MONDAY, MARCH 28 — There is so much going on in Vegas that it’s hard to keep track of it all. Here’s a very rough breakdown:

Wednesday-Thursday IGMA
Friday-Sunday Glass Week
Sunday-LOGIC
Sunday-Tuesday BEC
Tuesday-Thursday NFRC

If the acronyms don’t drive you crazy, the schedule will but, as always, it’s full of substance. A few thoughts thus far:

–It’s always impressive to see how hard the GANA committees work. The committee members toil over everything from informational bulletins to surveys. The hard work shows in what they produce.

–There’s a lot of buzz about the new LOGIC event for leaders in the glass industry held yesterday (more below). There’s an excellent line-up of speakers including the famous economist Arthur Laffer, founder and chairman of Laffer Associates and creator of the famous Laffer Curve. I wonder if anyone will have the courage to give him a napkin with a curve on it and ask for his autograph (probably not).

–Great to get caught up with so many people in the glass industry. Kris Voelker and Ellen Rogers were comparing baby notes. Mark Silverberg of Technoform always gives me a great international view. Bill O’Keeffe of SAFTI First looks tanned and well rested and is enjoying the event. Brian Pitman’s outstanding video work adds so much to the attendees’ experience.

–It must not be an accident that baseball season starts at the end of the week, because the Leaders of the Glazing Industry Conference (LOGIC) hit one out of the park. The full-day conference for the CEOs and other high-level executives was held Sunday at the Bellagio Hotel. Attendees were a who’s who list of the glass industry powerful.
I attended as a business owner and not in my role as journalist, so I can’t really share the content of the presentations, but they were excellent and insightful. Hats off to Russ Ebeid of Guardian for the idea and the GANA team for the execution. I expect LOGIC II will grow exponentially.

–Split ahead (and, I am guessing because of the above). GANA has decided to hold LOGIC and the BEC in conjunction with each other next year and to move Glass Week–much more of a series of technical, working meetings–to a separate time and location. I think that will be a good move.

–But my biggest surprise of the week so far came from a long-time industry legend. Now it turns out that this person, this rock of the glass industry, usually tries to take in a show while in Vegas, just like a lot of other attendees. Did he aim for tickets to Celine Dion? Nah. How about Barry Manilow? No, he’s been there, done that.

Nope. John Dwyer of Syracuse Glass spent the evening with Lady Gaga.

It’s always the quiet ones, you know?