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WESTMINSTER, COLORADO AUGUST 2011 VOL. XXXII, NO. 3

roadmap for how we will achieve those goals for the betterment of WSA. The planning session devel-oped some very interesting and out-of-the-box think-ing which will require a great deal of consideration by the Executive Committee and the Board of Direc-tors to determine which portions of the plan are fea-sible and should be implemented as soon as possi-ble and which should be further studied. In a few weeks, the Executive Committee will meet to refine the plan, polishing it for the Board of Direc-tors to review and act upon so that the plan’s imple-mentation best addresses the challenges of our as-sociation and industry. Last month, we sent out a copy of the plan to all the members for their com-ments and input. We are doing our best to provide leadership at critical moments for our members. Please assist us by reviewing the plan and providing your comments if you have not already done so. We want to govern our organization to meet the needs of our members so that there is no confusion or doubt that we are working in tandem to a pathway to our WSA future. Also please remember that we as WSA friends should strive to mentor other WSA members through these uncharted times and continue our WSA responsibilities and relationships even in the face of personal turmoil and business hardship. As always, our WSA friends will lead us through, no matter what crises we may face. Reach out to your WSA friends to mentor others and when you need a helping hand. We are WSA “Friends Helping Friends.” I look forward to seeing you all and making new WSA friends at our annual meeting which will be held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Minneapolis, September 22-24, 2011. This 64th annual meeting will for the first time be held in a two-and-a-half day format over a weekend. We are still hard at work to assure that it will be one of our best annual meet-ings ever.

Providing Leadership at Critical Moments

It is hard to believe that it has almost been a year since I was inducted as the president of this fine or-ganization. Nevertheless, summer is here, and fall will quickly follow, and we will once again meet to re-view our association’s accomplishments over the past year as well as to determine our future goals for the upcoming year. The final plank of my presidential platform is provid-ing leadership at critical moments and all that entails. Regardless of your political leanings, it is easy to see why this is so important as we witness the debates on raising the debt ceiling and tax cuts that are now be-ing hashed out between our country’s leaders. As our leaders argue and debate, we as Americans are left in a quandary of confusion and doubt as to their true ability to do what is necessary to turn this country around. In March of this year, our WSA leaders met and held a strategy planning session to determine a pathway to our WSA future. As leaders we felt that this is in-deed a critical time in the sign industry and that our association should develop clear goals and a

A MESSAGE FROM

WSA PRESIDENT

Lorie Apperson

FRIENDS HELPING

FRIENDS

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WORLD SIGN ASSOCIATES

9035 Wadsworth Parkway, Suite 2250 Westminster, Colorado 80021-8626 Phone: 1-800-421-0641 FAX: 1-303-427-7090 E-Mail: wsa@wsanetwork.org Website: wsanetwork.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President Lorie Apperson ANS Signs Adel, Georgia

Vice President Tom Keljo Security Signs Portland, Oregon

Secretary/ Paul Fuchsel Treasurer La Crosse Sign Company Onalaska, WI

Past President Tom Sellers - CSE Luminous Neon Hutchinson, Kansas

Executive Jerry Righthouse Vice President World Sign Associates Westminster, Colorado

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bill Montero David Onken Tim Cambron Division One Division Five Division Eight

Pat Corey TBA Lisa Tymchyn Division Two Division Six Division Nine

Mike Isaacson Chris Balton Bert Guinee Division Four Division Seven APM Division

IN THIS ISSUE OF WSA TODAY August 2011

President’s Message Page 1 New WSA Members Page 3 Competition Points Page 3 2011 Annual Meeting Page 4 Nice Bike - Keynote Pages 5 Educational Seminar Pictures Pages 6-9 Brian Barnett NM Profile Pages 10 & 11 APM Corner Page 14 APM Listing Pages 15-19 David Drury NM Profile Pages 20 & 21 What If? By Carol Keljo Pages 22 & 23 WSA Business Matters Pages 21-22 Photos on WSA’s Website? Page 24 Marketing Page Page 25

ARTICLES FOR NEWSLETTER

Send articles to Headquarters which you want to be considered for future issues of the WSA TODAY newsletter.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS August 2011 - October 2011

AUGUST 1 Civic Holiday (Canada) 28 APM invoices due at WSA Headquarters SEPTEMBER 5 Labor Day (US, Canada) - WSA Headquarters Closed 11 Patriot Day (US) 21 WSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING - MINNEAPOLIS, MN 22 WSA LEADERSHIP GROUP MEETING - MINNEAPOLIS, MN 22-24 WSA 2011 ANNUAL MEETING - MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 28 APM invoices due at WSA Headquarters 29 Rosh Hashanah OCTOBER 8 Yom Kippur 10 Columbus Day (US) 10 Thanksgiving Day (Canada) 21-22 Division Seven Meeting - Raeford, North Carolina 28 APM invoices due at WSA Headquarters

WSA TODAY is a quarterly newsletter published by World Sign Associates for its members and others in the sign industry. The Newsletter does not represent an official position on behalf of World Sign Associates or the sign industry. STAFF Jerry Righthouse, Executive Vice President Lori Morales, Project Administrator & Bookkeeper Cherri Roth, Meeting Manager & Executive Assistant

Lorie Apperson

Presidential Logo

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NEW

WSA MEMBERS

Let’s give a warm welcome to WSA’s newest members;

Division Six

Keith Wolff Dubuque Sign Company 210 Cedar Cross Road Dubuque, IA 52003 PH: 563-582-1691 FAX: 563-585-1032 Email: kwolff@dubuquesign.com David Drury Poblocki Sign Company 922 S. 70th Street West Allis, WI 53214 PH: 414-453-4010 FAX: 414-453-3070 Email: ddrury@poblocki.com

Division Seven

Roger Reid Apollo Sign & Light 1238 Logan Circle Atlanta, GA 30318 PH: 770-874-9400 FAX: 770-874-9401 Email: roger@apollosign.com

COMPETITION POINTS FOR 4TH QUARTER 2010-2011

Competition points for the 2010-2011 fourth quar-ter ending June 30, 2011 have been calculated and the standings are:

Accumulated Division Points Ranking

Division ? 3385 1st Division ? 3185 2nd Division ? 2830 3rd Division ? 2715 4th Division ? 2320 5th Division ? 2275 6th Division ? 2008 7th Division ? 1765 8th

And the 2011 winner…..will be announced at the 64th Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Septem-ber 23, 2011.

