A shock announcement today from the GGF as they broke the news that relatively new GGF President Alan Burgess of Masterframe has stepped down with immediate effect.
This was the official statement published on the GGF website earlier in the day:
It is with regret that we must announce Alan Burgess of Masterframe Windows Ltd, has resigned his position of President with the Glass and Glazing Federation with immediate effect.
Alan has been involved with the GGF for over 20 years and as well as having two terms on the GGF Board, he has also been Chair of the GGF Window and Door Group and Home Improvement Executive.
On leaving the position, Alan commented, “It is with real regret that I feel unable to continue in this role and to step down prematurely.”
GGF Vice President, John Agnew of Independent Glass has now been elected by the GGF Board as the new GGF President with immediate effect.
John has been on the GGF Board for many years and is the Chair of the GGF’s Glazing Executive. On taking on the role John commented, “I would like to thank Alan for his contribution to the Federation and I look forward to serving as President and working on behalf of all the GGF Members.”
View the original article here
It was only in early February that Alan Burgess was inaugurated as the federation’s 23rd President, so to leave this early into his tenure comes as a surprise.
This isn’t the only early resignation in recent times however. So is there an underlying theme to this?
Pressures of the job
It wasn’t a long press release from the organisation, merely stating the facts and leaving it at that. A replacement has already been found, so operations there should continue in fluid motion.
But, this isn’t the only sudden resignation in recent times. It was around this time last year that Andrew Glover announced that he was to step down from the role of President, again only months after taking on the job. You can read my post on that here.
In that announcement, it was said that he stepped down from the role due to the structural changes being made at the group, and that it would provide more time to focus on his company’s activities. Although nothing official has been said as to the reason Alan decided to step down, I do sense that it is for very similar reasons.
(UPDATE THURSDAY 10:30AM: in a comment left by Alan Burgess below, he has confirmed that his current role at Masterframe was not the reason for his stepping down: Your piece alludes to the “pressures of the role itself”, “the need for closer management of my own company” and draws the natural assumption that in my decision may have been made for “very similar reasons” to those of the previous President. I am very happy to say that none of these are true; however speculation was raised initially because the GGF first put out the “standard pressures of work” release, by mistake and a member of GGF staff was quoted as saying “Alan was forced to step down”. Both are categorically untrue and have been withdrawn.)
Masterframe is one of the biggest producers of PVCu sash windows in the country, and with vertical sliders enjoying a steep rise in popularity, I am sure that things are very busy at Masterframe right now. It may well be that the demands of the day job have caused Alan to re-think his tenure as President. If you’re reading Alan and have a spare minute, you’re more than welcome to add to this via the comments section below!
That is two Presidents in a row now that have left the job early. The industry is currently undergoing some serious levels of change, and in many areas growth remains strong, and diversification is still the flavour of the month. What that means is that it’s all hands on deck when it comes to running any sort of company in UK fenestration right now.
So, might it be an idea that future Presidents of the GGF, and indeed other organisations in our industry too, are persons who have perhaps served their time at company level, but has more free time to put that experience and expertise to good use as a President, in the knowledge that they don’t have a company to run at the same time.
Just a thought.
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Jason You raise a few interesting points in your blog and have made an incorrect assumption (as others may do) concerning the reasons behind my decision to step down as GGF President. Firstly a few facts, yes I was the 23rd president for 2018 as the earlier president did not complete his two year period (2017/18). Hopefully John Agnew will see out an extended term as he was due to become President next year, for two years. I’ve offered him my support should it be needed and wish him every success. GGF Presidents tend to come from the Home Improvement… Read more »
Hi Alan Thanks very much for your comment and your clarity on a number of issues. I have issued an update which you should be able to see above which should go some way to clarifying matters. It’s great news to see that business at Masterframe is good. Despite the risks and pressures out there, most parts of the industry appear to be doing pretty well in 2017. Yourself, as well as all other readers, will always have the opportunity to contribute, debate, question and discuss all issues on DGB, so I am more than happy to publish your comments… Read more »
Jason
sorry just returned to the office 7.20pm thanks for confirming the article, could you please space the paragraphs so it reads well
many thanks
Alan
Hi DGB and Alan. Felt I’d add a bit, as I am mentioned in the post. Alan, Sorry to hear about you stepping down – The work you had been doing there was all good from what I could see, so it’s a shame to see you go. It’s also a shame that none of the Home Improvement Exec’s side (HIE) wanted to take up the role. It does worry me having a balance towards Glazing on the board. I feel ‘our’ side of the industry could get over looked. I really enjoyed my time there, but did feel frustrations… Read more »
You say that you believe in the stuff they do but this is typical GGF BS. Statements on a new committee to do sod all for our industry, articles on how great the GGF is and something about someone having to leave is all that comes out. Who is really running this shambles and do they sell K glass?
I am on record on this blog discussing the GGF with Alan and expressed my opinion that I thought a strong GGF would be good for the industry , the strength however, I believe, is in the technical aspects of the industry. The technical committees, and those that contribute, really do care and try to promote best practice and technical excellence in the industry in general, this is very commendable. The theme coming from both ex presidents though, is that the board is not is not quite on the same page as those making the technical contributions, but most damning,… Read more »
Hi Kevin. Don’t want to open a can of worms, but I don’t think you will ever get another answer to your questions. You have asked them of a lot of people and they just don’t agree with what you are saying. Maybe it’s more the fact that you don’t like there answer and aren’t prepared to accept there response, than the question isn’t getting answered. From memory, at the time, I said this and you didn’t accept it. That doesn’t mean that your question is being ignored. Just putting it out there, but is it possible you are wrong??… Read more »
Thanks Andrew , I do recall having correspondence , and I do recall the outcomes and I accept that you believe your answers to be definitive. However , I still cannot accept that I am wrong , not because I am an arrogant fool , not because I just want to wind people up , not because I enjoy sticking out like a sore thumb , the reason I cannot accept that I am wrong is that I still haven’t got an answer. In a very simple analogy, if I want to get a train, where do I get the… Read more »