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As 2016 comes to an end, we reflect on the blessing, as well as the accomplishment, of Giroux Glass thriving as a 70-year-old company. To list all of the changes since 1946 would be endless, so let’s look back just 20 years. While preparing for the new year, I was cleaning through some old files and found a “Wish List” from 1996! I was bewildered by how much Giroux has changed through the past 20 years, changes I’m sure are similar to what other similar-sized companies also have experienced. Back in 1996, Giroux employees wished for things that included: “a website on the internet,” “software for estimators and project managers,” “systematic contract files,” “mobile phones for the field,” “replacement wooden ladders,” “polaroid cameras for job sites,” “newer clocks throughout the office,” and (my favorite) “a way to encourage employees to treat their job and company as their own.”
Fast forward 20 years, and it’s hard to imagine a mid-sized company without a website. We think of the convenience of cell phones, but can you remember life without them? They solve multiple problems, from finding endless amounts of information, to finding directions, taking professional-looking photos, accurate time keeping, and connecting us to the world, all from the palm of our hands. Today we don’t think twice about viewing plans from an iPad, a fully-integrated ERP system, or operating in the Cloud. We yearn for technology — yet it’s exciting to know that technology is still in its infancy stage. I came across a photo of myself working for a general contractor with my first cell phone. The phone was the size of a shoe box! I remember being so happy about being able to talk while running down the hall to the fax machine. Now we can sit and fax from laptops, or our phones, while cruising in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean. Oh the places we’re yet to go![/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”287″ img_size=”450×350″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”288″ img_size=”450×350″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]What exactly caused the successful year Giroux Glass enjoyed in 2016? It was the unique combination of technology, promoting innovation, our great vendor/client partnerships, good old hard work, and most importantly, teamwork. This combination led to our annual goals being exceeded. Twenty years ago, our sales peaked at $9 million; We’re closing out 2016 with a backlog in excess of $60 million, and we worked on over 1,500 job sites. Since 1996, we have dedicated our time to create a culture of ownership. Without ownership of one’s work, how could he/she truly enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done? Through our year of growth, challenges, and victories, one constant was our Giroux Glass PRIDE. It’s pride derived from thinking like an owner.
As we end this anniversary year and prepare for 2017, we continue to encourage our employees to share ideas and give constant feedback. Their opinions matter. They each have a unique quality that only they bring to work each day. Together we are Giroux Glass, the same company which has evolved from 70 years ago, and which resolves to be better with each passing year. If we’re not changing, we’re going backwards. Are you leading forward into 2017? If so, we’ll enjoy the ride together.
I’m wishing you a prosperous 2017 filled with an unquenchable thirst for learning and teaching. That indeed will carry us all through the next 70 years to come. Cheers![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]