Lee & Cates Glass, Inc.

Company Overview

Lee & Cates Glass was founded in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, in 1926 by brothers-in-law Thomas D. Lee Sr. and Raymond H. Cates. The business has since grown into a full-service glass company with locations throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, providing a wide array of residential and commercial glass installation, repair, and replacement services. Today, Lee & Cates Glass is still family-owned and run with the same vision, ethics and principles of its founders.

Thomas Lee IV, Lee & Cates Glass — Thomas Lee IV

Leadership: Thomas Lee IV, President

Website

Locations: The company's Contract Glazing division is operated out of its headquarters office located at 5355 Shawland Road in Jacksonville, FL. Additionally, they have seven (7) retail locations serving Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia: St. Augustine, FL; Orange Park, FL; Jacksonville Beach, FL; Yulee, FL; Jacksonville (Mandarin area), FL; Jacksonville (Downtown area), FL; Brunswick, GA

Years in Business: Lee & Cates Glass was formed in 1926, so 2025 will begin its 100th year of operation!

Company mission: To Be A City on a Hill. To stand out in a way that makes others, whether they be potential customers, employees, investors, vendors, or simply members of the community, say “They are different. They stand out. I want to be a part of that.”

Q&A with Thomas Lee IV

What products and services does your company offer?
Lee & Cates Glass' commercial specialties include glass, glazing, curtainwall, storefront, and railings. Our residential specialties include high-end custom shower enclosures, window glass replacement, wine rooms, mirrors, tabletops, and smaller storefront jobs.

What are your company's keys to success?

To be a City on a Hill as an organization, we must strive to stand out in every way:

In the way that we run our business operations
In the way that we manage our business finances
In the way that we work with our fellow employees
In the way that we treat our customers
In the way that we honor our commitments
In the way that we participate in our community
In the way that we compete with our competitors
In the way that we conduct our personal lives
In the way that we deal with our victories and our defeats
In every other way possible so that we are a light to the world

What’s something your company does that sets you apart from others, or that has been helpful to the way you do business or your bottom line?
A clear focus on our employees and our community. The company was founded in 1926 to provide jobs and income for the Lee family and Cates family, as well as to other members of the community. That altruistic spirit continues to guide us today.

Why did you join NGA?
We joined NGA to support our national association, to network and share information and to receive the latest industry news and updates.

What is a big glass project or accomplishment for your company?

Broward Dining Hall on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, FL

Kawneer - 1600 system 2 SSG curtain wall, 451T storefront, 350 entrance doors
FGD – Guardian SNR50 on Clear
GC: Parrish-McCall Construction

This project was extremely complex due to the intricate geometry of the curtain wall openings. Each opening was shot with a laser at every vertical mullion, then all data points were drafted in AutoCAD to establish all cut lengths and glass templates. The project also dealt with logistic challenges as the site is situated in the heart of the University of Florida campus, with an extremely small footprint. The completion of the project was constrained by the “back to school” deadline so that the dining hall could open for the fall semester.