Bacon & Van Buskirk Glass Co.

T.M. Bacon founded a small paint and glass store in downtown Champaign, Illinois in the late 1800s. T.M. Bacon soon became the store in town for paint, wallpaper, and glass. In 1927, Verne Van Buskirk began working at T.M. Bacon & Sons in the Glass Department.?

In 1937, Verne Van Buskirk purchased the Glass Department from T.M. Bacon & Sons Paint & Glass. In 1947, Verne and Noah Bacon, a son of T.M Bacon who operated their retail, paint and picture framing departments, incorporated and began operations in 1947 as Bacon & Van Buskirk Glass Co., Inc. in downtown Champaign.

In 1952, Verne's son, Roy, entered the business upon graduation from the University of Illinois' College of Commerce. Roy aggressively worked to help the commercial glass business to grow. In 1954, Bacon & Van Buskirk Glass Co., Inc. formed what has become a long and successful relationship with Kawneer Company, the world's largest architectural aluminum storefront, window, and curtainwall manufacturer. In the 1950's, Bacon & Van Buskirk became the first wholesale distributor of both PPG and LOF glass in America.

During the 1960's and '70s Bacon & Van Buskirk shed its paint sales, began adding branch locations, and emerged as the dominant commercial glass company in Central Illinois. In the 1980's Roy Van Buskirk was elected the President of the Flat Glass Marketing Association (FGMA), or what is now known as the Glass Association of North America (GANA). During the 1990's, Roy was also elected as Chairman of the National Glass Association (NGA). Roy Van Buskirk is the only executive to lead both of America's glass associations.

In 1977, Rod Van Buskirk, Verne Van Buskirk's grandson, graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and joined the company. Rod purchased Bacon & Van Buskirk from his father, Roy, in 1997. Today, Bacon & Van Buskirk is Illinois' largest full-service glass company and continues to be family-owned with locations in Champaign and Springfield. During the 2000's, Rod Van Buskirk continued the tradition of industry service and was elected Chairman of the National Glass Association (NGA) and President of Distributors Council. Rod has also served on the Board and Committees of both the NGA and the FGMA.