Learn who is “No. 1” in Minneapolis. Competition points sustain the Spirit of WSA!

Freightquote.com

Discounted shipping rates.

Have you tried the program?

WSA members can use the discounted ship-ping service. There’s information on WSA’s website; Go to; www.wsanetwork.org On the home page under “Member Ser-vices”, located on the left-hand side of the home page, click on ”FREIGHQUOTE.COM”. A flyer about the WSA service program ex-plains the program and provides you a toll free number to call.

Tell the clerk you’re a WSA member.

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64th ANNUAL MEETING

Friends Helping Friends

September 22-24, 2011

Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN

1st time - shorter, weekend schedule.

The Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis

Hotel Entrance

Minneapolis, MN

City and River View

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“NICE BIKE”

Mark Scharenbroich

2011 Keynote - Minneapolis Quite by accident, I stumbled onto the Harley-Davidson company’s 100th year anni-versary celebration in Mil-waukee, Wisconsin. I flew from my home in Minneap-olis to Milwaukee for a speaking engagement. Once I landed, I rented a Ford Taurus beige car for my trip. I was suddenly surrounded by thousands of black leath-er, bandana wearing, hard-core Harley riders. They had traveled across the world to celebrate 100 years of Har-ley-Davidson motorcycles. I’ve never been on a Harley. I’ve never dreamed of own-ing a Harley. I’ve never thought of myself as a Harley-kind-of-a-guy. But that day in my beige rental car, I wanted a Harley. I wanted to be a part of the Harley gathering. I wanted to see my wife Susan in black leath-er on the back of a Harley…(OK that’s a different issue.) As I watched the interactions between biker to biker, two words surfaced that seemed to create a great connection. A stranger would walk by a rider, glance at their Harley and simply say, “Nice Bike.” It really hit me that once our basic needs are met, we all have two core needs. Number one: We need to belong — to a family, a tribe, a faith community, a great company, a united team. We all need to feel connected. Number two, we all need to hear, “Nice Bike,” which translates to “I see you, I hear you, and I appreciate you. This world, this organization, or this community is a better place because you’re in it. You belong.” Nice Bike. It was the gold star on your paper in elemen-tary school. It was being invited to sit at a lunch table in middle school. It was the high school teacher remember-ing your name on the second day of classes. It’s the smile from a stranger during your travels. It’s a manager taking the time to let you know how much you mean to an or-ganization.

Nice Bike may only be two words, but it can be broken down into three powerful steps: 1. Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement is an awareness of others. It’s letting people know that who they are and what they do matters. Instead of thinking someone is doing a good job, it’s tak-ing the time to say it out loud. 2. Honor

Nice Bike is honoring other people and knowing what’s important — not to ourselves — but to them. It’s giving a sincere compliment not because of what it will do for you, but because of what it will do for the other person. It’s serving others with a sense of passion. 3. Connect

Nice Bike is making a connection. It’s creating a bond — large or small — that makes a difference in the life of someone else. Here is a perfect example of Nice Bike: I attended at a birthday party for a friend, Tim Line, who is married to Lori Line, a virtuoso piano player. She owns and runs the largest woman-owned independent record company in the United States. Tim was celebrating his 40th birthday, and Lori threw a party in their home with 75 people attending. In the mid-dle of the party, Lori gathered everyone together for a toast to Tim. After the toast, Tim said, “I want to thank each and every one of you for coming tonight to help us celebrate. You are all very special people to us, and I want to make sure you all know the role that each of you play in our lives.” Tim went on to introduce each person and explain how they were connected to him. He recognized every single person in the room. You could see each person glow a bit brighter when Tim talked about him or her. He acknowl-edged, honored and connected with every person in the room. It was Tim’s night, but he really made it about his guests. It was a true Nice Bike. Would you like to make a differ-ence in someone’s life? It could be a stranger, a co-worker or a family member. Acknowledge, honor and find a way to connect with them. Find out what they value and Nice Bike them. It makes for a fun and meaningful ride.

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WSA’s 22nd EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

June 8-10, 2011 Kansas City, Missouri

A pictorial review

It was a good one!

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Brian Barnett of Barnett Signs New WSA Member in Division 5

Warming Up to a Legacy

Brian never imagined he’d walk in the footsteps of his dad and grandfa-ther. “I was around crane trucks and on the shop floor my entire life,” he said, “I didn’t think it was for me.” After graduating from high school, he gained an appreciation for the industry, and the business his father and grandfather nurtured. “I don’t think anything is as rewarding as the sign industry,” Brian com-mented. “Owning a business has its challenges. I don’t leave work at the office, but take it home with me. And I’m grateful that instead of starting at ground zero, I can build on solid foundation.” Celebrating 40 Years

Integrity runs deep in the Barnett family. Early on, grandfather Nolan Bar-nett was mistakenly double-paid on an invoice. While his partner wanted to keep the money, Nolan insisted on refunding the overage. The dispute dissolved the duo and left No-lan free to start Barnett Signs in 1971. A few months later, son Barry joined the company. By 1995, all three Barnett generations were moving the business forward, with Nolan in the front office, Barry super-vising the crews and shop, and Brian handling sales, design and project management.

Brian credits his father for allowing him room to experiment. “When I entered the business, my dad gave me the freedom to take a fresh look at my part of the operation, just as his dad did for him.” Nolan retired in 1996, making Barry the company’s principal. Brian’s sister, Kelly, now manages the accounting department. “Luckily, our family works well together, and we give ourselves space on the weekends,” said Bri-an. “Since we each handle different aspects of the company, we’re not stepping on each other’s toes.”

Multisite Experts

Barnett Signs specializes in brand consistency and multi-location conversion projects for large corpora-tions in northern Texas. “We work hard at Barnett Sign to supply our customers with excellent service. Our word is everything, so if we say we’re going to do something, we will. As a result, almost all our accounts represent repeat busi-ness,” he explained.

