Meeting the Marvins

This past summer I started working for Marvin Windows of New York. Part of my initial training included a trip to the factory to learn more about the products and where they come from.  If you're like most people, you never give much thought to windows.  This blog I'm initiating for just that reason.  There is a great deal of difference in window brands, window types, and I want to help educate the consumers as I get educated myself on the fine art of windows. I'll do my best to keep it from becoming boring or lengthy because even the Marvins will admit windows just aren't a really sexy product. (Although a recent Arm & Hammer garbage bag commercial will attest that you can sell "sexy" on any product!)

So first things first, Marvin Windows are very much still a family company started back in 1904 by George Griffin Marvin. Today the 4th generation are becoming leaders and I had the opportunity and pleasure of meeting quite a few on my trip to Warroad, MN.  Luckily, I started in the summer because Warroad is just a stones throw from the Canadian border and has been averaging winter temps around negative 20-something BEFORE wind chill.  I'm not the cold-weather loving type.  Since it's over 300 miles from Minneapolis I got to take their plane and feel like P-diddy.

Since I'm a visual person, I attempted to erect a Marvin family tree for my own use, but with the 2nd generation consisting of 6 kids and the third containing 27 grandkids, I pretty much gave up on that fitting on a sheet of paper.  If you're ever up in Warroad (a good 360+ miles straight north of Minneapolis) you're clearly lost or you play ice hockey, they have a whole museum you can visit at the Marvin Training and Visitor center which is well done and quite a  fascinating story.  I can only imagine it must be slightly odd to have a museum based around your own families history, but I'm sure they're just used to it by now.  The entire town of Warroad most likely would not exist without Marvin.  They employ the vast majority of the town and I was told multiple times the nearest fast-food was a good 75 miles away.

I had the pleasure of meeting a handful of the family members while I was in Warroad, MN at the factory and in the Minneapolis corporate office.  [SEE top photo]  They are friendly, down to earth, and very genuine.  Although Frank is "retired" he keeps coming to work and even made it a point to get off the phone to talk with me - a brand new employee who works thousands of miles away!  They definitely care not only about the products they make, but the people that make them (which isn't me!) which makes me feel good about being a part of their company.