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Hoffer Glass Company

Hoffer Glass installs new sunroom windows and provides glass replacement for existing sunrooms.

Member Profile

Hoffer Glass Company

Hoffer Glass installs new sunroom windows and provides glass replacement for existing sunrooms.

Clear Focus

Fairbanks glass company prioritizes family and customer satisfaction

By Terri Marshall

laska was still a territory in 1958 when Wes and Jewell Cruikshank first opened the doors of Hoffer Glass Company in Fairbanks. Today, the company remains family owned and operated and continues to serve the Fairbanks community.

With a strong focus on customer satisfaction, Hoffer Glass provides quality energy-efficient doors and windows tailored to the unique needs of Fairbanks’ challenging weather.

Today, as president of Hoffer Glass, Emily Cheysobhon carries on the family tradition of quality work and customer service.

Learning on the Job

“My grandpa started the company, and the business continued with my dad and aunt,” says Cheysobhon. “I joined the business in 2003 at the age of 18 and learned everything from my dad and my aunt.” Cheysobhon’s first job with the company was working at the front counter, answering phones and helping customers. She also learned how to manage accounts receivable.

“That experience helped me develop confidence. I worked side-by-side with my dad and aunt for twenty years and couldn’t do what I do now without the guidance they provided,” she says.

Cheysobhon’s dad appointed her president of the company a few years before his death to prepare her for running the company. She owns the business with her husband, Chris Cheysobhon, who serves as vice president.

“We’ve had numerous family members who have started their careers here. My siblings have both worked here over the years, as well as several cousins. After getting their start at Hoffer, some of my cousins and my brother are now working on high-rises and commercial jobs in the Lower 48. One of my cousins worked in the Lower 48 on large commercial jobs for several years, but he returned to Fairbanks about one and a half years ago to help out in our shop.”

“We don’t have sales quotas to meet and we’re proud of the products we sell, informed enough to speak to the science of the products, and the quality speaks for itself.”

–Ryan VanReenan
Estimator and Salesperson, Hoffer Glass Company

custom shower enclosure from Hoffer Glass

One of many types of custom shower enclosure and doors available from Hoffer Glass.

outdoor view of a house with specialty glass installed

An example of commercial insulated glass replacement with specialty glass.

Made for Alaska

Hoffer Glass provides numerous glass products including residential glass for windows, doors, and showers. The company also sells to contractors and does some larger commercial jobs. Window products are triple-paned to help with energy efficiency, keeping the cold out and the warmth in through the winter. Hoffer Glass also manufactures its own vinyl windows known as Nordic Windows.

“We started building those in 1997, piggybacking off of one of our suppliers by making changes to the hardware in the glass, adding locks at the top and bottom and a few other features to make the windows airtight, which is so important for our climate. You won’t find these features on other windows,” Cheysobhon explains. “Our goal is to offer the best customer service and the best products to all our customers, both residential and commercial.”

Prioritizing What Matters

The family atmosphere extends to all of the company’s employees. A lifelong Fairbanks resident, Ryan VanReenan serves as the main estimator and salesperson for Hoffer Glass.

“I began working here in 2012 when I was 26,” he says. “I started in the shop for a few years, left for another glass company and then got called back here to go into estimating and sales in 2015. Working for a family business, I would say that it’s a comfortable environment here. We aren’t as formal and we all get along really well. Also, Emily is open to input and suggestions. We don’t have sales quotas to meet and we’re proud of the products we sell, informed enough to speak to the science of the products, and the quality speaks for itself.”

For a family-owned local company, word-of-mouth advertising is everything. “Our number one priority is to take care of our customers—even if a repair is needed past warranty,” says Cheysobhon. “We also rely on networking within our community, which is one of the benefits of being an AGC member.”

Hoffer Glass has been a member of Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska since February 4, 2017. As for customer satisfaction, Fairbanks resident Pat Frymark is sold on the company.

original business certificate for Hoffer Glass with a photo of the founders below it

The original business certificate for Hoffer Glass, circa 1958. The photo shows Wes Cruikshank, Emily Cheysobhon’s grandfather and the founder of Hoffer Glass, at right. The oldest child, with one knee on the Hoffer Glass truck, is Cheysobhon’s father, Terry Cruikshank, who carried on the company with his sister Lisa Cruikshank, who wasn’t born when this photo was taken. His other sister Susan Cruikshank is at far left. On the truck are their brothers John, Rory, and Scott Cruikshank, the youngest, who is jokingly being offered a beer bottle.

A custom door installed by Hoffer Glass with a classic leaded glass option.

“They’ve gone above and beyond what is expected with customer service. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

–Pat Frymark
Hoffer Glass Company Customer

“We bought a home that was in foreclosure, and the windows were clearly not energy efficient, so we went to Hoffer Glass and talked about what it would take to get the project done,” says Frymark. “They did the measurements and gave me a quote. But what I really enjoyed about them is that they worked very hard to make sure the project was affordable for me.”

Hoffer Glass guided Frymark on how to reduce the overall cost.

“We determined I could remove the windows myself and I could also do the finishing work, like moldings,” explains Frymark. “Even more impressive, I went to them with questions for items I was uncertain about, and rather than being annoyed with me asking numerous questions, they took me into their shop and showed me how they put the moldings together. They also told me where to get the same products they use at a lower cost. Their concern was making sure I was comfortable. They’ve gone above and beyond what is expected with customer service. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

Terri Marshall is a freelance writer who has written for numerous outlets including Alaska Business, AARP.org, and Girl Camper. Her topics range from business to travel to car reviews. Alaska road trips are among her favorite experiences. Photos provided by Hoffer Glass Company.

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