The Glass and Glazing Group has appointed Dave Mechem to the newly created role of managing director of FENSA and RISA in a move designed to transform service and strengthen support for installers and homeowners.
Dave steps into the role after more than two decades working in the window and door sector, in a career which has encompassed everything from window and door manufacture and installation, to senior leadership roles in inspection, compliance and dispute resolution.
Commenting on his appointment, Dave said: “For the last 20 plus years I’ve been in and out of thousands of properties, talking to installers and homeowners, and working in the detail of standards, regulations and certification. That mix of practical and compliance experience is exactly what I want to bring to FENSA and RISA in this new role.”
He continued: “If you’re running a window company, your first priority is keeping customers happy and keeping the vans moving. Regulation has to be there – it protects consumers and it protects the industry – but it shouldn’t feel like an extra burden.
“My job is to make FENSA work for installers in the background, making compliance as smooth, fast and painless as possible, and being there when installers need help.”
Dave started in the trade at just 13, working weekends as a ‘gopher’ for his dad’s installation business before learning to fabricate and fit.
“I grew up in this industry,” he continued. “I’ve been the lad on site in the rain, trying to finish a job in the dark with a customer looking over my shoulder. I’ve fabricated on basic kit in small factories, surveyed, done service work, and I’ve sat with installers when things have gone wrong.
“So, when installers talk about material issues, measuring headaches, logistics, awkward customers or paperwork overload – I genuinely know what that feels like.”
After years on the tools, Dave joined FENSA as an inspector in 2002, later becoming Inspection Manager. In 2016 he moved across to the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) to lead the inspection function at RISA, where he has since been responsible for developing its role as the industry’s independent inspection and dispute resolution provider.
Going forward, his focus will be to reshape FENSA, removing unnecessary touchpoints and complexity, while making it easier to join.
“We want to be able to give installers a single, competent point of contact who can actually sort things out,” he added. “We want to open up better support for installers, better experiences for homeowners and more opportunities – from inspections and expert witness work through to insurance, membership and technical services.
“Every phone call, every complaint, every technical query is a chance to help someone, solve a problem and signpost them to the right support – whether that’s FENSA, RISA, Installsure, the GGF or others in the group.
“If we get that right, we don’t just protect standards, we actually help our customers grow stronger businesses.”