Continued on page 11

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Brian Barnett of Barnett Signs - continued from page 10

WSA Everywhere

WSA went from off the radar to center screen in a hurry. In the space of two weeks, Brian experienced separate encounters with WSA ambassadors Ed Killi-on of Harbinger, Jace Larsen of General Lighting & Sign Services and John Lewis of Lewis Sign. “I had never really known much about WSA, and suddenly members were popping up everywhere.” These con-versations led Brian to the conclusion that “I know what kind of companies Ed, Jace and John represent and I want to be associated with them.” Quality Over Quantity

Having served twice on the board of the Texas Sign Association, Brian understands the value of active participation. “Building relationships is important to us. We’re committed to what we’re doing and to helping each other,” he related. “In my prior volunteer efforts, I could only really get to know other board members. The general member wouldn’t have the opportunity to foster those kinds of quality relationships.” “WSA appreciates quality over quantity. I have the potential to reach out to everyone in the association. The intimate atmosphere of our small division meetings lets us share ideas and explore quality relation-ships. I’m getting to really know my fellow members, sharing experiences and building off of them,” he said. “If I have challenges, I can go to any member for advice, and I would gladly do the same for each of them.” In addition to fostering ongoing business relationships, Brian hopes to partner with WSA members to serve customers. Look for Brian at the WSA 2011 Annual Meeting

Brian spends weekends with his wife and children at the family “Lazy B” cabin, often fishing, four-wheeling and practicing at their makeshift shooting range. Say hello to Brian in Minneapolis on Sept. 22-24. “I’m looking forward to the annual meeting and seeing the same excellence I experienced at the division level,” he said.

Brian Barnett

Division 5 member as of February 2011 Barnett Signs in Mesquite, Texas Established in 1971 $3.5 million in annual revenue with approximately 15 employees Core competencies in multisite rebranding projects for large national companies About Brian: Lover of off-road four-wheeling and fishing at the family cabin with wife Julie and their three children, Brooke, Bradley and Brandon Contact: www.barnettsigns.com, brian@barnettsigns.com

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Division 4 member American Lift and Sign Service (Pat Schuster) helps Iowa State prepare for the 2011 football season. What a sign!

STOP THE NETWORKING—RADICAL, HUH? Think about the last time you attended a networking event. Probably tons of people in attendance, all trying to sell you and each other something. Mostly people in business to business sales. You may have left with some good initial contacts that you may or may not follow up with. It seems that we in business spend an enormous amount of time “networking” and little to no time actually get-ting to know people. In the world of team building and creating rapport, it’s been said that an hour at play is equal to months and months of work together. Think about enjoying opportunities to just have fun together, not necessarily “network”. Having fun and relax-ing with friends is underrated in the world of business development! “Way back”, it was the social and benevolent minded groups that formed the first “networking” groups. Even Ben Franklin gathered a group of men together to talk about ways to improve their city. Lions Clubs, Rotary and Country Clubs were some of the only opportunities for business owners to meet outside of business and get to know each other. And don’t forget churches, bowling leagues and softball teams! With that said, let’s stop networking just for the sake of adding to that pile of business cards on our desk. Let’s get together and get to know people in a meaningful way and have some fun! WSA’s 64th annual meeting in Minneapolis is just the way to do that. September 22-24, 2011.

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“Sign hanging in the 1950’s.” Photo submit-ted by Mike Isaacson at Division 4 member Nebraska Neon Sign Company, Lincoln NE

"Low Bid - #2” Received from Division Nine member Wayne Belsinger (Belsinger Group LLC, Baltimore, Maryland) who said it was com-ical watching the workers move the truck without taking down the ladders."

The Origin of “The Spirit of WSA”

In my years as a member of World Sign As-sociates, I’ve encountered an amazing warmth and friendship. When I’ve asked for help in everything from finding a spe-cialty vendor to advice about management issues, I’ve always received quick and in-sightful response from dozens of fellow members. This is typical of the giving spirit of WSA. WSA is extraordinarily successful because of the high level of integrity between mem-bers. We can share information freely, knowing it will be kept in confidence. This mutual trust pervades both our personal and professional relationships with each other. That’s what makes the bond be-tween us lasting and strong. Our common goal, to be the best in this profession, also unites us. These are diffi-cult times in the business world. Intense competition challenges us to rise to a high-er plane of performance. Now more than ever, we need to rely on each other for the honest dialog that is the hallmark of WSA today. We have so much to give to each other and the industry as a whole. Let’s work togeth-er to pass on the Spirit of WSA. Charles Broussard (SuperNEON Advertising, Shreveport, LA) WSA President; 2002-2003

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Ross Graba Named President of Datacom

Minneapolis, MN., July 21, 2011-- Datacom Interna-tional, Inc. (Datacom), the developer of Cloud enter-prise software solutions for the manufacturing indus-try, including dataSIGN, its enterprise software suite for the custom sign manufacturing industry, today an-nounced that Ross Graba is joining the Datacom team as President, effective immediately. Graba brings to Datacom over 20 years of infor-mation technology experience. With an Electrical En-gineering Degree from North Dakota State University, Ross spent a number of years in technology positions with the US Government before joining Cross-USA, a Burnsville, Minnesota based IT Services firm, which utilizes rural outsourcing for much of its employment. As President of Cross, Ross guided them from a start-up to a sizeable, and profitable company. "I have been tremendously impressed by Datacom's vision as to the impact of Cloud technologies on the future of enterprise software in this new age of Inter-net driven on-demand global information, as well as its vertical marketing and business strategies for be-coming a future leader in the enterprise software in-dustry," said Graba. "I am honored to have the oppor-tunity to help lead the company through its next stage of growth, and I'm anxious to get started," added Graba. "We are extremely pleased to welcome Ross to our Datacom team," stated Don Roepke, Datacom's Chairman and CEO. "With our closeness to the manufacturing industry, it has become obvious that the U.S. economy has be-gun its recovery. Because of drained cash resources caused by the recession, this first stage of the recov-ery is not an easy one for most companies, but it is the time to prepare for the very strong next stages of the business recovery when pent up order demand is released," Roepke envisioned, "and with this in mind, we have set Datacom on a very aggressive market expansion plan, and we are very enthused to have

“New” Wilkie Remote Control Aerial Platform

Wilkie Mfg., L.L.C. (Oklahoma City, OK) has added the Model 52XLR Remote Control Aerial Plat-form boom truck to its line of equipment. The 52XLR is designed with a 2 man hydraulic power leveling and rotating basket, with platform mounted winch and jib. This unit also offers an op-tional main tube mounted winch, 110vac outlet and additional options at the platform. The 52XLR fea-tures a 52ft. working reach; a 45 ft. lift height and hydraulics are powered off a truck engine PTO driv-en pump. The 52XLR can be mounted on a 19,500 GVWR truck (non-CDL) with approximately 4,000 pounds of additional load carry capacity. This crane does not require a certified crane operator to run it. Wilkie offers this unit with a variety of bed/body, lamp and tool box and outrigger options.

