Business Spotlight: Hoddy Glass, 37 Years Making Ponca City Shine

Story & Photos by Kelsey Wagner, Ponca City Monthly Editor-in-Chief

Chuck Hoddy, founder of Chuck Hoddy Glass, first began working in the glass industry in Ponca City in 1969. With 14 years of experience under his belt, and an itch to branch out on his own, Chuck took a risk, and with financial backing from friends, started his own company.

Chuck didn’t have to look far for help. His oldest son, who graduated high school in 1983 was his first employee. His daughter De joined the company a month later.

Everyone in the family has, at some point, worked for the company.

“Dad retired in ’97, and I basically took it over from him,” De says.

Hoddy Glass has been a part of many, many large jobs over the last 37 years. One of the most recent jobs that De says they are particularly proud of was for the new Wildcat Weight room.

“We thought it was pretty neat that we got to install the mirrors at the High School weight room,” says De, smiling with pride.

“I’m so proud to get to do jobs for the public, jobs that are paid for by the taxpayers, by us, the citizens.”

In addition to running the family business, De is also very involved in volunteer work.

“All of us were born and raised here, Dad was born and raised here,” says De.

De says there used to be 3-4 custom glass companies in Ponca City, especially during the boom days of Conoco. As far as companies who specialize in the glass business, Chuck Hoddy Glass is all that’s left in Ponca City. De says she knows that even though there are online out-of-town options for products she sells that her customers could easily buy, they still choose to shop local.

Hoddy Glass specializes in glass and mirrors for auto, commercial and residential. De says Ponca City holds a special place in her heart, and she loves the way the people in this town take care of each other.

“I just think the way everybody helps everybody else out is great. We shop local, and we just love this small town.”