Meet Holly Gotfredson: Owner/President of American Metalcraft

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Gotfredson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama and moved to Atlanta around age 10. Growing up, my parents encouraged me towards music and the arts. My mom would take us on day trips to different museums and I would marvel at the skill and technique it took to create such splendid works. I took piano lessons, enjoyed art class and sang in my high school chorus and church choir. Throughout my childhood and still today, I write songs, play the piano, sing and paint in my spare time. When it came time to attend college, I decided to study Art History at the University of Georgia. While it seems a far cry from my current career in metal manufacturing, the critical thinking and analytics I learned from studying art and playing music have proven quite valuable in my work life. I feel like my background gives me a unique perspective in merging the creative vision of architects and designers with the nuts and bolts of production.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
American Metalcraft was founded in 1986. Since its inception, AMI has fabricated engineered, architectural metal products. We have dedicated ourselves to meeting design needs with the best products possible. One of the things that sets us apart is that we have our own in-house PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride) paint line through our sister company Finishing Dynamics. PVDF is the resin used in liquid-paint lines for aluminum and steel coatings. PVDF coatings, commonly known as Kynar are extremely durable, come in endless color options and offer a timeless, elegant look for any project using metal products. We have one of the largest paint lines in the Southeast and offer custom and standard finishes including micas, two-tones and splatter paint applications. Because we engineer, fabricate and finish all under one roof, this saves our clients time and money in shipping between two facilities. Our knowledge and experience adds value to the design process. We are AIA approved educators and offer classes to architects for learning unit credits. We are most excited about our patent pending rain screen systems – one of which just achieved Miami-Dade approval! It’s like winning an Oscar in the metal manufacturing world due to the extra levels of rigorous testing. Several of our projects have received AIA design awards and we were honored in the 2019 issue of Metal Forming Magazine as part of the Women of Excellence feature. This year, we made the cover of Metal Construction News’ 2020 Metal Construction Hall of Fame Issue. Over the last 34 years, we’ve succeeded through the ups and downs of the economy, metal tariffs and the unique challenges that those in the construction and manufacturing world face. Our success and longevity in this business is because of our team. We have some of the most talented and dedicated people as part of the American Metalcraft and Finishing Dynamics families – some of which have been with us for almost 30+ years! We are so grateful for each and everyone – they are the reason that customers trust and love our products. We love our team!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta has SO much to offer it’s hard to narrow it down but I’ll try. A stroll through Piedmont Park would definitely be on the agenda – we’d visit the High Museum and have a special welcome dinner at Nikolis Roof. Also on the docket – a visit to Fernbank Science Center and planetarium, Fernbank’s Nature Museum and a stop for lunch at the Flying Biscuit and dinner and drinks at Fado’s. Ponce City Market would be a day of fun and shopping with lunch at Botiwalla and dinner at Bellina Ailmentari . The trip wouldn’t be complete without venturing north to Blue Ridge for mountain views, shopping, drinks at the Boro Inn Irish pub and enjoying gourmet Southern dishes at the Flying Trout, Cucina Rustica and Harvest.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband, Erik, and father-in-law, Gary Gotfredson, were both instrumental in encouraging me to get involved with the A/E/C world. After graduating from UGA, I worked at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta for about 3 years. Deciding to do something more active in the creative world, I then spent about a decade working in marketing/advertising in the real estate world. Both my husband and father-in-law had asked me to do some small projects over the years for our family businesses, American Metalcraft and Finishing Dynamics. They mentored and taught me so much about the world of metal manufacturing and PVDF coating application. They encouraged me to come aboard and work for the businesses full-time. Their encouragement, patience and willingness to lead and teach me about this new world helped shape me into who I am today. I’m so grateful to them both for giving me a chance in what’s typically a male dominated field, and hope to use my story to encourage others to consider manufacturing careers.

Website: http://www.americanmetalcraft.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-gotfredson/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/American-Metalcraft-Inc-267415630720843
Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-metalcraft https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=e4186622-c6e6-4689-b9e6-c32998a19d8d&pnum=106

Image Credits
Heather Photographers Scott Weaver Photography Abstract Photography Inc.