was relatively new for analyzing buildings.”

Holmberg adds that the document provides guidance for when to use ASCE/SEI 7, the major document that gives procedures for finding various design loads, and when to consider using BLWT testing.

“It was important that we update the document to current standards and developments for analyzing and determining wind pressures or wind loads on fenestration products,” Holmberg adds.

The Task Group’s vice chair, Greg McKenna (Kawneer), offers insight from an engineer’s perspective, adding that the document does a great job of defining terms necessary for wind load determination. These include operational definitions of building height and width, as well as others.

“This document gives designers guidance on how to determine a corner zone and a tributary area, both of which are key in determining wind loads,” says McKenna.

AAMA TIR-15-14, along with other AAMA documents, may be purchased from AAMA’s Publication store.

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GlassBuild America expo booth #2263 / CSI CONSTRUCT expo booth #748

Tubelite Inc. introduces 34000 Series storefront system as part of its ForceFront™ Storm products, engineered for hurricane resistance on low- to mid-rise commercial buildings. The 34000 Series has been tested to Florida Building Code TAS 201, 202 and 203 standards and are compliant with ASTM E 1886/1996 Wind Zone 4 impact/cyclic criteria. ForceFront medium stile entrance doors also were tested with 34000 Series storefront to provide a complete impact-resistant system.

Tubelite’s 34000 Series features a 2-1/2-by-5-inch flush-glazed system and impact-resistant screw-spline framing, glazed with 1-5/16-inch laminated glass positioned in the center of the frame. This new addition is offered as either a non-thermal E34000 Series system or as the T34000 Series with a single poured-and-debridged thermal improvement option. Both choices easily accommodate insulated glass.

Along with hurricane impact resistance and thermal performance, ForceFront medium stile entrance doors are designed for compliance with large and small missile impact, and for forced entry testing to meet AAMA 1304-02. The door stiles have a 4-inch profile width and a depth of 1-3/4-inch. The aluminum used to produce all of Tubelite’s ForceFront systems can be extruded using EcoLuminum™, a high recycled-content aluminum billet composition with eco-friendly, durable finishes.

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Wausau Window and Wall Systems accepted an award during the Wisconsin State Fair Military and Veterans Recognition Day ceremony on Aug. 10 from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA). More than 400,000 veterans live in Wisconsin, 76 percent of which are age 50 and older. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 7.6 percent of Wisconsin’s veterans were unemployed last year.

Governor Scott Walker presented the award to Maureen Egan, Wausau’s vice president of human resources. “Wausau is extremely proud to receive this recognition. As an employer we are committed to hiring our nation’s heroes and honored to work with WDVA on this important effort,” said Egan. The award honors those who have partnered with the WDVA on initiatives such as “VetCon: A Veteran Employment and Services Conference” and employment symposiums.

The WDVA partners with various agencies and organizations to host career fairs. In 2013, more than 4,000 veterans and spouses attended the WDVA’s statewide career fairs. Of those who completed a survey about their career fair experience, 55 percent had received a job offer or follow-up interview.

“Our service members have dedicated their time and talents to serve our country, and it is our duty to assist them with a smooth transition back into their communities and families,” said Walker. “As a state and as a country we must do all we can to provide veterans with access to the resources they need to be successful.”

image courtesy of the Office of Governor Scott Walker

“While the WDVA is responsible for assisting veterans on many different issues, we are especially focused on helping veterans find meaningful employment,” stated WDVA’s secretary John A. Scocos. In a letter to Wausau, he added, “Partners like you help us to make Wisconsin the best state for veterans and their families to live. …thank you for all the work you do on behalf of veterans.”

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Wausau Window and Wall Systems expanded architectural sales representative, Bob Thiede’s sales region to include southern California, Nevada and Hawaii, as well as Wyoming, Montana and portions of Idaho, South Dakota and North Dakota. He builds upon the strong relationships established with building owners, architects, general contractors and glazing contractors by Tom Metz, Wausau’s former representative for this territory who retired this year.

Throughout his 33 years of experience, Thiede worked closely with Metz, his predecessor Don Tidwell and with Wausau’s other Southwest-based representatives. He has contributed to dozens of projects, such as the Anaheim Convention Center, the Los Angeles Police Department’s administration building, the J. Paul Getty Art Museum in Los Angeles, Pacific Beacon in San Diego, and many hospital and university buildings.

For the majority of his career, Thiede worked as an estimator providing Wausau’s customers with critical information needed to design and engineer their projects. He studied business administration at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

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Lori Schock has been named Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ vice president of sales and marketing. As a member of Wausau’s executive team, Schock reports directly to company president Jim Waldron. Drawing from more than 20 years of management experience, she most recently served as general manager of Hilti North America’s East Great Lakes and Steel Services division.

“We are excited to have Lori join us,” said Waldron. “We’ve been searching for the perfect leader who has a proven record of supporting steady growth, has developed high-performing teams and has developed new markets, as well as someone who has a strong understanding of commercial and industrial construction products. It was a tall order and we took our time to find the best person for this key position.”

Beginning Aug. 11, Schock will manage Wausau’s team of market managers, regional sales managers, local architectural sales representatives and manufacturer’s representatives. She will lead them in continuing to strengthen customer relationships and to collaborate with commercial building owners, architects, general contractors and glazing contractors across North America. In addition to directing the sales and marketing team, she will oversee industry affiliations, new markets, new products and marketing including communications, promotions, advertising and trade show activities.

Schock previously worked as vice president of strategic marketing at Hilti before her promotion to division general manager. Prior to this, she worked as director of strategic marketing for Crane Company’s highly engineered, fluid handling product segments. Earlier in her career, she established Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Shanghai and served as its director of sales and marketing. Other past positions include as Goodyear’s sales and marketing manager for heavy-duty equipment and as its market development manager in Europe; as a merger and acquisitions associate at Goldman Sachs & Co.’s investment banking division; and as a supply chain consultant at Henkel/Cognis Corporation.

Before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School, Schock graduated with a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

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