Project Manager Spotlight: Gin Benner, AGNORA

NGA’s own Sara Neiswanger interviews member company project managers to get to know who’s who in our industry, as well as their insights on the job and working in glass.

Gin Benner
AGNORA

Q&A with Gin Benner

Gin Benner, AGNORA

Sara Neiswanger: Tell me a bit about yourself. Where you’re located, how long you’ve been in the glass & glazing industry, how you got started...
Gin Benner: I am located in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, and I have been in the glazing industry for over 10 years. I started at a glass fabrication & installation company in Barrie, Ontario, where I was responsible for growth strategies working closely with the owners, implementation of new machinery and software and overall general management of both the production and installation departments which gave me the “Glass Nerd” bug!

SN: How long have you been in a ‘project management’ role? How did you find yourself in this position? Was it part of a planned career path? Or happen-stance?
GB: I transitioned to a Project Management role when I joined the team at AGNORA. It was not a planned career path by any means, however, in my opinion, it’s a giant leap forward in the type of work that I want to do, and the kind of high-end projects and clients that I have the opportunity to work with. Leaving the responsibilities that came with being a GM was not an easy decision for me as I was passionate about the company I was with and was a large part of their growth and success. However, I knew moving to AGNORA would give me the opportunity to expand my knowledge within the industry and allow me to continue to learn about a product I have grown to love. AGNORA has given me not only the opportunity to be a PM working on interesting and exciting projects, but also to lead the Research & Development / Product Innovation team.

SN: What do you find to be one of the most challenging parts of your job currently?
GB: Expectation gaps of the various stakeholders on a project about performance, quality requirements and timelines.

SN: Can you think of anything that would help alleviate some of that challenge?
GB: At AGNORA we are actively involved with NGA, which has numerous resources to help bridge the expectation gap. AGNORA also offers 5 AIA-approved courses which are designed with the entire industry in mind, not just the architectural community. We want to educate everyone about how amazing glass is!

SN: What parts of being a project manager do you enjoy the most?
GB: The best part about being a PM (especially at AGNORA) is the complexity of the projects I take on. I am often involved at the concept level, working directly with architects to achieve the vision of what is possible with big glass, and carrying this vision right through to the end of the project with the glazing/installer.

SN: What is one question you would love to pose to your fellow PMs?
GB: What strategies do you use to foster effective communication and collaboration amongst stakeholders and clients throughout a project?