WARROAD, Minn., April 24, 2012 – The woods, lakes and fields of Northwest Minnesota have nurtured an impressive array of business visionaries. Among the giants was the late William S. “Bill” Marvin, who built Marvin Windows and Doors from a small lumberyard into one of the world’s premier window and door manufacturers.

Bill Marvin’s exemplary career will be recognized on April 25 with induction into the IDEA Hall of Fame. As the fifth inductee to the hall, Marvin joins previous honorees Andy Wells of Wells Technology; Edgar Hetteen of Polaris and Arctic Cat; and brothers George and Dennis Brazier of MATTRACKS and Central Boiler.

The IDEA Hall of Fame induction will take place at 5 p.m. in the Sanford Events Center in Bemidji, in conjunction with the fourth annual IDEA Competition. The IDEA Competition seeks to grow the economy of Northwest Minnesota by identifying the next generation of homegrown entrepreneurs and helping them develop their breakthrough ideas.

Bill Marvin joined his father’s Warroad-based lumber business as the eighth employee and led its entry into manufacturing. Today, Marvin employs more than 4,000 people in five states and is recognized worldwide for its innovative, high-quality products. Bill Marvin was named by BUILDER magazine as one of the U.S. building industry’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He died in 2009 at age 92.

“My father was a believer in the power of great ideas,” said John W. “Jake” Marvin, chairman and chief executive officer of the Marvin Companies. “He would take an idea from anyone, anytime — test it out and see if it made sense. And if it did, he wasn’t afraid to take a risk.

“My father had opportunities over the years to move his business away from Northwest Minnesota, but he valued the spirit, intelligence and frontier ingenuity of the people who make their home here,” Jake Marvin said. “He was proud of our region and a tireless promoter of it. We’re honored and humbled by this recognition.”

The IDEA Competition has already helped 10 startup businesses in Northwest Minnesota become commercially viable. This year’s winners will receive a $10,000 cash grant, along with services and direction from Northwest Minnesota’s leading business resources.

IDEA was made possible by a generous grant from the Blandin Foundation. IDEA sponsors include Bremer Bank (Crookston and Warren); Northwest Minnesota Foundation; 360 Degree Manufacturing and Applied Center of Excellence; Headwaters Regional Development Commission; Northwest Regional Development Commission; and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

Marvin’s “Window Shopping” app was included in the issue’s round-up of the best mobile apps for builders and contractors. This app is a tool to help homeowners plan basic designs for windows and doors, inside and outside the house. After taking a photo of an interior or exterior space that could use an upgrade, the app user can choose from nearly 50 resizable photos of Marvin windows and doors, arrange them over the photo, and save or send the photo to share with friends, family or a local Marvin dealer.

Additionally, our sister brand Integrity Windows and Doors had two items featured in this issue of the magazine: Integrity Wood-Ultrex Special Size windows were listed near the top of the readers’ choice Favorite 50 products list, and its “Built to Perform” app was also included in the same editors’ choice round-up as our Window Shopping app.

Check your mailbox for the April issue, or read the digital edition online.

WARROAD, Minn., March 1, 2012 – In an unprecedented honor, the Builders Association of Minnesota has named Marvin Windows and Doors to the Minnesota Building Industry Hall of Fame.

Marvin is the first company to be so honored, joining 37 individuals who had previously been inducted into the hall.

“It’s an honor and it is humbling to be the only company to have received this award,” said John W. “Jake” Marvin, chairman and chief executive officer of Marvin Lumber & Cedar Co., the parent organization of all the Marvin companies.

“More than four thousand people have ‘thrown in’ with the Marvin companies and have stayed with us throughout these very difficult years,” Marvin said. “Many of these great folks have given us their very best years. So it’s on their behalf that I thank you for this wonderful recognition.

“We’ve always supported builders in Minnesota and across the nation with high-quality, innovative and beautiful products that will help bring their customers’ vision to life,” Marvin said. “We also believe in working together to advance the building industry, which provides high-skill, high-wage jobs for thousands of Minnesotans and millions of Americans.”

Founded in 1994, the Minnesota Building Industry Hall of Fame honors those “who make a significant and lasting contribution to the housing industry in Minnesota and to the Builders Association of Minnesota.”

Marvin was selected as the first company to be inducted because it is a Minnesota company that has consistently supported Minnesota’s home building industry and builders associations, officials said. With well-respected representatives across the state such as Daryl Doehr, John Taylor and Tom Sinning, Marvin has volunteered countless hours in support of the association and the industry.