(405)235-0920, www.wilkiemfg.com

Ross's leadership skills and management experi-ence help us towards the accomplishment of that plan." "Ross is a great fit with Datacom from a number of perspectives," added Roepke, "including his experi-ence in building a very successful IT services busi-ness. While Ross has a strong knowledge of the ERP software industry, he also has developed an appreciation for another key element of our business plan, that being the significant professional services business that will result from the expansion of cloud computing."

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ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MEMBERS ABC Sign Products, Fort Collins, CO; Brian Brooks 800-248-9889; brianb@abcsignproducts.com Aluminum extrusions for all types of sign cabinet fabrication. 25 different sign frame systems, channel letter raceways, divider bars, and other accessories. Flexible face tensioning systems and face materials (Panaflex® and Cooley®)for undecorated sign faces and awning covers. Exclusively Wholesale Manufacturing of Sign Cabinets, Sign Kits, Deco-rated and routed sign faces, Custom-built aluminum struc-tures and pole covers. CNC Router and Plasma Machines, Vinyl Cutters, and CAD/CAM Software. Business Control Software for the sign industry; including Engineering, Esti-mating, Proposal Writer, Customer & Job Tracking, Order Entry, Integrated Job-Costing, Production Management Re-porting and Accounting Link to Microsoft Business Solutions (Dynamics/GP). Time Matrix automated Time Clock Soft-ware.

AkzoNobel Coatings, Norcross, GA Tim Hrapczack; 800-233-2303; tim.hrapczack@akzonobel.com 2011 Annual Meeting $500 Silver Sponsor, Minneapolis, MN Manufacturer of the Grip-Gard® BC Basecoat system, a complete set of products which include a basecoat clearcoat line, a single stage line, and a line for interior signage – all from one set of toners. The basecoat clearcoat line is the first true basecoat designed specifically for the sign industry, providing the fastest and most efficient method of producing multi-colored signs and offering the largest color range available, including metallic and pearl colors. With Grip-Gard BC Single Stage, the same color range is available, in a very fast drying 2K urethane. Our Interior Signage line is used to perfectly meet ADA specs, along with all other interi-or signage needs. Grip-Gard Plus is our true high solids 2K urethane mixing system providing premium durability and value in any gloss or VOC range desired. Grip-Gard Primers include an epoxy system for 2.8, 3.5 and 4.6 VOC, a surfac-er, a sealer, a washprimer, and a waterbase primer – Grip-Gard Brite White HF Primer, which serves as both a primer and a highly reflective direct-to-metal coating for sign cabi-net interiors. Grip-Flex® is our 1K acrylic system for produc-ing translucent signage on plastic and flexible surfaces. AkzoNobel also offers consulting services such as Sign Shop Layout & Design and Sign Shop Equipment Analysis.

Arlon, Inc., Santa Ana, CA Holly Curtis; 800-854-0361; hcurtis@arlon.com Arlon, Inc., established in 1958, manufactures and markets a full line of high quality pressure sensitive cut vinyl, flexible substrates, and print media films for the digital imaging, signage, vehicle graphic and screen printing industries. Ar-lon is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, with strategically positioned distribution out of Australia, Europe, India, Latin America and Uruguay to service our customers worldwide.  

Cornerstone Engineering, Madisonville, TN Andrew Lewis; 423-420-1741; tmccool@cornerstonetn.com Cornerstone can provide consulting and design services for all types of sign structures. Whether you are needing assis-tance with pylons, wall mounted awnings or blade signs, or cabinet construction design, Cornerstone has the experience to help you successfully complete your project. Cornerstone can provide engineering in all states except Alaska and Ha-waii. We also can help in Puerto Rico. Give us a call.   Cyrious Software, Ocoee, FL Cathy Gee; 800-552-1418; info@cyrious.net Cyrious Software develops, markets and supports an esti-mating and business management system specifically for sign and graphics companies. With an overall goal to help companies significantly improve operational and financial performance, Cyrious Control offers a tool to manage nearly every aspect of their businesses, including estimating, cost analysis, accounting, sales & marketing efforts, production management and more. Each of your products has a unique pricing screen with built-in features to make pricing and cost-ing faster and more accurate. Here are the newest develop-ments available from Cyrious: - The latest version of Cyrious Control offers enhanced features specifically for Electric Shops! - Quick and easy setup is 75% faster than previous versions, so you are up and running in no time! You’ll work one-on-one with a member of a Startup Department, dedi-cated to getting your system live in your business. Over 200 short training videos available on-demand when you have a question or want to learn new functions of the software. Nev-er miss the opportunity to follow-up on estimates since you can have Control automatically schedule follow-up calls. You can easily estimate your service and install jobs then track and schedule your bucket trucks and other equipment. Addi-tional modules available include: - Production Terminal - a browser that allows production employees to access order info and update job tracking and costing info, quickly and easily. - Automated Credit Card Processing - a faster, cheaper and safer way to process credit cards. - WebView - an easy way for select clients to be able to check the status of their orders and to place repeat orders, anytime they like. - Advanced job costing enables greater detail in tracking ac-tual versus estimated cost. -Full accounting saves time and effort and provides more real-time information. Import the financial data to your accounting package or take advantage of the Cyrious Accounting Tools.

APM List continued on page 16

APM INVOICES—28TH

Invoices representing purchases from Associate Product Members earn points for the Division of the Year competition program if they arrive at WSA Headquarters by the 28th of each month.

