What makes Rehme unique is the design of our product. We have a patented thermal break design for our steel systems that is different than anything else on the market. At our core we're fabricators, designers, and engineers, and we wanted to own our product all the way down to its raw components. We’re not importing any sort of mass-produced lineal—everything is manufactured right here in Texas, which is really rare in this industry. Most steel window and door products are designed and engineered in Europe or Mexico and imported to the U.S. Manufacturing our own product is really important to us because we get control of every little detail and can own the fit and finish.

I came to Rehme by way of a friendship. I've always been in sales, and for the majority of my career was focused on technology sales. But I've always had a passion and interest in architecture and design. I love to be on a job site—that’s a great day for me. My good friend Corey Claunch—who’s the vice president at Rehme—knew about my interest and invited me to spend a few days on the job with him so I could get an idea of what his day-to-day was like. Right after, I made the jump out of tech and into windows and doors.

One of the things that is really fun about working at Rehme is the type of project we tend to get involved in. Projects that use Rehme products are typically high-end and architecture-driven. And as a result of that, you find yourself in some spectacular locations with clients who care about what we care about, which is building something that special, custom, and with a high degree of finish. The projects we work on tend to carry a very long lead time, so there’s also the satisfaction of seeing a process through its whole lifecycle over the course of a few years.

In addition to our unique thermal break design, people are excited by the fact that our products are all 100 percent, American-made stainless steel. Stainless steel is a raw material that is really substantial. It’s highly durable and low maintenance. Our systems have the minimal sight lines that designers are often seeking, while still feeling really solid and stable. Rehme’s products check all of those boxes.

For a lot of clients, the fact that we're a family-owned company is also a draw. Founder Peter Rehme is very involved in the company, and clients can come to our facility in Spicewood, Texas, and meet the fabricators who are going to build their assemblies or sit down with the design team. I think all of that tends to be pretty exciting to clients.

We’re constantly going through research and development processes, whether to add greater functionality to our products—like enhancing our multipoint hardware, for instance—or redesigning whole systems, like we have with our sliding doors this year. Continuous iteration is very important to us.

Steel windows and doors are rare in the fact that their assemblies require incredible care and expertise, from the warehouse to final installation. None of our products come with glass, so all of the glazing has to happen in the field. So when we look to partner with a vendor, it has to be somebody we feel can first and foremost speak to the value of the product to their clients, and then do the hands-on work to install it with impeccable expertise. In our experience, the team at Signature is equipped with all of the necessary skills to deliver at this level. The sales team understands the message behind Rehme products well enough to correctly specify products and make sure they are appropriate for the project needs and building codes. And the installation team is made up of high-quality professionals who we have the utmost confidence in. This allows us to send the product and know without a doubt that Signature is going to handle every aspect correctly.

When I'm not at work I love to entertain. I really love to cook and so any opportunity we get to have people over and cook a big meal and just kind enjoy being together is something I look forward to. I don’t only love to cook—I also love to read a cookbook. My favorite is Big Ranch, Big City by Louis Lambert. It’s one of a few cookbooks I always return to. I’ve probably cooked 65 percent of the recipes in that book and there hasn’t been a miss yet! And then, Austin is a great city to be outside in, so we also spend a lot of time at Lake Austin, cycling, or doing anything we can to get outside and enjoy the weather when it's not, you know, a hundred plus degrees out.