Meet Nathan McKenna
Director of Marketing and Innovation, Vitro Architectural Glass
When Nathan McKenna graduated in 2008 from James Madison University (JMU), he couldn’t have envisioned himself becoming an expert in all things glass fabrication.
“During our Vitro lunch and learns, people sometimes ask me if I have an architecture degree, and I say no,” McKenna said. “Then they ask if I have an engineering degree. That’s when I tell them, ‘No, I have a communications degree. I really never imagined this career for myself but I wouldn't change a thing.’”
As director of marketing and innovation at Vitro, Nathan helps to ensure Vitro has the right people in the right places with the right products. He is actively involved in sales, research and development, tech services, and much more. He also oversees Vitro product management and special projects while making field teams aware of new Vitro offerings.
Nathan says the biggest challenge that comes with his position is simply juggling all the moving parts.
“We have so many new partnerships with innovative products coming out,” Nathan said. “Everyone knows that new products come with a lot of unknowns and a lot of coordination. Vitro is a very large company, so I have to make sure everyone on my team is on the same page at all times.”
Nathan was well prepared for his current position at his very first job. One week after graduating from JMU, relationships he had developed during his Junior-year internship led to a project manager position for a glass fabrication company. It just so happened this was all taking place just prior to the 2008 financial crisis.
“It was one of the worst things but also one of the best things,” Nathan said. “I was required to do every job possible because we were running on a skeleton crew – customer service, product management, sales – you name it. I got a huge breadth of experience under my belt very quickly.”
From there, Nathan followed one of his bosses to Columbia Commercial Building Products (CCBP) in Dallas, where the duo started up a glass line to support the window company. The addition of the glass line helped CCBP become a major glass player in the Texas market in just a few years.
“After a few years at CCBP, I decided the next thing I wanted to do was to become a full-time architectural rep,” Nathan said.
Nathan’s ambition led him to Atlanta, where he was hired in 2015 as the Vitro Southeast Regional Architectural Manager covering Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and both Carolinas. After a successful four years, Nathan accepted a position as the Vitro Segment Marketing Manager, where he provided marketing support for Vitro’s residential, commercial and specialty divisions. Nathan not only received the opportunity to move back to his hometown but also to work just a few minutes away from where he grew up.
“I was so excited to move back home to Pittsburgh,” he said. “I came full circle. I grew up about five minutes away from our Vitro Glass Technology Center in Cheswick, Pa. When I was a kid, I always wondered what went on in that building. Now, I know.”
What makes Nathan and his team so successful? For one thing, they’re never satisfied. Nathan says they’re laser-focused on the next great Vitro innovation.
“Obviously, part of our job is to help our sales and field teams promote our products,” he said. “But we’re also always thinking ahead. Where are we going, and what are the products that will help take us there? We don’t call ourselves just the ‘marketing team’ because we also want to innovate. We want to play a role in the innovations that will set Vitro apart for years to come.”
When Nathan isn’t helping to brainstorm or promote the latest Vitro products, he likes to stay active by playing tennis, golf and volleyball, the last of which he played during his time at JMU.
To get in touch with Nathan, either contact him through your local rep or email him at nmckenna@vitro.com. Your feedback could lead to Vitro’s next big idea.
