MIKE REILLY
OWNER/CEO

JOE REILLY (left)
PRODUCTION MANAGER

DAN REILLY
INSTALLATIONS MANAGER

Miami Awning Co.

Miami, Fla.

www.miamiawning.com

IFAI MEMBER SINCE 1940

MOST VALUED BENEFIT:
Information and connection to the industry

Mike, Joe and Dan Reilly: leadership transition for Miami Awning

May 1, 2018  |  Features, Perspective

“A lot of what I’ve accomplished in this industry was about survival—being able to have what I need to get the job done,” says Mike Reilly, owner and CEO of Miami Awning Co. in Miami, Fla. “Now, my aim is to convey what knowledge I can to my sons to make it easier for them … <di…
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Amy Poe builds Wyckam from a marine canvas business into a custom sewing shop

April 1, 2018  |  Features, Perspective

As a small business owner you have to be able to adapt to many different situations and needs,” says Amy Poe, owner of Wyckam in Portland, Ore. “You pretty much need to be able to do everything. Even if you hire something out you still have to have a basic understanding of what it is … <d…
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David Murray at Fiesta Tents goes for the gold

March 1, 2018  |  Features, Perspective

Running a business is hard work. There’s always a time when you’ve got to change the way you’re doing things,” says David Murray, founder and president of Fiesta Tents Ltd. in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. “Every year you have to review your business—you have to review and correct.” T…
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The business of yurts: round architecture

February 1, 2018  |  Features, Perspective

I never had an interest in going into business to just duplicate a product that already existed,” says Alan Bair, founder and owner of Pacific Yurts Inc. in Cottage Grove, Ore. “But early on I realized the yurt is a unique warm space that is limited only by the imagination. When you go into tha…
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Inspiration-driven marine fabrication, and sheltering San Francisco’s homeless

January 1, 2018  |  Features, Perspective

Having a really good life is not financially driven. It’s inspiration driven,” says Liz Diaz, MFC, owner of North Beach Marine Canvas in San Francisco, Calif. “Working on and around the water is a singularly lovely employment. I am inspired all the time by my location, by the San Francisco Des…
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New IFAI chairman Steve Ellington shares his vision for the Industrial Fabrics Association International

November 1, 2017  |  Features, Perspective

With the geopolitical challenges and opportunities the specialty fabrics industry faces, we, as an association, need to make sure that we continue to educate our members and provide them with opportunities,” says Steve Ellington, president of Trivantage LLC, Glen Raven’s distribution and marketi…
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Lloyd Verduyn focuses on continuous improvement in products and processes at Verduyn Tarps

October 1, 2017  |  Features, Perspective

“As a company, we believe in the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which is the philosophy of continuous improvement,” says Lloyd Verduyn, president and owner of Verduyn Tarps, based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. “For us, that extends beyond processes and personal efficiency to our products as…
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Elissa Decker’s fabric expertise helps Moss Inc. build global growth

September 1, 2017  |  Features, Perspective

The properties of any fabric will be determined by the combined characteristics of its fiber, yarn, construction method, and dyeing and finishing processes,” says Elissa Decker, senior manager of materials, Moss Inc., Chicago, Ill. “It’s such an exciting time to work in the industry, because t…
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Chad Miller keeps American National Manufacturing on top of changing market demands

August 1, 2017  |  Features, Perspective

People often ask if we make a particular product, and the answer is often no. But can we? To that, the answer is yes,” says Chad Miller, director of contract manufacturing of American National Mfg. Inc. and formerly co-owner of Plas-Tech Sealing Technologies, Corona, Calif. “We have everything w…
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Mike Peterson reshapes company culture at SugarHouse Awning

July 1, 2017  |  Features, Perspective

Mike Peterson restructures an awning company’s culture by asking hard questions, collaborating on the answers, and fearlessly changing the rules. Our old philosophy was to focus on profitability and the end result—and in order to get there we did our best to take care of our customers, and our e…
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