Ahead of Our Time

I don’t like to throw things away.

Much to the chagrin of my ever-organized, ex-military husband, I like to consider myself a methodical packrat. I am one of those people who collect things and just know I’ll find a place or a purpose for each item I keep. That has finally come to fruition with two girls in college, setting up their own apartments, so we are clearing out our basement a bit at a time (hubby is very happy).

While looking to finish furnishing these apartments, we turned to thrift shops and the Habitat ReStore to score some deals. And since my husband is also a woodworker, if a piece needed a little love, he could certainly help make it great.

In fact, we share a passion for fixing or restoring items that otherwise would be thrown away, including furniture, appliances and vehicles. From resealing a deep freezer to repairing a leaky high-efficiency washing machine (me) to rebuilding a turbocharger and a transmission (him), we have discovered that YouTube videos can help you fix and repair just about anything.

My daughter recently got an estimate to repair her vehicle while at school. She quickly called her dad and we swapped vehicles for a few weeks so he could work on her car instead. He worked for hours, day and night, and finally fixed it. She told me later she was so very happy that her dad was “handy,” and saved her all that money — he was just happy to be able to help her.

Little did we know that we have been ahead of our time, saving all these things from landfills and junkyards, and unknowingly becoming part of an environmental movement to “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

And as I’ve discovered over this past year with Surface & Panel, sustainability has become the norm, rather than a trend. Many companies are reconsidering the way they do things, trying to be more environmentally conscious — and it’s not just for show. Companies are finding that thinking outside the box for production and transportation can not only reduce their carbon footprint but can also help their bottom line.

In this issue, we look at the amazing renovation of an aging stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, using many flexible, durable products that will withstand the test of time (saving money and materials in the long run). And recent trade shows have embraced sustainability and have shown how the entire industry is implementing ways to be more environmentally friendly.

It’s not just the grand gestures that make a difference. Every little bit adds up — from taking part in your community’s recycling program to donating items instead of throwing them away. Some actions may take a little extra effort, but leaving the world a better place is a cause everyone can support.

As for me, I’d like to say that I’ve specifically been keeping everything in my basement for the day my girls moved away. While that may not be the case for all of the things boxed up down there, I clearly was ahead of my time. It just took a bit for my family to appreciate what I’ve been doing all along.

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Genesis Launches New Leadership Structure

Genesis Products announces new leadership strategy on the heels of a major acquisition. Now that the ink is dry on the recent acquisition of Funder America Inc, Genesis is investing again — in a new leadership structure designed to organize its divisions around customer needs and lean into the deep talent of its executives and managers. Jon Wenger, President and CEO, says, “In this moment of growth, at our current scale, it is time to give more result ownership to our broader management team.”

These changes create an opportunity for Genesis to align product and operations teams to the industries they serve. Formerly structured in four divisions based on operating facilities, the company will now shift its organization to two industry-focused Business Groups: RV & Vehicles and Industrial Wood Products. “This gives us the opportunity to truly focus on the unique needs of customers in these industry verticals. Our product, engineering and materials teams will no longer divide their time between RV and industrial demands. This streamlines efforts and accelerates our ability to serve our OEM partners,” says Wenger.

The restructuring is opportune, as Matt Hazelbaker, VP Panels & Mouldings, announced his plan to retire last year. Hazelbaker has been a partner at Genesis since 2013 and was integral in the success of the company’s lamination business. He has worked closely with leadership on a transition plan that will culminate at the end of June. In addition, the company recently chose to go in a different direction and separated with Trent Evans, former VP of Interior Components.

All RV & Vehicles product and operations teams will be centralized under the leadership of Dave Stace, Business Group VP, who will step into the role having led the Welformed Division at Genesis for the past year. Stace has deep roots in the secondary automotive and RV industries, serving in various product and plant management roles at Dura Automotive Systems and Coachmen. Most recently, Stace was the General Manager at Shyft Group, strategically leading his division through a major period of growth with continuous improvement across sales, procurement, quality and engineering. His 28 years of executive leadership unites a team of experienced product business leaders on the RV side who will continue to serve OEMS with passion and expertise: Nic Bontrager, Cabinet Doors & Components; Cody Harman, Panels, Mouldings & Tape; Phyllis Beyers, Laminates & Design; Kam Betzer, Countertops. Paired with the seasoned leadership of Heather Jenks, VP of Sales, Genesis is excited to nurture and grow its RV business under this new optimized structure.

David Moser takes on the Industrial Wood Products Business Group VP role, after leading industrial sales and business growth efforts at Genesis for more than three years. All product, operations and sales activities, in addition to four recently acquired plants in the Southeast, fall under his leadership.

These changes complement other investments in leadership made by the company last year, including the addition of Erin Curtis, VP of Marketing and Development, and a dedicated Product Development team led by VP AJ Balthes. Both are at the forefront of innovation at the company; Curtis spearheading RV aftermarket and retail channel expansion and Balthes pioneering product research and development, allowing Genesis to meet customer needs in completely new ways.

CEO Jon Wenger is confident in this team to drive the next evolution of the company, “We couldn’t be in a better position for the future. Our teams are more focused, our dynamic executive team is culturally aligned, and the next generation of leaders is driving value for our customers. We are better today than we were yesterday, and we only continue to grow stronger.” n

THE GENESIS TEAM (LEFT TO RIGHT): DAVE STACE, BUSINESS GROUP VP, RV & VEHICLES, NIC BONTRAGER, PRODUCT MANAGER, CABINET DOORS & COMPONENTS; CODY HARMAN, PRODUCT MANAGER, PANELS, MOULDINGS & TAPE; PHYLLIS BEYERS, PRODUCT MANAGER, LAMINATES & DESIGN; KAM BETZER, PRODUCT MANAGER, COUNTERTOPS