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EGL Company, Berkeley Heights, NJ Tom Cortese; 800-345-9010; tom@egl-neon.com Neon Advantage™ Electrodes including our new Mer Plus™ mercury encapsulated electrode coated neon tubing including our CL Designer® series, HP series, 8 ft. cold cathode tubes, Accuwall® colored glass, complete neon pumping and processing equipment, gas transfer systems, bottled gas, Grab-it™ tube supports, misc. neon accesso-ries, cold cathode sockets and 10 ft. HO T12 fluorescent lamps. Introducing the Veritas line of LED modules, includ-ing the super bright Veritas 1000 (1W), featuring high effi-ciency Nichia LEDs and sophisticated current regulation. The best choice for channel letter applications, especially colored sign faces, vinyls and perforated duo-films. High efficiency Class 2 60W/5A electronic LED driver with high power factor and wide input voltage range (100 – 277VAC). Serving the electrical sign industry with bright ideas for over 80 years.   Facecrafters, North Little Rock, AR Don Fallis; 888-888-4020; art@facecrafters.net Facecrafters is your wholesale only partner when you are in the market for any type of formed plastic face, whether it be 1 or 100. When a WSA member needs clear or white pan faces, or embossed faces decorated with paint, translucent vinyl, digital imaging or any combination of the above, they have come to rely on Facecrafters quality, service and their ability to produce even the most challenging of projects.   faces, Birmingham, AL Rod Seay; 800-800-3223; rod@signfaces.com 2011 Anaaul Meeting $500 Silver Sponsor, Minneapolis, MN Known as the "Smiley Face" company, faces is a WHOLE-SALE ONLY custom sign company manufacturing thermo-formed faces, channel letters, routed faces, tubular steel and extrusion cabinets, pole covers, and architectural sign-age. All products can be manufactured to any stage of com-pletion. Face sizes are available up to 8' X 20' in one piece and cabinets and channel letters are available in any cus-tom shape or size. On-line order tracking allows customers to check their order status anytime from anywhere. Your complete order history with all electrical components is also available on-line. Visit our website at www.signfaces.com.

APM List continued on page 17

ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MEMBERS dataSIGN by Datacom International, Bloomington, MN Peter Lambert; 952-835-1041; plambert@datacomintl.com 2011 Annaul Meeting $1500 Platinum Sponsor, Minneapolis, MN dataSIGN Business Management Software is an end-to-end, web-hosted solution designed for CUSTOM sign manu-facturers. dataSIGN combines the power of a proven, robust Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution with front and back office tools specifically designed to solve the typical business challenges of a sign manufacturer. dataSIGN has proven to help improve productivity, lower costs, and in-crease sales. dataSIGN integrates the key areas of your business, all on a single application. dataSIGN integrates the key areas of your manufacturing business, all on a sin-gle application. With everyone on the same system, you will eliminate data redundancy, improve communications, and gain instant visibility into your business. --------- dataSIGN ties together: * Customer Relationship Management * Esti-mating & Proposals * Sales * Service * Engineering * Shop Floor Control * Data Collection * Supply Chain Management * Cost Tracking * Accounting & Payroll. --------- When shop-ping for business systems, finding a solution that is a good "fit" with your business processes and goals is your primary goal. Most ERP systems have a generic structure because they can be used by a wide variety of businesses. Such sys-tems require a huge investment in configuration, training, and customization to meet the unique needs of sign manu-facturers, and can make it difficult to see a quick Return on Investment. --------- dataSIGN is built on a powerful ERP platform, but provides industry-specific features and configu-rations. With an industry-specific solution, you'll see: * Built-in sign industry best practices, like template-based estimat-ing * Industry-oriented reporting * Industry-oriented training and support * A faster implementation * Product enhance-ments that align with sign industry market trends. --------- See www.datasignonline.com for all the details. Direct Sign Wholesale, Denver, CO John Lewis; 303-286-1462; jl@directsignwholesale.com 10% WSA Member Discount! Direct Sign Wholesale is North America’s premier channel letter manufacturer and wholesaler. We offer a complete line of channel letter sign-age including front lit, reverse lit, open face and front/back lit letters. All products are manufactured with UL components, and can be produced with either neon or LED illumination. We also provide non-lit letters. We also now offer our own brand of LED – the Direct LED Liberty Series. This product provides consistent and even illumination using constant current technology, and was designed specifically for chan-nel letter usage. Check our web site for details at www.directsignwholesale.com  

The Member Shepherding Program will sustain the 

Spirit of WSA in your division.  

It’s based on strengthening fellowship, 

camaraderie and networking. 

Start your in Minneapolis September 22-24, 2011

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APM List continued from page 16

ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MEMBERS

Matthews Paint Company, Petersburg, TN Randall Crabtree; 931-659-6235; crabtree@ppg.com For over 75 years, Matthews Paint has been a leading man-ufacturer of acrylic polyurethane paint for the architectural signage industry. We offer full lines of primers, topcoats and clear coats in three innovative paint lines: Conventional MAP, Low SVOC MAP, and Ultra Low VOC MAP. At .42 lbs./gal, our new Ultra Low VOC paint exceeds even the most stringent environmental regulations while providing you with the durability and color selection that you have come to know from Matthews Paint. Matthews Converter additive allows Base Coat speed from Matthews without the need to change mixing systems or add additional inventory. All of our paint lines are available in over 70,000 colors, including metallics and pearls. Most formulas in our database can be mixed-in house with a Matthews Paint mix station with the lowest in-termix inventory used in the sign industry. Matthews Paint is available in a variety of gloss finishes and has the largest selection of 6H compliant primers that can be applied over almost any substrate used in the sign market. Metal Arts, Mandan, ND Roger Arenz; 800-237-8069; metalarts@midco.net Cast metal letters, plaques, logos and insignias, cast from brass, bronze or aluminum. Water jet cut solid letters, logos and insignias, cut from brass, bronze, aluminum, muntz met-al and stainless steel. Miratec Systems, St. Paul, MN Bert Guinee; 800-336-1224; bert@miratecsystems.com 2011 Annual Meeting $1500 Platinum Sponsor, Minneapolis, MN Wholesale only graphics production offered nationwide. Pro-ducing products for a wide range of applications utilizing digi-tal imaging via electrostatic, wide & grand-format inkjet; ex-clusive Miratec Systems (R) Sign Faces and awning covers decorated via applied vinyl or digital imaging, and pressure sensitive vinyl graphics. Projects manufactured to the indus-tries highest quality standards, longest warranties, fastest turnaround times and covered by our exclusive "It's On-Time or It's On Us" shipping guarantee.

