Tommy Huskey – Visionary
F. Thomas “Tommy” Huskey 1954 – 2011
I am despondent. Yesterday, we at Gardner Glass Products lost our CEO, Tommy Huskey, due to complications stemming from his heroic battle with pancreatic cancer.
Tommy Huskey was an undisputed leader in the mirror and glass industry. With a career in the mirror business that spanned over 35 years, he gave a great deal back to the Wilkes community in which he lived his whole life. He was known and respected in his church, the educational system, the businesses he served, and the company he led. He will be greatly missed.
Doing what he did best - relating to customers - at Glass Build 2010
Tommy started his glass industry career in sales for Carolina Mirror after a brief period working for Lowe’s Hardware (now Lowe’s Companies). In his 16-year career with Carolina, he worked his way up to President and CEO in which capacity he served for over 5 years. In 1996 he was hired at Gardner Glass Products and was able (with his team) to buy out the Gardner family in 1999, where he served as Chairman and CEO of the company.
It’s important to remember that Tommy Huskey was the creator of the Dreamwalls vision for Gardner Glass Products, which is more than just an umbrella brand of value-added products. “Dreamwalls” is the very core of who we are and what we do. We wake up every day trying to find new products and new uses for our products on every surface of the living and working environment. And Tommy Huskey gave us that inspiration. The very idea to create an emotive marketing message for fabricated glass products was truly revolutionary to the industry then,…and it still is today.
Tommy Huskey even came up with the name, “Dreamwalls”. I remember the day he came up with it back in 1998. He and I hadn’t been working together very long, so I was pretty nervous. I really wanted to knock his socks off with my design sensibilities and marketing prowess. I had spent days coming up with high-concept and hard-to-pronounce names for this new brand (I am pretty sure Latin was involved in a couple of versions). I was very proud with the results.
Then, at the end of my presentation, he said, “How about ‘Dreamwalls?’” and I bristled. It was so easy and so simple,…so in my inexperience, I thought it couldn’t possibly be good, too.
This would be the first of many sales and marketing messages he would teach me.
When we did focus groups with “Dreamwalls”, people could remember it. It had a “stickiness” that allowed it to remain in the consumer’s mind long after the product was gone. It was simple. It was genius. And it was all Tommy Huskey.
Just like the brand he created and championed, Tommy Huskey was honest, emotive, and left a definite impression. He leaves behind a beautiful family and a legacy of people to continue his work and vision.
Thank you Tommy, my mentor, for all the things you’ve taught me and so many others. I, for one, will very deeply will miss your booming laughter from the corner office.
{Please note: Visit Reins Sturdivant for more details on arrangements as they become available. In lieu of flowers, the family have asked that donations be made to: Viking Crew Association, Inc., P.O. Box 2209, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659}
Tags: CEO, Dreamwalls, grief, mourning, Tommy Huskey, vision
November 28th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Beautiful tribute to a good man. This is amazingly sad. Tommy will be truly missed. A real gentleman and class act. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you there. This is surely a tough one to take.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Tommy’s family, both at home and at Gardner, are in our prayers. I am grateful that we got to work with him, and thankful for the grace and business wisdom that he exhibited over the years; he leaves a positive and lasting mark behind on our industry. You will be missed, Tommy.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Thank you for this fitting tribute to Tommy. It’s still so hard to believe; I can still see and hear him telling me with such pride about Dreamwalls. He’s left a wonderful legacy to be proud of.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
I was just thinking the same thing about hearing his laugh, Mandy. It always made me giggle a little when I heard him laughing back there. He will be missed.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
I am so sorry to hear about Tommy. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with Tommy’s family and all the people at Gardner. I am thankful I got to know and work with Tommy. Tommy rest easy and God bless
November 28th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
I am so sad to hear of Tommy’s passing. He was an exceptional person – compassionate, loyal and always so enthusiastic. He will be missed by all those who were blessed to have met and known him on his journey here. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Gardner Glass Products team. May God give each one of you a little bit of the strength that Tommy embodied to make it through this difficult time.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Sad, Sad News! Tommy was always thoughtful, professional and man you could beleive in. Please keep him, his family and the entire Gardner Glass family in your prayers.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Tommy will be missed, no doubt about it. Above and beyond all else, Tommy had a big heart and was a man devoted to his family, his employees and his friends. Rest in peace…
November 28th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Huskey family as well as to everyone at Gardner Glass. Our industry has lost a leader and a visionary. May the Lord give you peace.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
I know if there is a “Glass Honor Role” in heaven Tommy’s name will appear. What an honor and privlege it was to know Tommy….a true Gentleman that ran his business and life with the utmost of honesty and integrity.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
My thoughts and prayers are with the Huskey family during this most difficult time. I also want to extend my sympathies to his extended family, the team at Gardner Glass Products.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
The Huskey family, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Tommy was the epitome of a true Southern Gentleman, he will be missed.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:10 am
Huntsville Texas Manufacturing mourns the loss of this creative and dynamic man who has lead us through so much and never gave up. Prayers and thoughts for The Huskey family and our Gardner family in NC and Indy.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:30 am
My thoughts and prayers go out to the whole Gardner and Huskey family. He was a true class act and this industry could use more people like him. You will truly be missed by the whole flat glass family.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
My heartfelt condolences go out to the Huskey family and to those at Gardner Glass. We have all lost a true leader, Tommy, a warm and courageous person loved by all who will miss him greatly.
November 29th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
A sad day indeed. Tommy was a great mentor. Being so successful early in his career he was younger than most of those he mentored. I had the privilage of working with Tommy first at Carolina, then through the transition to Gardner. He was a joy to work with, partner with and someone very special to call a friend. We will all miss him.
November 30th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Tommy embodied the spirit of true optimism, a positive outlook on life and a sincere compassion for everyone he met. Tommy knew no strangers and it was an honor knowing him for over twenty years. My condolences go out to Tommy’s family and the entire Gardner Glass team. We have lost a fine gentleman and a true friend.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Our hearts are with the Huskey, Dreamwalls and Gardner Glass family. I consider it a great honor to have met and worked with Tommy and his “Dream Team” through Broach and Company. His vision and passion for the team he led was evident in every action, word and idea. Thank you for sharing such kind words – he has inspired so many!
December 2nd, 2011 at 9:07 am
[...] is important in the South, and it was a favorite of our CEO, Tommy Huskey. He was a connoisseur of barbecue, not just in NC, but all over the country. Anytime we traveled [...]
November 26th, 2012 at 10:03 am
[...] marks a somber anniversary for us at Gardner. It has been a year without Tommy Huskey. The post from last November recounts our CEO’s passing, and just a few of the emotions we were feeling [...]