Brief History

J.B. Sash & Door Company, Inc. was founded and incorporated in May, 1940 by Joseph Bertolami, John Bertolami, and John McAllister. Joseph Bertolami, was the company's first President and became the motivating force in making the company a specialty mill for the reproduction of custom made windows and doors. Through the years, the company was called upon to restore the windows and doors of many buildings of great historical significance and won public acclaim for its ability to manufacture these custom reproductions. The House of Seven Gables, John Quincy Adams House, Bullfinch Square, Faneuil Hall, Boston State House and the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, are only a few of the many sites in which the specialty products of J.B. Sash & Door Company have been installed. Through the early years, the company, with Joseph Bertolami's leadership, continued on this course of supplying the building industry with customized window and door products.

As the fifties and sixties came, and the retirement of both John Bertolami and John McAllister, the sons of Joseph Bertolami began to take a more active part in the business. Although Mr. Bertolami continued to be instrumental in the production and fabrication of these specialty products, it became evident that the company had to expand its reach in the marketplaces. First Carmelo, followed quickly by Ugo and then Sal Bertolami, began making inroads in the handling and supplying of standard and stock window and door items. Dealing more with builders and contractors, as well as homeowners, opened an additional phase of the company's work load. The company was able to continue the path of supplying special wood windows and doors as well as items of quality such as Andersen, Morgan, Stanley, and many other fine standard building products.

Upon the passing of Joseph Bertolami and the retirement of Carmelo Bertolami, it became more critical that the company acquire a new product to compete with the ever changing window business. In 1982, Ugo Bertolami became instrumental in developing a vinyl clad replacement window. It was at that time that Ugo and Sal introduced this unique patented product to the marketplace. It was the first replacement window that combined an extruded vinyl covering to the exterior and yet kept the natural beauty of wood on the interior. This, along with the feature of insulating glass, weather-strip, and tilting action, became an instant hit in the retail replacement field.

To promote this product as well as the company, Sal Bertolami contracted the advertising services of former Boston Red Sox Great Johnny Pesky. Through the medium of radio and television, the two - Pesky and Bertolami - became known as the "Window Boys". It was partly through these media promotions and the implementation of new products that the company began to outgrow its factory and warehouse capabilities.

In December 1985, the Bertolami brothers decided to build a new window and door complex building on Second Street in Chelsea. This new 50,000 square foot modern facility allowed J.B. Sash and Door Co., Inc. to become one of the largest stocking dealers of quality Andersen windows and doors. While still maintaining the specialty mill for historical items, the company added the Marvin window line, Morgan doors, Therma-Tru Doors, Velux Roof Windows, and many more of today's leading window and door products. The company still remains one of the leaders in replacement window field, adding an all vinyl window to go with the popular J.B. Wood and J.B. Vinyl Clad replacement products.

As the company progressed, the addition of the Bertolami brothers' sons, Ronald and Richard, has added youth and strength to the company leadership. Known today not only for its quality products, but also for its truly knowledgeable sales staff and dedicated work force, the company continues to grow and broaden the field. Continuing in their quest to remain a top quality dealership, Ugo Bertolami recently became involved in developing a new and exciting window system concept. The new window, the JB Tilt-N-Seal was introduced in the spring of 1999 and adds to a long line of quality products introduced by J.B. Sash.

The principals of the company, Ugo, Sal, Ronald, and Richard are continually striving to impact the window and door industry by not only introducing new products, but also by continuing to offer the building public the finest window and door product available along with exceptional customer service.