Plaskolite, Columbus, OH Dennis Spahr; 800-848-9124; dennis.spahr@plaskolite.com Founded in 1950 in Columbus, Ohio, USA by the Dunn Family, Plaskolite, Inc. is proud to be the largest privately owned U.S. manufacturer of continuously processed acryl-ic sheet products. IS0 9001:2008 quality standards are maintained throughout the manufacturing processes em-ployed at its Columbus and Zanesville, Ohio facilities. Plaskolite currently has more than 475 employees and op-erates additional manufacturing facilities in, Grand Saline, Texas; Compton, California; Olive Branch, Mississippi and Monterrey, Mexico. Plaskolite’s superior quality sheet prod-ucts include Optix® acrylic and Duraplex® impact modified acrylic, both of which are available in flat sheet and roll stock. Duraplex® is stocked in SG05 –medium impact strength, and SG10 –high impact strength. The Optix® LD light diffusing acrylic sheet product line offers superior dif-fusion properties for slim profile channel letters and is of-fered in a variety of popular sign market colors, with cus-tom corporate color matching available. Mustang™ Copol-yester is the newest addition to Plaskolite’s portfolio of sheet products developed specifically for the sign industry. Manufactured using Eastman Tritan™ GX 100 resin, which meets Underwriters Laboratories requirements UL 94 HB, UL 879 Sign Components and UL 48 Electric Signs as a Rigid a, Non-Enclosure Sign Face; Mustang is incredibly impact resistant, easily thermoformed and has superior weathering properties. Sheffield Plastics, Sheffield, MA Ken Licklider; 800-628-5084; ken.licklider@bayerbms.com Sheffield Plastics is a leading manufacturer of polycar-bonate and sheet and film. We offer polycarbonate sheet in gauges from .005 to .500 and widths up to 103” (available widths can vary by gauge). Reels are available in gauges from .093 to .220. Polycarbonate sheet and reels are avail-able in clear, white (7328), red (2283), red (2793), blue (2114), blue (2051), green (2108), yellow (2037), orange (2119), and black. These are standard colors and just re-quire a minimum order. Custom colors can be supplied on an individual bases. We have you covered from start-to-finish with our team of Field Market Development Special-ist whose job it is to train, specify and develop products that solve problems. Our District Sales Managers work closely with our Distribution Network to make sure that we have the products you need, when you need them. The Customer Service and Manufacturing Group, work together to make sure that all products shipped meet the require-ments set by our customers. SloanLED, Ventura, CA Mike Bluhm, 805-676-3200, mbluhm@sloanled.com Manufacturer of LED lighting systems for channel letters, reverse channel letters, perimeter and accent lighting. Lighting systems are low power, low maintenance and easy to install. Products are covered with a warranty of up to 5 years. SloanLED celebrates 50 plus years of lighting excellence.

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APM List continued from page 17

ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MEMBERS Steel Art Company, Boston, MA Charlie Blanchard; 800-322-2828; cad@steelartco.com Solid abrasive water-jet cut letters. Reverse and channel letters. Raster Braille, etching and LED lighting. Standard and custom finishing. All metals including stainless steel, titanium, brass, bronze, copper and aluminum. Acrylic and metal laminates. Transco, West Columbia, SC Henry Brown; 800-869-6366; transco@transco-usa.com Neon transformers featuring the Vanguard GFP® “G” Series, NT, TX-G0, and UTX-G0 style, Polylok®, Polytrans®, UTX Service Pro™ secondary ground fault protected transformers designed to meet UL 2161 and the 2011 NEC, housing, core and coil, electronic window; Transco Magnetic and new EP electronic HO sign ballasts, porcelain neon receptacles D-2, TC-50, TC-100, TC-200, and TC-300 plus the Absko Prod-ucts Casino bushings; component accessories; Ultra-Vac neon manifold systems and equipment, Signatrim® channel letter trim, Channel Bond™ Adhesive, GTO-15 Silicone inte-gral sleeve wire and new neon boot enclosures (Easy Boot and Easy Cap) to meet UL 879, 8th edition; Transco brand fluorescent lampholders; Aqua-LED series and Colorflex LED illumination system and Class 2 LED power supplies.

Ventex Technology, Inc., Jupiter, FL John Boyd, or Bob Magnus 800-510-5400, jsboyd@ventextech.com bmagnus@ventextech.com For nearly 20 years Ventex has been the leading manufac-turer of electronic power supplies for the sign industry. Our ground-breaking electronic neon power supplies have been specified and used in the sign industry more than all others combined. GENERATION III NEON POWER SUP-PLIES: Ventex carries the broadest line of indoor and out-door electronic neon power supplies, meeting all your neon sign needs. All products are High Power Factor, UL 2161 Listed and fully self adjusting with Ventex’s patented “line and load regulation”. Output voltages ratings range be-tween 1,500 through 12,000V, include standard 30mA and 60mA electronic models, and come in input voltages of 120, 240, and 277 V. VENTEX VENBRITE LED SYSTEM: Ventex, the illuminated sign industry power supply technol-ogy leader, with more than seven patents supporting our technological ingenuity, is proud to bring you our VenBrite LED System. The VenBrite LED System is the sign indus-try’s first constant current, series wired non Class II led system. VenBrite’s UL SAM listed, patent-pending system eliminates the need for hundreds of powered current-control components necessary in all Class II LED module strings. The numerous advantages and benefits of our unique non-Class II design include: dramatically reduced energy consumption, longer life expectancy do to the sys-tem’s design and simplicity reducing LED junction temper-atures, remote mounting of power supplies up to 175 ft. from the first LED using standard 18 gauge wire with no visible output drop, and higher lumens per watt output, as compared to Class II LED systems. VenBrite LED Systems are available in ½ watt and 1 watt Systems and come in white, red, green, and blue and amber. And since the Ven-Brite LED System wires in series like neon, VenBrite is the only LED system that offers “Rapid Retrofit”; the ability to retrofit remote powered neon signage using the existing GTO & conduit for huge labor and materials savings. Simp-ly replace the neon transformer with the VenBrite LED Driver, replace the old neon tubes with VenBrite series connected LED strings, connect to the existing GTO & con-duit, and the retrofit is done. Please call Ventex at the number listed above for more information, and visit our website at www.ventextech.com for product.  

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KNOW ANY GOOD VENDORS FOR APM STATUS?

CONTACT WSA: wsa@wsanetwork.org

APM - Sign Company Business Alliance

Your WSA Network working for you.

TRUST

We build trust through communica-tion - verbal, written, body language, but most of all through the example we set in the eyes of our followers.

