The New Paul on the Block! Change is Good

A note to our friends and readers … Starting today, you are seeing a wonderful shift on our Tuesday blog. There are now two Pauls on Tuesday. I am very proud to introduce Paul Daniels as the new Paul. Paul and I have known each other for about 40 years. We worked together at C.R. Laurence (CRL) for many years. Paul earned his way to the top at CRL, becoming the senior vice president of sales, covering the entire country. You will learn more about Paul as we share our blogs with you, our loyal readers.

Now, here is a true glass industry professional and I am proud to say, my friend—Paul Daniels.

Paul Bieber started my career in the glass industry, when he hired me to fill a position he once held as outside sales rep in Boston for CRL in June 1980. I retired from CRL last year as senior vice president of sales after 39 years. My wife of 37 years, Eileen, and our two children thank Don Friese, the CRL team and the glass industry for all their support. Thank you, Paul Bieber, for taking a chance on me, then and now.

The company I worked for over the last 39 years had two words cemented in their DNA: innovation and change. We used to ask everyone in the company to answer the question, “What can we do differently?” Every time, we would be amazed at the great ideas people came up with.

After relocating to California 30 years ago, Eileen and I loved to visit Paso Robles where they are known for their great Cabernet wine. Several years ago we noticed a few wineries had put in stills to produce gin and whiskey using grape skins which were left after the grape juice was filtered. They added these spirits to their tasting rooms.

Some of these stills have popped up all over the country and are now converting their stills to produce alcohol that can make hand sanitizer, providing it to local first responders, essential businesses and retail customers.

Change and innovation is what will get us through this pandemic and is essential to keeping your business strong and growing. Every time I do get out, I see the innovations the glass industry is contributing with transaction windows, glass partitions and modifying stores to control pedestrian traffic. The glass industry has really stepped up and shown they are, indeed, an essential business. Our local Whole Foods has added an open, three-sided glass partition outside the store where they take their employees’ temperatures before they report to work and are allowed to enter the store. I see “corona guards” advertised that can be used quickly to separate workspaces.

The glass industry has always been loaded with creative entrepreneurs who create solutions for energy codes, glass handling and installation challenges. Adding some of these competencies to your websites and marketing materials will help us all. This is a good time to start asking, “What can we do differently?” Then make it part of your business DNA.