Employee Spotlight: Charlie Harshbarger – Lamp Maker
Hey-ey, Charles Q!
Charlie Harshbarger has been doing a little bit of everything since February of 1979, and yes, that somehow still leaves room for delivering pizzas, riding his motorcycle, and generally doing things his own way.
Charlie joined the Blenko team over four decades ago and has been marching to the beat of his own drum ever since. Proudly and unapologetically himself, Charlie has worn just about every hat imaginable through his time here. He’s designed pieces, served as foreman over the lehr, helped keep things running in maintenance, ground pieces in the cold shop, and filled a whole bunch of roles in between. His knowledge doesn’t come from one department; it comes from decades of showing up wherever he was needed, usually with a grin and a chuckle.
These days, Charlie happily resides in the warehouse as our lampmaker, bringing skill, experience, and a loving, laughing hand to every piece he works on. When he’s not making lamps, there’s a good chance he’s delivering pizzas for local favorite Gino’s, a side gig he’s managed to maintain for nearly as long as his glass career. At this point, it’s safe to say Charlie runs on reliability, muscle memory, and a can of Spaghetti-O's.
Charlie is dependable not just as a Blenko employee, but as a friend to his core. His career is a reminder that there’s no single path to making an impact here. Sometimes it’s about versatility, sometimes it’s about longevity, and sometimes it’s about doing things your own way and doing them well. We’re grateful for Charlie’s many years of service, his individuality, and the unmistakable mark he’s left all over Blenko history.
