One on One with Jack Deyo from Mid-Ohio Tempering

After nearly 30 years in the glass industry, Jack Deyo, president of Mid-Ohio Tempering, a United Glass Corp. company based in Columbus, Ohio, has announced his retirement this year. Deyo talked with USGNN.com today and shared some of his industry perspectives.

USGNN: What got you started in the glass industry?

J.D.: In 1979 I was working for Worthington Industries. They acquired ACT in Nashville, Tenn., which was a manufacturer of high-performance coatings, and they asked me to start up that plant. I was involved with that from the ground floor, and taking that technology through the 1980s.

In 1984 I started my own company and was a manufacturers' rep for architectural glass products for Saint Gobain. I founded Mid-Ohio Tempering in 1989.

USGNN: What projects have you worked on that have been most rewarding?

J.D.: Over the past 28 years I have been involved with thousands of projects, and a great number from design, development and delivery. I've enjoyed participating in the unique and different areas, though they've all been fantastic. I've enjoyed working on the two-story project here in Columbus as much as the 40-story in Honolulu.

USGNN: What do you feel has helped you to be successul in these projects?

The other part to that is our people. [My] leadership style is you have to have a successor strategy and we have great people who are in solid positions to take this company to the next level. The people are the backbone of the company and everyone here is more than capable to take the company to the next level. So I would say the people side has also been most fulfilling.

USGNN: What have been your career highlights?

J.D.: Watching and being involved in the architectural process, from design, development and delivery. Equally fulfilling is the fact that we started this company from scratch and all of the people and their families we have here.

USGNN: What made now the time for retirement for you?

J.D.: A few years ago I made a promise that on or around my 60th birthday [just a few weeks ago] I would consider retiring or slowing down. I have two new grandchildren now within the past year, I've been working since I was 12 and I just felt that personally it was time for me to make a change. There's just been a number of things to happen in the past two or three years that made me say 60 would be the magic number. So it's time to move on to other non-glass goals.

USGNN: What are those plans?

J.D.: I really have no plans. I told UGC I would work until the end of the year. After that, I'm going to slow down and reflect. I'll spend time with my wife and grandkids and just do nothing for awhile.

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