D.J. “Eagle Bear” Vanas

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APM List continued from page 18

ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MEMBERS

Wagner Zip-Change, Melrose Park, IL Jim Leone; 800-323-0744; sales@wagnerzip.com Manufacturer of Zip-Change®, Zip-Lite® and Wagner® changeable copy letter since 1928. Related accessories which include storage containers, letter changing devices and mounting tracks. These items are readily available and ship within 24 hours after receipt of order. A complete selection of Formed Plastic as well as flat cut-out letters are available at competitive pricing and immediate delivery. Jewelite® prod-ucts, the industry standard in channel letter trim is manufac-tured by Wagner Zip-Change® and sold through our vast network of sign supply distributors. Zip-Vision® is a complete line of LED electronic signage. The signs are available in out-door (16mm, 20mm, 25mm, 32mm, 40mm) in monochrome as well as full color. The indoor versions vary in size and are available in mono chrome in addition to tri-color. We can also supply your petroleum customers with ZipVision® electronic gas price changers in many different size configurations. Most ZipVision® products can ship within 2-4 weeks and car-ry a 5 year warranty. Watchfire Signs by Time-O-Matic, Danville, IL John Kunze; 800-637-2645; sales@watchfiresigns.com 2011 Annual Meeting $1500 Platinum Sponsor, Minneapolis, MN Watchfire Signs engineers and manufactures the best-looking and most durable LED signs in the industry to help businesses and organizations increase visibility and drive growth. We have created more than 35,000 LED signs for banks, retail, schools, places of worship and other locations. Pixel pitch available in 16mm, 19mm, 25mm and 35mm. For more information visit our website: www.watchfiresigns.com  Wilkie Mfg. L.L.C., Oklahoma City, OK Darrel Wilkerson, Jr.; 405-235-0920; sales@wilkiemfg.com Wilkie Mfg., builds truck mounted Remote Control Cranes and Ladders. The Wilkie Model 60 Ladder is a Hi-Performance, Hydraulic Powered Ladder and is the "one and only" in the industry. Wilkie offers 2 Remote Crane Models (59R and 72R) which are Heavy Duty Crane/Service Units with a 1 or 2 man remote basket. Wilkie model 52XLR Re-mote Platform with lift capability and able to mount on a 19,500 GVWR truck with additional 4,000 load capacity. No CDL, no crane operator certification and no big truck ex-pense. Wilkie also offers the XRB Remote Control Service Crane Series (58XRB, 65XRB, 94XRB) which includes a power leveled, 2 man rotating basket, optional basket mount winch and jib. Ask about our 1299 and 1501 Service Bodies, and Custom Beds. Ask about Wilkie customizing a crane package for you.

COMPANIES LEAVE WSA MEMBERSHIP

Division Four

Bona Signs, Inc. Springville, Utah Company Sold

Division Six

Bacon Signs, Inc. Minot, North Dakota

Company Sold

Division Seven

Greater Atlanta Sign Company Atlanta, Georgia

Resigned Membership

Associate Product Member

France Fairview, Tennessee

Resigned Membership

Is your WSA membership information Up-to-date?

Check your WSA page. #64 Minneapolis

September 22-24 2 1/2 days - weekend

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Dave Drury of Poblocki Sign Company New WSA Member in Division 6

The Rewards of Thinking Big

Trained as an accountant, Dave Drury spent 20 years with Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, eventually becoming managing partner of the Milwaukee office. What others would consider the height of a career wasn’t enough for Dave. Together with a partner, he bought a Navy defense supplier operating in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Within four years, he decided he’d rather be on his own again. Dave then acquired an aerospace component manufacturing company and thought that was where he was going to stay, before realizing he didn’t have the deep pockets required for ongoing capital investment. After selling that company, he got to know Jerry Poblocki and learned about Poblocki Sign Company from the inside out. “I discovered great people here and a fun indus-try,” Dave recalled. He became co-owner of Poblocki Sign Company in 1999. Building on a 79-Year History

When Ben Poblocki didn’t get paid by his sign employer way back in 1932, he hung out a shingle himself. Poblocki and Sons kept Ben and his six sons busy serving accounts throughout Milwaukee. In the 1970s, son Jerry bought out his brothers and managed the business with his son Mark, who remains co-owner. Today, Poblocki Sign Company is headquartered in West Allis, Wisconsin, with a satellite facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since Dave has been at the helm, the company has nearly tripled in size by expanding its service geography, acquiring similar companies and retaining long-term clients. “As our existing customers grew, we grew with them,” Dave explained. From Custom Work to High-Volume Projects

Poblocki Sign Company carved a niche for itself as a quality manu-facturer of large custom jobs. You can see the firm’s work on stadi-ums for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, as well as at the base of the Willis Tower, formerly Chicago’s Sears Tower, in a 25-foot stainless steel globe. “Our people like seeing what we make,” Dave said, “and take pride in our product.”

As a national sign com-pany, Poblocki also serves Fortune 1000 firms, including Lock-heed, International Pa-per, Weyerhaeuser, healthcare providers and big box stores. “We develop the specifications, but don’t always manufacture everything due to capacity constraints,” Dave re-marked. Poblocki relies on a network of vendors to manufacture, install and maintain large accounts. “We have to be good at reach-ing out and managing our supply chain partners across the coun-try.”

Continued on Page 21

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Dave Drury of Poblocki Sign Company - continued from Page 20

Why the Sign Industry?

After sampling various types of business as an owner and manager, Dave describes the sign business as “a people-intensive industry where clients have a vested interest in the functionality and appearance of our prod-ucts.” Dave finds this the perfect mix of hu-man artistry and tangible results. “The sign industry isn’t like other businesses I’m famil-iar with,” said Dave. “It’s not complex, but complicated, with lots of details and moving parts.” “I Wish I’d Known About WSA Earlier.”

“Competitors in local markets are pretty reluctant to develop relationships. Through the WSA network, we can find collegiality and partners across the country to help with large accounts,” Dave commented. WSA represents a network of trusted sign companies who share the same standards for quality and reliability. “I’m also looking forward to candid, offline conversations among those facing similar issues,” said Dave. Dave learned about WSA from Paul Fuchsel while partnering with La Crosse Sign Company. Poblocki Sign Company was a WSA member in the 1980s, before Dave came into the picture. Meet Dave at the WSA 2011 Annual Meeting

As well as serving as CEO of Poblocki Sign Company, Dave plays a guiding role on several boards of di-rectors. “I play golf, but wish I was better at it,” he chuckled. During his downtime, Dave is an avid reader of historical novels. Introduce yourself to Dave at the upcoming WSA annual meeting in Minneapolis, September 22-24, 2011.

