President and Founder Aqua Glass Corporation Current: Owner-President Aqua Enterprises – Adamsville, Tennessee
E. Benard Blasingame is founder and President of Aqua Glass Corporation, the nation’s largest independent manufacturer of gelcoat and acrylic bath and shower units. In 1968 he designed and built a 24-foot houseboat of wood, using small fiberglass units to seal the bottom. His father co-signed a bank note to help him get started and both of his parents worked in the shop to help this fledgling business grow. In 1970, with the market for houseboats shrinking, he added fiberglass tub/shower units to the production line. A year later houseboats were discontinued. An oil embargo and the resultant increase in costs of polyester resin, a derivative of crude oil and the primary chemical used in fiberglass manufacture, created serious problems for the company. From its small beginning however, Aqua Glass today employs over 600 people and has large production and warehouse facilities located on 132 acres of land. “Believe in your employees, produce the finest products, service your customers, work hard and accept God’s blessings.”
