Four years ago, a nation struggling to dig itself out of recession and fractured by unprecedented political and social discord voted overwhelmingly for change. That change, which came in the form of young Illinois Senator Barack Obama, represented a hope from the American people that the next four years would bring better things.

Four years later, the question on our minds as we contemplate heading to the polls in November is simply, "Have they?"(...)

In the window cleaning industry there are times at conventions, seminars, picnics, and forums where ideas and other information is shared and relationships are born, but quite often we know little about each other's private lives. In that regard, American Window Cleaner Magazine sought out window cleaners, suppliers, and manufacturers with talents, hobbies, and community involvements that reveal a lot about them. Herein is our report, which we hope will lead others to come forth to tell us what they're involved in off the job in order to perpetrate a series of articles on the subject.(...)

Before Roy Hereth started Roy's Window Service in Lincoln, Nebraska, nearly 35 years ago, and before he became one of the founding fathers and initial board member of the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) in 1989, he was a Lincoln firefighter. After retiring from the fire department and getting into window cleaning, he developed a ladder safety program for his business that was based on the ladder safety training he received as a firefighter. Because safety training was one of the prime reasons IWCA was formed, a safety committee was started with Hereth being a charter member…(...)