True Reflections: Women in Glass

Women have been making a positive impact in the glass industry for years, and we’re proud to have some exceptional women on our team at Brin Glass Company. As a follow-up to the recent Women in ConstructionWeek (March 5-11), we asked some of our female employees to reflect on what it’s like to work in the glass industry. Below are some of the takeaways.

Making an Impact

How are women at Brin leaving their mark in the construction industry–and, specifically, the glass industry?

Lizzie Esberg, a Field Sales Assistant at Brin, shared: “The women on my team are hardworking, have great communication and pay attention to the details, which are all key skills in succeeding in this industry.”

When it comes to maximizing their influence, Brin Contract Sales-Estimator Pam Glad believes women can be most effective when they are confident about what they bring to the table, while also being open to learn from others. “As professionals, we all have incredible knowledge and skills to share,” Glad advises. “If we listen to each other’s thoughts and ideas, we will gain respect as a person and not just as a woman.”

Jessica Hanson, Sales Manager at Heartland Glass, noted, “I think women bring a new perspective to many aspects of the glazing industry.” Hanson added, “Watching the increasing number of women in the industry is exciting in itself.”

According to Priscilla Koeckeritz, Chief Operating Officer at Brin, women contribute to the perspective of companies in a variety of ways. She stated, “As with other industries, the glass arena has gotten stronger having women in management seats and leading strategy.”

Expanding Opportunities

The number of women working in the glass and glass product manufacturing industry has fluctuated over the past decade—but there are still significantly more men in the industry than women. For example, in 2010 the percentage of women working in this industry was 21.6%; women’s participation climbed to 29.2% in 2012, but then plummeted to 18.8% in 2016. As of 2022, 25.9% of those working in the glass industry were women. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

However, the breadth of women’s roles in the industry may be expanding in recent years. For example, Jessica Hanson shared that in the past, she remembers only seeing women in customer service roles. By contrast, “Now there are more project managers, estimators and owners,” Hanson observed.

Thought leaders in the glass industry seem to concur. According to a May 2022 article on the Door and Window Market Magazine website:

“There has been a definite shift in the demographic of U.S. fenestration and glass industry association leadership over the last 20 years,” says Janice Yglesias, executive director for the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA).

Opportunities for women were also highlighted at the 2022 GlassBuild America trade show in Las Vegas—one of the glass industry’s largest annual events with more than 8,200 attendees. Featured speaker Deb Callahan, CEO of the National Fenestration Rating Council, revealed that 12 of the NFRC’s 25 staff members are women. (Source: NFRC blog post)

Kim Dodge, Customer Service Manager at Northwestern Glass Fab, reflected on the growth of the industry and the increased representation of women in leadership positions. “Seeing a stronger female presence at the executive levels in glass has been incredible,” Dodge said. “It is showing that the industry is growing and changing; new opportunities for female perspectives and talents are being prioritized.”

As someone who invested her expertise in other industries for many years before coming to Brin, Pricilla Koeckeritz believes her own story is a perfect example of how opportunities are changing for women in the glass industry. “Companies like Brin Glass want to grow, and as a result they are looking for those with the right organizational skills and people skills to lead them.” She continued, “You don’t have to know glass to get into the industry—you have to be willing to learn and apply your talents in the appropriate manner.”

Adding Value

Recognizing the valuable contributions of employees is a key part of Brin’s culture of continuous improvement—and a great way to showcase the company’s values:

We Show Up. We Bring It. We Do It Right.

Lizzie Esberg mentioned several initiatives by women at Brin that have added value recently. “My coworker, Lisa, did an amazing job training me and helping me learn how to operate our purchase order program,” she recalled.

For her part, Esberg helped improve the training process at Brin by creating an onboarding checklist for new employees. In addition, she and other female colleagues have enjoyed collaborating as part of the Brin Huddle, a committee that focuses on helping the community, improving the training processes at Brin, creating new ways to recognize employees, and planning fun events for employees throughout the year.

As an example of how women’s unique perspectives are shaping the industry’s overall success, Priscilla Koeckeritz pointed to Allie Geske, a recruiter who joined Brin in 2022. “Allie was able to look for the experience and talent needed for roles like project management and estimating through a different lens, and help managers put plans together to train on the industry specifics.” Koeckeritz added, “This doesn’t just impact our ability to bring women into the business, but to bring talented business acumen into the company from diverse backgrounds.”

Notable Achievements

Finally, we asked what achievements our interviewees were most proud of in their careers in glass to-date.

Jessica Hanson said she will never forget the satisfaction of successfully running her first large-scale project at Brin. “FirstLight Health, now Welia, was a great project that performed on budget and on time!” Hanson added that she is also proud of the work that the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is doing. “It’s an amazing group of women who are there to support other women in the industry. This year we have really gained some traction and attention.”

Kim Dodge shared her experience as a woman who leads a predominantly female team in a business-critical support area. “It has been so rewarding to teach other women in glass about the industry as I have been learning it myself.” She revealed, “Helping them build their confidence in working alongside customers with specialty fabricated products has been a great accomplishment.”

While Priscilla Koeckeritz says her own career in glass is in its early stages and she still has a lot of learning to do, she doesn’t shy away from big goals when it comes to boosting Brin’s influence. “As I watch the industry across the country, I want Brin to continue to play a vocal role in inviting women to be part of this very specialized arena. As one of the Midwest’s largest glass companies, we have a responsibility to make our industry inclusive.”

Words of Wisdom

To other women who are interested in joining the glass industry, Lizzie Esberg advised, “Do it! It gives you many opportunities to grow in your career, and you get the chance to meet a lot of great people.”

Although the learning curve can be steep at times, Kim Dodge has found the glass community to be very supportive for those who are new to the industry. She reflected, “I am almost 3 years in, and I have been able to learn from those around me who want to help me be successful in my role.”

Likewise, Priscilla Koeckeritz challenged women not to hesitate at the prospect of entering traditionally male industries. “Respect the decades of experience around you and be curious to learn new skills and apply knowledge in new and unique ways,” she said.

Finally, Brin insiders know the benefits of building a career alongside skilled yet down-to-earth people. Jessica Hanson encourages other women to “buckle up for a fun ride” once they join the glass industry. She adds, “Once you are in, you will not want to leave!”

As more women join the glass industry and find success here, Brin Glass Company celebrates the new perspectives and opportunities they bring to the field. To learn more about career opportunities at Brin, visit our Jobs page.