Louis G. Merryman - President
Louis began his career in the glass business at the age of sixteen working in the family glass plant in Baltimore, MD., thus becoming the fourth generation of his family to be in the glass business. After graduating from Denison University in 1983 with a BA in mathematics and economics, he moved to New Castle, PA. He started working for Consolidated Glass Corporation in January of 1984. Later he acted as General Manager. In 1988, Louis became President of CGC. In 1994, Louis purchased the company. He currently resides in New Castle, PA., with his wife, Lynn, and two children, Shane and Madison. Louis enjoys playing golf, hot-air ballooning and fine wine.
Carlo "Carl" Carmen - Sales Manager
Carl started in the glass industry at Falconer Glass Industries in 1969. He worked in a variety of positions from Shop Floor Supervisor, Plant Manager, and finally Sales and Marketing, leaving Falconer in the fall of 1992.
That fall, Carl got a unique opportunity when he received a phone call from a former Falconer associate and was told the owner of Consolidated Glass was looking for someone with his level of experience. He contacted Louis Merryman and went to work for Consolidated Glass Corporation in November of 1992.
Historically, Consolidated Glass was primarily a fixture glass manufacturer. With Carl's help, Consolidated Glass diversified into handrail, shower doors, ice rink glass, and ready-to-assemble furniture.
In 1996, Carl had established this diversification to the point that Consolidated Glass invested in a horizontal furnace, supported by double-double and upright edgers.
Carl is the leader of all aspects of Sales and Marketing for Consolidated Glass Corporation, and finds the latitude that Louis has given over the years very rewarding.
Over the years, Carl has held a variety of positions in industry organizations including: Chairperson for SGCC, Board Member and President of the board of SGCC. In addition, he is a member of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Z97.1 committee, and was involved in the 2004 revision and is presently working on the next revision tentatively scheduled for release in 2010.
Carl is also a retired United States Army officer. Carl and his wife, Pam, have been married seven years and have four grown children.
Jeffrey Burtner - Information
Technology Manager
Jeffrey came to Consolidated Glass as a Systems Analyst/Designer/Programmer in August of 1988 to create a suite of network-based, integrated, accounting software. With 14 years of programming experience at the time, he soon took over expanding the network and software to include order entry, quotations, and production software.
Jeffrey became CGC's Information Technology Manager in 1995 to meet CGC's growing technology needs. Under Jeffrey's leadership, the IT department has implemented EDI order transfers, product bar coding, individual item production tracking, custom computer generated drawings, and a host of other process enhancing and tracking systems to keep CGC at the cutting edge of the industry.
Recent additions include a company-wide VPN and a customer web portal that allows customers to access much of their order and production information, including up-to-the-minute tracking information, utilizing the web. Jeffrey and the entire IT department continue to work to develop and implement more cutting-edge technologies and systems to keep Consolidated Glass at the forefront of technology.
Jeffrey has attended both Penn State and Slippery Rock univerities and earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Slippery Rock University. Jeffrey is also pursuing a Masters degree in Software Engineering from Drexel University.
A veteran of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Army, Jeffrey managed and taught communications security for the brigade. He lived and worked in Aschaffenburg, Germany, while serving our country.
Jeffrey also personally manages the Consolidated Glass Corporation IT summer intern program where promising local students get an opportunity to learn and work as programmers in a real world environment working directly with end-users and deadlines.
Chester "Chet" Smiley III -
Plant Manager
Chet is the Plant Manager for Consolidated Glass Corporation. Chet is 46 years old and has worked for CGC for 20 of those years.
Chet's first two years were spent on the plant floor as a laborer on the afternoon shift. For the next eight years, Chet was the afternoon-turn supervisor. After 10 years of steady afternoon, Chet requested a move to daylight shift and so became the lead machine setup person on daylight. After a year, the existing Plant Manager position opened up and Chet was asked to step up to the position.
Prior to working for Consolidated Glass, Chet worked as a crew leader for a general contractor for seven years.
Chet's educational background includes certification in welding and blueprint reading. Additional, Chet has pursued coursework in auto mechanics (though his wife can't get him to change the oil in her Jeep), building maintenance, and basic electricity.
Chet has been married for 8 years to Michele, who is also employed by Consolidated Glass Corporation as an inspector on the tempering furnace. Between the two of them, they have four children aged 2 through 26. (The youngest is their only girl. Needless to say she is and always will be spoiled.) Their oldest son, Chester "Crunch" Smiley IV is also a Consolidated Glass employee.
Chet enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, home renovation projects and spending time with his family.