“The Builders Association of Minnesota is proud to have Marvin Windows and Doors as a member and to have inducted Marvin into the Minnesota Building Industry Hall of Fame,” said BAM President Keith Kylmala. “Members of the Hall of Fame are the pillars of the residential construction industry in Minnesota, and Marvin fits that description perfectly. They so willingly volunteer time, energy and resources to the association and the industry statewide. Marvin is a model citizen of the Minnesota residential construction industry and the communities in which they do business.”

Brett Boyum

Our newly promoted vice president of marketing, Brett Boyum, was featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as a “Mover & Shaker.” Brett has been with the Marvin family of companies for nearly 15 years, previously serving a term as director of marketing for both Marvin Windows and Doors, and Integrity Windows and Doors.

We’re proud that people of Brett’s caliber choose to build their careers with us, and that’s why we particularly liked one of the comments he made to the Star Tribune reporter:

“Staying at Marvin has been easy,” Brett said. “There’s a value system that aligns really strongly with my personal values, that’s about taking care of people, taking care of the customers and taking care of your community. We’re selling a product that’s part of a customer’s life, it’s part of their family, it’s their home.”

Well said. We look forward to great things under Brett’s leadership.

Since President Obama praised our commitment to community and employees in his speech last week, we’ve been getting a lot of nice pats on the back from friends, dealers and others who know our company. We appreciate the sentiments, although we’d be doing the same thing even if nobody had noticed.

But we’ll admit that being the subject of such a touching piece as Tom’s brings a little lump to our throats and a smile to our faces.

Things haven’t been easy in our industry these last few years, but by pulling together, we’ve kept going without losing the skills and dedication of the valued workers who are the lifeblood of our business — and our communities.

We know things will turn around, and when they do, our workers will share in the good times — just as they’ve shared the challenges of the tough times.

The new Ultimate Glider from Marvin Windows and Doors, already hailed as one of 2011’s best new building products, is now available in an all-wood version.

Marvin has re-invented the glider window with modern features and performance that breathe new life into this classic window. Previously available only in a clad aluminum exterior finish, the Wood Ultimate Glider now offers homeowners the beauty, warmth and performance of natural wood inside and out.

Marvin designed this versatile unit for elegance, durability and smooth operation. With its clean lines and recessed hardware, the Wood Ultimate Glider is sure to become a favorite of homeowners and builders alike.

The Clad Ultimate Glider, introduced earlier this year, was recently named one of the 101 Best New Products of 2011 by the editors of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines.

“Marvin reintroduced round tops to the homebuilding industry. Now we’ve reinvented another favorite,” said David Hipke, product planner for Marvin Windows and Doors. “This window is packed with features that add value. But perhaps its best features are its clean, elegant design and absolute ease of operation.”

The Wood Ultimate Glider features:

• One hand operation
• Patent pending handle and lock system
• Auto locking
• Low handle placement for ease of use – no reaching up
• Exterior of sustainably harvested pine
• Interior available in seven wood species: Pine, Douglas Fir, Cedro Macho, Mahogany, White Oak, Cherry, Vertical Grain Douglas Fir
• Interior also available in Factory Painted White Finish or Primed Wood
• Integrated weep system for drainage
• Several operating configurations

The Wood Ultimate Glider is the perfect choice for a host of building applications, including:

• Kitchen sink areas
• Decks and walkways
• Close lot lines
• Knee walls and lower levels
• Condominiums
• Multi-family units
• Assisted living

The Wood Ultimate Glider features a patent pending sash removal system built for easy operation. Plus, it can be seamlessly mixed and matched with other Marvin windows, such as the Ultimate Casement.

The Wood Ultimate Glider will give homeowners and builders a new reason to take a fresh look at gliders.

We’re proud to have been recognized by management expert Donald Delves in this great column for Forbes. Delves explores how the bond between Marvin, our hometown of Warroad and our valued workers has resulted in a healthy company and a healthy community.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Aside from the admiration and respect of employees, what has the company received in return for its commitment to employees? Marvin’s reliability as an employer has created a workforce that can be relied on for high-quality craftsmanship and meticulous quality control, sustained by strong esprit de corps stemming from a highly positive plant culture.”

Wow. We’re humbled. Thanks, Mr. Delves. We’re glad you recognize a culture that has been nurtured for generations — and that we will always work to strengthen.

