Signposts Blog

Now that we’ve had a minute to catch our breath after last week’s Sign Expo, it’s time to give a round of applause and a heart-felt thank you to you – the members of the sign industry.  Thanks to you, the ISA International Sign Expo proved once again to be the industry event to attend and to learn about all things sign related.

Lori Anderson, ISA President & CEO
The old saw: People just aren’t going to trade shows like they used to. Or, I’ll go another year, when things get better. Really?
I am getting my bags packed for the sign industry’s premier event, the International Sign Expo April 7-10 in Orlando and we are excited about another outstanding event! 

April 7-10
We'll see you in Orlando! ISA International Sign Expo 2010 will have more exhibitors and education than ever before.

Visit www.signexpo.org to learn more about the world's largest sign show.

Are you the International Sign Expo’s biggest fan? Have some fun proving it! You could win a Flip Video™ and some cash in the process. It’s the Go Ahead…Make Us Look! Video Competition.

by ISA member Greg Beyerl, CEO of Sign Craft Industries, Indianapolis, Indiana

I am very excited to announce my appointment to the International Sign Association (ISA) Government Relations Committee for 2010.

The ISA has a long and impressive history of advocating for the sign industry. The sign companies, service providers, end users and the community at large benefit from the diligent work of the ISA. The ISA represents the industry before the U.S. Congress and federal regulatory bodies and tracks and responds to sign code issues at the local and state levels.

Before my career in the sign industry, I was a boys' high school varsity basketball coach. Prior to that, I was just a boy myself, spending my formative years on a farm in rural Alabama. What I learned from farming helped me as a coach, and, all these years later, I see that it also prepared me for a successful career in the "real world."

Here's an interesting but tragic story about the unintended consequences of energy policies gone awry. Traffic lights that are using energy-efficient LED bulbs are sometimes unable to melt snow and ice, causing dangerous driving conditions – including the death of a woman in Illinois.

There really is nothing magical about a Thursday changing to a Friday. There are cheers of TGIF about 52 times each year from across the globe, so it certainly isn’t a special moment worth celebrating. But when the clock ticks from December 31 to January 1 there is a psychological “magic” that leads toward celebration, prompting us to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. I know I am looking forward to Thursday, December 31, 2009 changing to Friday, January 1, 2010 – it has been a tough year for the on-premise signage and visual communications industry.

For the last year, ISA has been participating in the UL Sign Industry Business Panel (SIBP), along with our colleagues from USSC and WSA. The goal of this group is to (in part) "... foster cooperation, effective communications and working relationships between the electric sign industry and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc." and to "... promote fairness and consistency in the application of UL's certification program for electric sign manufacturers."   We participate on the panel because, whether we like it or not, the reality is that UL is an integral player in the electric sign business – and that is not likely to change anytime soon.

Designated Blogger: Lori Anderson, ISA President & CEO

Recently I went with a group of my fellow small business trade association executives to meet with U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Gordon Mills and her staff. This was a great opportunity to talk about increasing access to capital for small businesses.