Steve Gusterson of Alumicor to retire, Julian Blaise promoted to manager of preconstruction design

Julian Blaise – Alumicor, Manager, Pre-construction Services

Blaise joined Alumicor in 2015 and draws from more than 20 years of experience working with aluminum fenestration and framing systems. Reporting to Gusterson, he held progressively impactful roles with Alumicor, including as product development specialist and most recently, as product applications specialist. He has contributed to such notable projects as the Port of Montreal Tower.

In this new role, Blaise will focus on strengthening relationships within the architectural design community and further enhancing Alumicor’s national specifications presence. This includes direct engagement with architects, engineers and specification writers, as well as providing technical guidance and strategic support to Alumicor’s sales team across the country.

Under Gusterson’s exemplary leadership, Blaise joined the Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) and represent Alumicor at CSC and Toronto chapter events. Involved with other industry associations, Blaise also has earned credentials and certifications with the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) as a FenestrationMaster®, with the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) as a Linear Energy Analysis for Fenestration (LEAFF) Certified Simulator and with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a LEED® AP BD+C.

Blaise completed his studies in architectural technology at George Brown Polytechnic while working full time in the aluminum extrusion industry. Starting his career as an extrusion labourer, he was promoted from quality control to technical drafting and die design. He took a hiatus, moving to Scotland to teach music part time, while playing cello in the Edinburgh University orchestra and extensively traveling Europe. Returning to Toronto, he continued his career as an architectural product designer and drafter, and completed further education at Humber College in construction project management.

Steve Gusterson, Alumicor, Vice President, Pre-construction Services

Gusterson has dedicated more than 50 years to the glass and metals industry. It began with Alumicor in 1974 with a summer job in the manufacturing facility. He soon committed full-time to the trade and to a lifelong journey.

From those beginnings, Gusterson has contributed to nearly every department at Alumicor. From installation to drafting to project management, he gained skills and experience. He worked as Alumicor’s contractor manager for the window division during the late 1980s before moving into sales.

In 2015, Gusterson was promoted to vice president of sales for Ontario. In the 2020s, he moved into the role of vice president of pre-construction design in Canada. He worked most closely with design teams and customers located in Ontario.

Giving back to the design and construction industry throughout his career, Gusterson remained an active leader of CSC, CSC Toronto, and the Ontario Glass and Metal Association (OGMA). Among his many accomplishments and accolades, Gusterson was presented with OGMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025, CSC’s Life Membership Award in 2023 and inducted into the prestigious CSC College of Fellows in 2021.

From 2015 to 2025, Gusterson was a contributing external member of the Architectural Technology and School of Science & Engineering Technology Program Advisory Committee for Durham College. A Certified Technical Representative (CTR) since 2000, Gusterson also was an instructor of the CTR coursework for the CSC Toronto Chapter and a member of CSC’s Technical Representative Program Committee since 2012.

Gusterson previously assisted with the creation of the Ontario version of the “British Columbia Glazing Systems Specifications Manual,” which became the basis of the 2010 national version that is still referenced today. He also served on the Town of Whitby’s Local Architecture Conservation Advisory Committee. He moved from Whitby to Pickering, Ontario, where he lives with his wife, Lori Brooks. They share a deep appreciation for the industry and enjoy traveling the world together.