Impressive Leaders

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is live with two inspiring guests. I kick it off with James Hatch of Kovach. He and I may have chatted a bit over the years, but this was my first extended time with him, and I was extremely impressed. What he’s done and the excitement around what Kovach does is something to behold. Great stuff. Then to a person and company that I think will be big in our industry, and not for glass or glazing, but for improving the performance of our machinery. I caught up with Lauren Dunford of Guidewheel, and they have a product that allows that crucial visibility on how your machinery is performing. She’s incredibly sharp and engaging and brought tremendous energy to the podcast. So I think you all will enjoy this episode a lot. Thank you, as always, for listening/watching and obviously sharing, as the audio stats just keep climbing!

Watch on YouTube, or listen here, as well as wherever you get your podcasts. 

Elsewhere…

Latest Dodge Momentum Index

Some economic forecasting notes… the latest Dodge Momentum Index was positive but only because of the growth of data centers. That index is now tracking closer to the reality most of us are experiencing. Meanwhile, the next Architectural Billings Index will be released this Wednesday, and I expect it to be very ugly. The index was captured in the heat of the initial tariff mess & confusion, and I will be stunned if it's above 44. (Remember 50 is break-even.) I have been surprised before, though…. Meanwhile, the amazing Katy Devlin of the NGA will present on Thirsty Thursday (5/22), providing a rundown of the industry's economic landscape. Katy’s presentations are always ultra informative and super helpful. This event from the NGA is free to attend (but registration is needed), so go ahead and sign up now and don’t miss it. 

California Glass Association event

There’s an upcoming California Glass Association event to be held at Diamon-Fusion International on June 19th that is not your typical gathering. It is a “Happy Hour” format but featuring Music, Magic, and Martial Arts hosted by Diamon-Fusion International (DFI). I was invited but have a scheduling conflict, so because of that, Adam Zax of DFI gave me a personal preview of the magic portion of the event, and folks, it is pretty cool. Adam was able to perform his magic act via phone, and it worked… so I can only imagine how great it will be in person. He also previewed the Martial Arts, which I think will catch a lot of eyeballs, and then he told me that the “Industry Front Man” Carl Christ will be back on the mic, providing the music. Those who may not know it, but Carl was a legit rock star back in the day and I am super bummed to miss it.  Kind of like when McCartney and Lennon decided to jam a few years after the Beatles broke up. How do you miss that? Anyway, if you're in California, make your way there for this one!

Barndominiums

So last week, I teased “Barndos” – a take-off on Condos built in a barn style. Evidently, it's become a hot style, but until my guy James Esver says it is a trend, I am not believing it. Anyway, check out the latest here. Who knew that the “Barndominium” look would be the next big thing? 

Best and hottest places to live

Last this week… many of you know I love lists… so much so that my pals Scott Goodman and Joe Staffileno both sent the list of best and hottest places to live and markets. Below is the Top 10 hottest places to live right now, which is pretty interesting to me. 

10. Boulder, CO- Too cold for me, but I think Mike Rapp of PDS IG lives there or close, so it must be good.

9. Austin, TX- This tracks for the most part, though, until that airport gets upgraded, not for me.

8. Virginia Beach, VA- Visited a long time ago, was nice, but had no idea it's the 8th best sort of nice.

7. Huntsville, AL- I have only driven through, but this city has been ranking high for a while.

6. Raleigh, NC- Carolinas are popular, and I do like this city quite a bit.

5. Charlotte, NC- Only on here because the rock star Mel Dettmer lives there.

4. Greenville, SC- Love this one, and my college buddy Bob Mihalic was way ahead of the curve moving there years ago.

3. Colorado Springs, CO- Sorry. Too high on this list for me.

2. Boise, ID- Incredibly, another college pal, Nick Jezierny calls this place home and can vouch for how nice. (My college friends obviously have good taste in where they live.)

1. Naples, FL!  Tremendous choice- great area and people. 

See the whole list here and feel free to weigh in on your choices.