Engineer by trade...entrepreneur in spirit.
Glenn J. Reid - Founder
Ever the entrepreneur, Reid created his own opportunities at numerous companies he started which included “The Detroit Sculpture Factory,” and “Modecraft.” The city of Detroit commissioned his bronze casting talent to create numerous sculptures which can still be seen downtown and on Belle Isle. Under the brand, “Modecraft,” Reid used his passion for hands-on craftsmanship to create museum-quality replicas of artifacts, which were sold through the Detroit Institute of Arts.
It was this entrepreneurial spirit that made Reid stand out so, he was picked by Michigan General Co. to operate three money-losing Detroit companies in 1976 including a company called Flexible Products. For 4 years, he worked as the President at their location on 8 Mile. Once he turned the company around, he bought it with only a $35,000 down payment. Flexible grew quickly under Reid’s leadership and the hard work of his 3 sons; a true family business. Within 5 years, he built a facility in Auburn Hills and moved all operations there. In October of 2013, Flexible Products was sold to AirBoss of America Corporation and is now known as AirBoss Flexible Products.
Glenn Reid’s interests extended beyond the automotive industry. For more than 35 years Reid collected museum quality models from around the world and in 2001, he founded The Reid Family Foundation. He then opened a museum, free to the public, to share his collection and love for hands-on craftsmanship. For 12 years, Museum Bronze served as a local educational spark; igniting the imaginations of innovators of all ages who visited our collection of precision built, scale models representing the history of the Industrial Revolution. Over the years, The Reid Family Foundation brought 1000’s of people together from all over Metro Detroit who shared a passion for hands-on learning, innovation and entrepreneurship; truly the spirit of what our area was built upon.
Now, all that has changed with the passing of Glenn Reid just three short years ago. As part of the strategic plan, the museum collection was sold to fund the Reid Family Foundation and to carry on Reid's legacy of encouraging entrepreneruship and education.
Even though it will not be Museum Bronze igniting the educational spark, Reid's torch has been passed to his daughter, Sheri Reid Grant who is comitted to using that torch to help brighten the paths of others.
Scroll to see Museum Bronze Video
Museum Bronze
The video shown here is a brief overview of the collection Glenn Reid put together over 35 years and then opened it as a museum to the public, free of charge, in 2001. For 12 years, Museum Bronze was visited by school groups, car clubs, university alumni, boy scouts and many others. In 2013, the collection was sold at auction to collectors who share the same passion as Mr. Reid. His daughter, Sheri, says she believes that now her dad's legacy has spread to people all over the world.