A company’s heritage is built on vision, determination and an abiding commitment to core beliefs. At Marvin, our heritage of excellence goes back more than a century. It reflects an unwavering dedication to quality, service, innovation and community. That dedication has been passed on through four generations of family leadership. And thousands of our skilled workers have been steeped in our heritage through a lifetime of family connections to our company and the communities we proudly call home.

Now, that history and heritage is on full display on Marvin Windows and Doors’ Facebook page, through the beauty of the site’s new Timeline layout. Jump over to Facebook and scroll through the years. You’ll see photos and milestones dating back to 1912, when the Marvin Timber & Cedar Company was founded in Warroad, Minnesota.

Today, in Osawatomie, Kan., President Obama recognized Marvin’s commitment to its workforce and community. The remarks shared by C-Span can be seen below; Marvin Windows and Doors is addressed at 52:30.

President Obama’s remarks:

“In the end, rebuilding this economy based on fair play, a fair shot and a fair share will require all of us to see that we have a stake in each others’ success. … American business leaders [must] understand that their obligations don’t just end with their shareholders. …

“I think about a company based in Warroad, Minnesota, called Marvin Windows and Doors. During the recession, Marvin’s competitors closed dozens of plants and let go hundreds of workers. But Marvin did not lay off a single one of their four thousand or so employees. In fact, they’ve only laid off workers once in over a hundred years. Mr. Marvin’s grandfather even kept his eight employees during the Depression.

When times get tough, the workers agree to give up some perks and pay, and so do the owners. As one owner said, ‘You can’t grow if you’re cutting your lifeblood – and that’s the skills and experience your workforce delivers.’ For the CEO, it’s about the community: ‘These are people we went to school with,’ he said. ‘We go to church with them. We see them in the same restaurant. Indeed, a lot of us have married local girls and boys. We could be anywhere. But we are in Warroad.’

“That’s how America was built. That’s why we’re the greatest nation on Earth. That’s what our greatest companies understand. Our success has never just been about survival of the fittest. It’s been about building a nation where we’re all better off. We pull together, we pitch in, and we do our part, believing that hard work will pay off; that responsibility will be rewarded; and that our children will inherit a nation where those values live on.”

Learn more about Marvin’s heritage of supporting its community and workforce.

At Marvin, the options for our made-to-order windows and doors are virtually limitless. Since we don’t make a one-size-fits-all product, we can’t sell through a one-size-fits-all store. Instead, Marvin relies on the most highly qualified dealers that can help you find an elegant, high-performance solution, no matter the project.

In this video from Marvin’s Heritage series, see why we only partner with dealers that truly understand Marvin – not just the company and our products, but our values and ethics.

Marvin Windows and Doors’ proud heritage was built on uncompromising values, unwavering work ethic and honoring employees and customers alike. Even today, third and fourth generation members of the Marvin family working in all levels of the company embody the same spirit George Marvin did when he first came to Warroad, Minn., in 1904.

In this video from Marvin’s Heritage series, members of the Marvin family explain how the originating values and ethics live on as each Marvin seeks to leave the company even stronger for the generations to come.

Ed Salin is probably one of the best-known people in our hometown of Warroad, Minn. He started with Marvin Windows in 1964 as a truck driver and later spent many years in sales. Now he serves as a tours and training guide in our main factory, leading groups of builders, architects, dealers and other customers through the 2 million-square-foot facility.

We were talking with Ed recently about trust. That’s a subject that doesn’t seem to get a lot of discussion in the business world these days. But for Ed, it’s a fundamental part of his experience with Marvin, going right back to his early days with the company.

“The biggest thing about the Marvin heritage is honesty and trust,” Ed said. In his sales days, he thought of his role as less of a salesman and more of a guide, helping each customer make the right decision for their particular circumstances. And dealers always knew — as they do today — that Marvin would stand behind its products.

“We’ve stood behind products that we didn’t have to,” Ed said. “But first and foremost, we take care of our customers. We live up to that trust.”

Thanks, Ed — we couldn’t have said it any better.

We’ve been taking some time recently to celebrate Marvin’s heritage, values and innovation. Innovation, craftsmanship and attention to detail are a part of every product Marvin makes, but those traits are perhaps most noticeably on display in the creations of Marvin Signature Products and Services.

If you have an ambitious idea that demands a custom solution, our Signature team can bring your vision to life. Marvin Signature Products and Services combines the capabilities of a national brand with the craftsmanship of a local millwork shop. Marvin Signature offers distinctive custom capabilities, personalized service and a solutions-driven approach to our work with new construction, renovation and historic restoration projects.

One favorite example is the round pivot window shown in the photo at right. This window is a creative, stylish solution for gables, cupolas and other challenging spaces. The sash pivots to allow fresh air to flow or can be removed for easy access to the exterior.

See for yourself some of the team’s awesome capabilities in our Signature photo gallery and case study collection.

Gerald Koble has been with Marvin for nearly 25 years, but a lot of his co-workers don’t even know his name. That’s because everyone just calls him “Yogi.”

Yogi supervises nearly 40 people as the lead on our Ultimate Casement line, overseeing the production of one of our most successful new products. For Yogi, his co-workers really are like a second family.

“You get so close to people, so attached,” he said. “You want to help people, encourage them. I want to see people smile. It’s my job to make this a good place for them.”

It’s also his job to make great windows for our customers. And because of the values ingrained in the organization, that’s no problem, Yogi said.

“We give accountability to our people. That experience is what makes our windows flow out the door,” he said. “You can put that person with 20 years’ experience next to the new person. And they’re going to teach that new person. They’re very good at saying, ‘I’ve been here. I’ve done that. I want to show you.’ And that knowledge keeps going on for years and years and years.

“Those are the people who have made us what we are.”

A company’s heritage is built on vision, determination and an abiding commitment to core beliefs. At Marvin, our heritage of excellence goes back more than a century. It reflects an unwavering dedication to quality, service, innovation and community. That dedication has been passed on through four generations of family leadership. And thousands of our skilled workers have been steeped in our heritage through a lifetime of family connections to our company and the communities we proudly call home.

Last week, we began taking time to celebrate Marvin Windows’ long history of values and innovation. It’s a celebration that will continue for the next several weeks. We’ll be publishing a series of videos that tell the stories of our company’s heritage. We’ll be posting a weekly trivia question on our Facebook page and Twitter account. We’ll be writing blogs posts that feature special construction and remodeling projects featuring Marvin products. And so much more.

Stay tuned to this blog, to the Marvin Media Room, to our Facebook page, to our Twitter account, and to our YouTube channel for more.

We recently traveled to Warroad, Minn., where the Marvin Windows and Doors’ plant is located. Six miles shy of the Canadian border, nestled against Lake of the Woods, Warroad is a small community where people “huddle together” as Denise Grussing, a facilitator at Marvin Windows and Doors, said.

The below video examines how Marvin Windows and Doors fits into the community and how the community supports Marvin Windows and Doors. It’s the second in a series called “Inside every Marvin window.” The first video took a look at Marvin’s view of service.

As we’re from Minnesota, being unassuming is as much a part of our DNA as ice fishing and lutefisk. So we try to limit our self-praise on this blog.

However (you knew there was a “however,” right?), we recently recorded videos with Marvin Windows and Doors employees in Warroad, Minn. Their stories are so encouraging and their memories so delightful, we must share.

This first video in the “Inside every Marvin window” series looks at Lyle Kvarnlov’s take on customer service. Let us know what you think!