Nick Arena
President / CEO
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
Nick Arena has dedicated endless time and energy toward building a successful business from the ground up, employing an exceptional team who keeps him on the cutting edge of commercial glass design, and establishing a respected reputation as a top competitor in the industry. The high esteem of his company is reflected in his growing clientele of high-end contractors who choose Middlesex Glass to help them push the envelope with state-of-the-art commercial glasswork and building envelope solutions for their multi-million-dollar construction projects. With the goal of becoming the best commercial glass business in the Boston area, Nick engineered his company to exemplify the highest standards of excellence. Employee development has been an essential component in the establishment of Middlesex Glass, and Nick is proud of the team he has brought together.
A SOLID FOUNDATION
From a young age, Nick’s parents instilled in him the value of rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work required to succeed. They encouraged him to aim high while staying grounded, to follow a moral compass that keeps him humble and to be a devoted family man, loyal friend, and dedicated patriot who gives back in the service of others through charitable work. Both Nick’s mother and father were entrepreneurs which meant Nick spent much of his childhood at his mother’s TCBY ice-cream shop and his father’s auto body shop learning about the importance of working and being dedicated to achieving your goals.
As an enterprising teen working in his father’s auto body shop, Nick saw the opportunity to learn about auto glass from an accidental mentor; an installer from a local glass company taught Nick some of the basics about the auto glass industry, likely with the intention of making his own glass replacement jobs quicker and easier. That early start, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, allowed Nick to eventually open his own auto glass company. Going further, Nick learned all there was to know about the construction industry, and built Middlesex Glass into the commercial glasswork company it is today.
QUALITY PERSONNEL AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
Nick believes that investing in the success and well-being of every team member gives Middlesex Glass a powerful edge. “I think that one of the things that we do well is finding talented staff with potential, fitting them in a position in line with their aptitude and training them with the big picture in mind. We bring them on board, mentor them and give them any type of support that will benefit them in their career.” Nick does not merely pay lip service to the buzzwords of corporate culture — he lives these values every day, on every project with every client.
CONSCIOUSLY CRAFTED CORPORATE CULTURE
Nick’s appreciation of his staff is apparent as he discusses how critical the employee development program has been to the success of Middlesex Glass, “Self-improvement without employee development would be counterproductive.” He beams with pride when he speaks about his team, and it is clear they know their value and return the sentiment. His team members regard Middlesex Glass as a fun and fulfilling work environment, and this keeps them engaged and creates a work atmosphere where their dedication is on display in the high quality of work they devote to every task. This palpable sense of camaraderie and dedication is a testament to Nick’s leadership and mentoring.
DEPENDABILITY
Nick holds himself to the highest standards of excellence, integrity and good old-fashioned hard work. “From pre-construction to close-out, not to mention our warranty process, our clients know we’re a reliable contractor that they can depend on. If they want low maintenance, they come to us. If they want to know they got the right bid from day one, they come to us. They want a quality product; they want schedule; they want speed… they come to us.”
A steadfast patriot to the core, Nick is proud to support the Seal Legacy Foundation. “My family and I have been Seal Legacy supporters for about 10 years. Every year there is a drive to raise money for families of Navy Seals who are making the transition back to civilian life after serving in this unique arm of our military at such an intense level. Helping to support the Seal Legacy Foundation gives me a small opportunity to give something back to some of the bravest people among us who have given so much of themselves in service to our country, allowing us to enjoy our freedom.”
FAMILY
When he is not working you can find Nick spending time with his wife and three children, enjoying baseball with his sons and gymnastics/dance with his daughter. They also love spending time ‘down the Cape’ in the summer and visiting Florida for some sunshine in the winter. “My family makes a lot of sacrifices that allow me to work long hours, so naturally my free time is devoted first and foremost to them.”