The Canadian Glass Association (CGA) announced the election of its Board of Directors for 2010 during its annual general meeting in Pickering, Ontario. The following board members, who will hold their…
The Canadian Glass Association (CGA) announced the election of its Board of Directors for 2010 during its annual general meeting in Pickering, Ontario. The following board members, who will hold their positions for two-year terms, were elected: o president: Richard Verdon, RSVP Agency Inc., Ottawa, Ontario; o first vice president: David Langton, Competition Glass Ltd., Kelowna, B.C.; o second vice president: Fred Fulton, Glassopolis, Toronto; o past president: David Husson, DH Glass Solutions Inc., Langley, B.C.; o treasurer: Stephen Hargrove, Wescom Glass & Aluminum Ltd., Calgary, Alberta; o technical committee chair: Leonard Pianalto, Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; and o membership committee: Steve Peterson, Automated Entrances, Calgary, Alberta. “Our new board has more than 60 years of combined experience in the glass industry and their knowledge and skills will be a tremendous asset to the association,” said Zana Gordon, CGA executive director. “These people are business owners or employees of companies in the glass industry who volunteer their time because they believe in giving back to the industry,” she added. “We are all working together for the betterment of the Canadian glass industry.” During the board meeting, the CGA also decided to help set up local associations for glass companies in provinces and territories that do not have a representative association at present. Joining a glass association in any province automatically entitles individual companies to a membership in the national association. “These companies are interested in apprenticeship training and other resources that the CGA offers so we needed to amend our bylaws so we can reach out to all of the people who don“t have access to a provincial association,” says Gordon. At present, only British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario have glass associations that are recognized members of the CGA. During the meeting, the directors passed a motion to take the initiative and set up chapter associations in Manitoba, Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, with all costs taken care of by the CGA. CGA president Richard Verdon said that he will personally travel to many of these locations to collaborate with their start-ups, adding: “It“s very important that we have representation from all provinces and territories in Canada and I am looking forward to visiting them to let them know that we can all work together toward the betterment of our industry,” he said. The CGA intends to set up a special resolution meeting in April 2010 to vote on bylaw changes so as to allow individual members to join until an association is established in their area, including the US. “That will allow glass shops to benefit from the resources and programs we now offer immediately,” says Verdon. “This is the ultimate goal of CGA. To reach out and help all glass professionals across the country.