In 1954, after more than 10 years in the U.S. Army, Richard A. Kennedy returned home and took a job as a glazier with Suburban Glass Co. in Upper Darby, Pa. In 1957, he struck out on his own, opening a small glass shop in East Lansdowne, Pa. Richard founded Kennedy Glass on the ideals of honesty, fairness, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service. He built his company’s reputation on hard work, skill, and reliability. Richard strived to become the best in the business, while at the same time treating customers, vendors, and employees alike the way he wanted to be treated.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, a boom in personal automobiles led to gas stations on nearly every street corner. Richard realized the potential and became the best in the Mid-Atlantic region at gas station glazing. At one point, Kennedy Glass held contracts for every Sunoco station built from New York to Virginia, with Kennedy crews completing one station per day. As the boom subsided, Richard remained an industry leader, shifting his focus to aluminum and glass curtain wall. In 1970, the company became the first glazing installer authorized and approved to fabricate Kawneer’s new 1600 Series curtain wall. Richard also took a leadership role in the Philadelphia region’s construction community. He joined the Subcontractors Association of the Delaware Valley (SADV) when it began in 1967, the Architectural Glass & Metal Association when it formed in the early 1980s, the General Building Contractors Association, and other trade associations.
Kennedy Glass evolved to R.A. Kennedy & Sons in the 1970s when Richard’s sons Tom, Bob, and Chris joined the company. After nearly 60 years in operation, the company has grown to include a third generation of Richard’s family. Today, the R.A. Kennedy & Sons team carries on Richard’s legacy by staying true to his goal of providing the best architectural glass and metal products at the highest level of service. If it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of our team in the shop, field, and office, we wouldn’t be here today.
R.A. Kennedy & Sons was proud to be honored by SADV for years of industry service and commitment. Watch a video celebrating our history: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FkxHXSFQO8UXGSpcVBeAcSISLBfBde_z/view?usp=sharing