_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ GGI
Blending innovation, artistry and expert craftsmanship, GGI has been pushing the boundaries of glass fabrication for over 100 years. Founded back in 1900, glass isn’ t just a trade for GGI: it’ s a passion. The company has been owned and operated by the Balik family throughout the entirety of its journey, now leading at the fore of glass sourcing, fabrication and distribution throughout the industry. GGI is currently led by company President, David Balik, with his cousin, Richard Balik, as Executive Vice President and son, Stephen Balik, as Vice President of Business Development. Together, with a talented team by their side, David, Richard and Stephen continue to grow and build upon the Balik family legacy, skyrocketing their business to new horizons.
In 2025, GGI is proud to celebrate its 125th anniversary – an incredibly monumental achievement that’ s representative of its strong family values and reputable legacy. In commemoration of this remarkable milestone, Construction Today is joined by David and Stephen to learn more about how the company’ s continuous pursuit of excellence has led to its longevity and success. Stephen starts by providing some insight into the history and heritage of GGI.
“ I represent the fifth generation of the business, and I joined the company in March 2010,” he begins.“ The company was founded in 1900 as a small, local business in the Lower East Side in Manhattan. Up until around the 1940s-to-1950s, the business was focused on smaller-scale jobs, like fixing store windows, glazing, and so forth. Right after World War II, there was a big housing boom, and we started to ramp up our reputation in the area. We soon became one of the biggest importers and distributors of glass in the area, and that’ s what really set us up to be the success we are today. construction-today. com 57