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)

Marvin’s Tripane Windows with Krypton were recently featured in Jean Dimeo’s latest Product Spotlight for ecohome TV.

Dimeo, editorial director at Building Products and chief editor online for EcoHome, included the Tripane Windows with Krypton among her list of eye-catching products from the 2011 International Builders’ Show. Dimeo highlighted Tripane with Krypton’s energy efficiency. The Tripane offers many options that meet or exceed the federal government’s stringent ENERGY STAR standards.

Suzanne Horton of BeJane.com caught up with Christine Marvin at the 2011 International Builders’ Show to showcase some of the latest innovations at Marvin Windows and Doors.

During her video interview with Horton, Christine demostrated the Clad Ultimate Glider, the Ultimate Casement, the Ultimate Venting Picture and a unique design from Marvin’s Signature Services.

The Clad Ultimate Glider is featured in a video roundup of the most innovative products from the 2011 International Builders’ Show.

Nigel Maynard, senior editor at residential architect and BUILDER, profiled the glider alongside builder Kevin Groninger for BUILDER TV. (You can see the glider here starting at the 4:13 mark.) Maynard and Groninger complimented the glider’s sleek hardware, simple operation and easy cleaning feature.

Thanks for the mention. We’re glad you like the Clad Ultimate Glider as much as we do.

WARROAD, Minn., April 30, 2010 – Marvin Windows and Doors was honored yesterday as “Family Business of the Year” by the University of St. Thomas’s Opus College of Business.

The prestigious award, given by the college’s Center for Family Business of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, recognizes Marvin for 98 years and four generations of business success coupled with ongoing family leadership and community involvement.

“We’re honored and humbled to be recognized with this award,” said Jake Marvin, Chairman and CEO of The Marvin Companies. “In our modern economy, it’s more important than ever to have companies that recognize the timeless values of quality, integrity and commitment to families, employees and communities.

“As I look back, I realize that much of what we all learned about business, we learned from our father at the dinner table,” Marvin said. “The values he taught us every day are the same values we strive to uphold in running our business.”

Based in Warroad, Marvin employs more than 5,000 workers at seven factories in five states. The company is the world’s largest manufacturer of made-to-order wood and clad wood windows and doors.

Marvin was founded in 1912 by George Marvin, who opened a lumber and cedar business in Warroad. George’s son, the late Bill Marvin, led the company through a period of remarkable growth beginning in the 1950s, growing Marvin from a regional supplier into an internationally renowned maker of premium windows and doors.

Bill’s six sons and daughters picked up the leadership mantle. Ten members of the fourth Marvin generation are currently working within the Marvin family of companies and some are in leadership positions.

Ritch Sorenson, Opus Endowed Chair in Family Business and Academic Director of the Family Business Center, and Bill Monson, Director of the Family Business Center at the University of St. Thomas, say, “Our recognition reflects three areas of excellence: business, family, and community.  Marvin has a track record of innovation, financial performance, quality, customer loyalty, sensitivity to environmental issues, mutual respect and commitment to employees.  Multiple family members across the generations have worked in the business and fourth generation family members are being prepared to assume leadership.  The company reflects the culture, values and talents of its origins in Warroad, Minnesota, and represents the best qualities of family business.”

Since 1989, the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship has recognized outstanding individuals and companies that personify the spirit of entrepreneurship and demonstrate excellence and ethics in their pursuits.

Marvin’s “Family Business of the Year” award was given at the 2010 Annual Entrepreneurs Award Dinner in the Schulze Grand Atrium of the University of St. Thomas School of Law on the Minneapolis campus.