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All hail the Pioneers – Fenestration Canada celebrates the industry’s bright lights at WinDoor 2017

Fenestration Canada inducted 15 new members into its pantheon of Pioneers at the gala Main Event dinner on Nov. 29. A fun-filled room of about 600 window and door people welcomed the latest honourees, who will be permanently enshrined in the association’s records as making invaluable contributions to the Canadian fenestration landscape. Pioneer inductions occur every three years.

Fenestration Canada former presidents Allan Doyle, Yvan Houle, Skip Maclean and industry Pioneer, Jim Parker, selected the recipients from a list of submissions by membership. 

Elie Alkhoury
Founder of CanBest laboratory and innovator introducing the use of test walls, window-performance-testing software and establishing the first commercial insulating glass test lab to support the IGMAC certification program. 

Daniel Aubert
Co-founder of Elite Windows, Deltech Windows and Promax. Also an owner at Donat Flamand Windows and Doors, which later became Jeld-Wen DF division.

Gunter Berdan
A designer and tool maker specializing in metal rollforming, Berdan held significant positions at many window and door industry companies before starting Rollforming Ltd. and later RPM Rollforming.

Dan Darcy
Darcy began his career at Dor-Seal, Evergreen Door and Baylite Industries before starting Darcy and Associates. He has been an active member of Fenestration Canada.

Eva Ryterbrad
Co-founded Capital Tool and Design, an automotive parts manufacturer, growing the business into a multinational supplier and later acquiring Screenco Manufacturing. The first female president of Fenestration Canada.

John Hawryluk (posthumous)
The first to introduce vinyl to the construction industry in Atlantic Canada. Turned his company over to his sons in 2008, who formed Arrow Windows, Doors and More and Best Buy Doors.

Diane Huybers
Worked at Alumicor operating its first computerized manufacturing software. Founded Computers Mean Business, a reseller for Windowmaker software, and introduced the commercially available production and quoting system for custom fenestration manufacturers in North and South America.

Jim Krahn
A long career at Marvin Windows in many capacities. Contributed significant time to many industry associations and has been awarded FenCan’s C.P. Loewen award, the CSA 25 Years of Service award, NFRC Member of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards and had the WDMA James Krahn Lifetime Achievement Award named after him.

Don Lahanky (posthumous)
Founder of Allsco, one of the early manufacturers of vinyl windows in Atlantic Canada. First to introduce the vinyl door jamb to the region. Received Moncton, N.B.,’s Entrepreneur of the Year award and the Nation Building award from the Ukranian Canadian Business Federation.

Jim Park
Developed a robust sales network of fabricators across North America enabling Bay Form to become the major supplier of rollformed screen products and spacer systems for insulated glass products. 

Armand Patenaude (posthumous)
Began his career as an associate professor in mechanical engineering overseeing Cornel University’s fenestration test program. Later founded the test laboratory, Air-Ins, and was involved in drafting the A440 standard. Was the first recipient of the AVFQ award created in his honour.

Bob Strassburger
Co-founder and president of Strassburger Windows and Doors. A leader in building and installing energy-saving products. An enaged Fenestration Canada supporter and sits on the combustible window task force.

Jean Tremblay (posthumous)
A lawyer by training who became executive vice-president and general manager of the AVFQ in the early days of the association. Devoted his career to growing the association and the Quebec fenestration industry. A recipient of the Armand Patenaude award and promoter of close relations between the AVFQ and Fenestration Canada.

Phil Wake
An exemplary career at PPG that included overseeing the introduction of PPG’s first-generation low-E glass to the Canadian window industry. A Omniglass helped grow its fibreglass framing technology.

Don Wetmore
Added door components to Homeshield Industries and helped grow Bayform and Baylite. Developed the door components division at Evergreen Doors, finishing his career at Masonite. Served on several window and door committees for CSA and CGSB.

For more information
fenestrationcanada.ca