Each year, the Public Relations Society of America uses the Bronze Anvil Awards to recognize the best individual items or components of programs or companies that contribute to the overall success of public relations programs and campaigns.

Last week, Marvin Windows and Doors received a Bronze Anvil for its online media room coverage of the 2010 International Builders Show and an award of commendation for an op-ed column (Do Layoffs Really Help The Bottom Line?) by Susan Marvin, president of Marvin Windows and Doors.

We’re grateful for the recognition, and excited to share the news via the venue (online media room) that won an award.

Susan Marvin

Susan Marvin, president of Marvin Windows and Doors, received Bemidji State University’s 2011 Distinguished Minnesotan Award during commencement ceremonies today.

First presented by Bemidji State in 1981, the Distinguished Minnesotan Award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. Susan Marvin’s father, the late William S. Marvin, received the honor in 1990. Other awardees include transplant surgeon Dr. John Najarian; polar explorer Ann Bancroft; and television journalist Don Shelby.

“Susan Marvin is a stellar example of what the Distinguished Minnesotan Award is all about,” said Richard A. Hanson, president of Bemidji State University. “A product of northern Minnesota, she has remained firmly rooted in her commitment to the area while generously sharing her leadership talents with state and national organizations.

“She is a superb role model for our students, leading by example and proving once again that hard work and commitment to community are keys to success,” Hanson said.

As president of Marvin Windows and Doors, Marvin oversees the window and door business of the Marvin Companies including the Marvin, Integrity and Infinity brands. Marvin serves on the boards of directors for Hormel Foods Corp., Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., the University of Minnesota Foundation Board of Trustees and the St. Thomas College of Business Advisory Board of Governors. She is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization and Women Corporate Directors.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award,” Marvin said. “This recognition reflects the accomplishments of a larger community — the amazing group of talented people whose goal is to lead an industry and have succeeded in doing so. So that’s why I am accepting this honor on behalf of my family and our community. The values I have lived by, the accomplishments, the success … they’re not mine alone. I am proud to share them with a long line of people who showed me that success is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. It is what allows us to make lives better for others.

“I’m especially proud to be recognized by a respected institution of higher education,” Marvin said. “Both my parents believed fervently that education, coupled with hard work, is the key to success in life. I’m confident that this year’s graduates will once again demonstrate the truth of that belief.”

Marvin has been an active member of various industry associations including the Window and Door Manufacturers Association and the National Council of the Housing Industry. She was a member of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and in 1995 served as board chair. In 1995, Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson honored Marvin for her contributions to Minnesota business.

Marvin is a 1979 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned an undergraduate degree in journalism. She lives in Warroad and Minneapolis with her husband, Keith Schwartzwald.

Lake of the Woods

“We’re honored by this award, which recognizes our commitment to maintaining a healthy environment for Minnesotans – today as well as for generations to come,” said Susan Marvin, president of Marvin Windows and Doors. “With our location on the shore of Lake of the Woods, we keenly appreciate Minnesota’s heritage of clean water.

“Running a clean manufacturing operation in today’s world requires a tremendous commitment to sound environmental practices, as well as a significant investment in technology and training,” Susan Marvin said. “We’re very pleased that our efforts have been recognized – and even more pleased that our manufacturing facility continues to provide good jobs for Minnesotans.

“Our thanks go out to our environmental manager, Brad Baumann, whose department has successfully implemented the many procedures necessary for comprehensive industrial wastewater treatment.”

The MPCA commendation is just the latest in a long line of environmental awards for the Marvin family of companies. Others include:

Marvin Windows and Doors (Warroad, Minn.)

• Minnesota Waste Wise Leader Award (1995 and 2008)
• Minnesota Waste Wise Smart Business Award (1996 and 1999)
• Governor’s Award for Excellence in Pollution Prevention (1996)
• EPA 33/50 Company profile (1997) – one of only 30 U.S. companies honored
• Governor’s Award for Excellence in Waste and Pollution Prevention (1999), honorable mention
• Governor’s Award for Excellence in Waste and Pollution Prevention (2005)
• Minnesota Waste Wise Leader Award (2008)
• MPCA Wastewater Treatment Facility Operational Award (2005-2009)

Marvin Windows and Doors (Grafton, N.D.) 

• North Dakota Greener Award (2007)

Marvin Windows and Doors of Tennessee (Ripley, Tenn.)

• Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership, Partner
• Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership, Performer
• Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award (2010), honorable mention

Integrity Windows and Doors (Fargo, N.D.)

• North Dakota Greener Award (2005)