Dave Drury

Division 6 member as of June 2011 CEO, Poblocki Sign Company, LLC, headquartered in West Allis, Wisconsin, with a facility in Raleigh, North Carolina Established in 1932 $30 to $40 million in annual revenue with approximately 200 employees Core competencies in interior and exterior signs for the healthcare industry, project man-agement and supply chain management About Dave: Iowa native who studied in Wisconsin; married 42 years to Barri; father to two daughters and proud grandfather to Drew Contact: www.poblocki.com, ddrury@poblicki.com

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T alk to other WSA members and read the daily news, and the question isn’t so much ‘what if’ but

‘when?’ The adage, “Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst” certainly comes to mind. If you spend all your time thinking about what type of emergency may occur in your business (not to mention your home), it’s enough to bring on an instant headache. But a headache would be minimal compared to not having an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). If you already have a written document that describes, in detail, the plans your company has in place for specific types of emergencies and all employees have been trained, you can quit reading right now. However, if you don’t have an extensive plan, let’s explore this together and see if we can at least agree to take some steps in the direction of moving toward enacting an EAP. There will be some comfort in knowing the steps are in place and that all employees will know what to do in the event of an emergency. An emergency could be internal (fire, accident, explosion) or external (earthquake, tsunami, tornado), etc. But some basic preparedness will fit any type. The main thing about an EAP is that is must be in place BEFORE a disaster or event takes place. And there are a lot of resources for developing an EAP, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel here – we just need to get the wheels going. My main resource for this article is from the Oregon-OSHA 212 Workplace Emergency Action Plan. According to Oregon-OSHA, there are six basic elements of an EAP, and these should be developed and implemented into your personal plan. 1. Procedures for emergency evacuation and exit route

assignments. 2. Procedures to follow for emergency operation or shut

down of critical equipment before evacuation. 3. Procedures to account for all employees after evacua-

tion. 4. Procedures to follow for rescues and medical duties. 5. Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency. 6. Names and regular job titles of persons or departments

who can be contacted for further information or expla-nation of plan duties.

Oregon-OSHA indicated that employ-ers must designate employees to assist in the emergency evacuation of other employees. The designated employ-ees must receive training in emergen-cy evacuation procedures. This is a critical point in that a particular individual or individuals must be designated for certain responsibilities during an emergency. Once a per-son is designated, he/she must know that the responsibility is in his/her position description and must be informed if/when the responsibilities under the plan changes and if/when the plan itself changes. It’s also critical that these roles be taken seriously and that there are trainings and practice sessions. (It’s like when you sit in an emergency exit row on a plane – you must agree to certain actions!) Other elements of an EAP should include an emergency phone tree (sometimes called a ‘call-down’ list) that con-sists of home and mobile numbers for each person. Desig-nate who is in charge of making the calls and under what conditions. Some additional points of an EAP include details of an Emergency Evacuation Plan (EEP). (This information is from www.safetymeetingoutlines.com.)

1. Who has the authority to implement the evacuation plan? Is a backup person assigned in case the author-ized person is not on site?

2. How will you communicate – alarms, two-way radios, or cell phones? Will someone have to initiate an ‘all page’ or spread the word personally?

3. What and where are the evacuation routes? Have they been practiced and posted?

4. Where will people go when they evacuate and how long will it take them to get there? Is the location far enough away to be feasible?

5. How will you know that everyone has left the site? Who will be in charge of a head count and ensure every-one is evacuated?

6. How will the site be secured and who will do it? 7. Where will that person be located? 8. How will people be notified to come back to work?

The EAP and EEP must be understood by everyone in order to evacuate quickly and safely. Be sure all employees understand the function and elements of your emergency plans, including potential disasters, reporting procedures, alarm systems, evacuation plans, and shutdown procedures (gas, electrici-ty, equipment, computers, etc.).

What If….?

Submitted by Carol Keljo - Security Signs (Division One)

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What If….? By Carol Keljo continued from page 22

(Just checking – do you have a headache yet?) This is a huge topic and could easily produce a one or two-day workshop. But just to get you thinking and acting consider recruiting your safety committee or appointing an EAP committee to help put some procedures in place. There are forms and templates easily available online and/or at your local Red Cross. There are also consultants who will come in and help put plans in place. I found some great information online that includes forms for the following: Emergency Phone Numbers

Utility Company Emergency Contacts

Emergency Reporting and Evacuation Procedures

Medical Emergency

Fire Emergency

Extended Power Loss

Chemical Spill

Structure Climbing/Descending Emergencies

Telephone Bomb Threat Checklist

Severe Weather and Natural Disasters

Critical Operations Other factors to consider include having food and water supplies on hand as well as cash in small bills, a battery-operated radio, flash/signal lights, and plans to save your computer data. I’m sure there are WSA members who are better equipped to address this issue, having experienced disasters personally. The rest of us hope this won’t apply to us; but as we know, it’s best to BE PREPARED. For some additional comprehensive information, check this out on the WSA website: Sign Industry Contingency Planning - Jumpstart Guide by John Yarger http://www.wsanetwork.org/WSAMembers/document.aspx?id=f6c71dd8-dfc6-4ca9-b65e-11ca2da93908 John has carefully laid out detailed information about planning for emergencies. Note: Some states require that if a work place contains hazardous materials, the EAP and EEP must be put in writing, kept in the workplace, and made available for employees for review. Here are some additional resources: http://www.compliance.gov/forms-pubs/eresources/fillable_emergency_form.pdf

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

http://www.redcross.org/preparedness/cdc_english/kit.asp

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/expertsystem/default.htm

http://www.ready.gov/business/_downloads/sampleplan.pdf

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PHOTOS ON WSA’S WEBSITE?

A NETWORKING FEATURE TO PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY.

Use the new networking feature on WSA’s website to show other members what your company looks like. You can add up to 10 pictures to your Member Information Page on the website. What photos to post? Here are some ideas how to present your company to other WSA members looking at your member information page (use all 10 slots to promote your company); A photo of the designated member representative; key personnel. A photo of your building, preferably including your company sign. Shop area showing manufacturing equipment. Company personnel working in areas of your plant, perhaps on a signage project. Installation vehicles parked in your yard or perhaps installing a sign on site at a customer’s location. A recently installed sign. The WSA website is a networking tool to promote your company. Select up to 10 photos which will best advertise your company’s personnel, and its manufacturing & servicing capability. HERE’S HOW TO POST PHOTOS TO YOUR MEMBER INFORMATION PAGE; 1. Your photos must be saved in either a “jpg” or “gif” format and should be no wider than 512 pix-

els. 2. Go to the WSA website, www.wsanetwork.org 3. Enter your user name and password, (call WSA if you need this information). 4. On the HOME PAGE, go to the Sign Company Info or APM Info bar located on the main naviga-

tion menu. 5. Next, “click” on Edit Company Info. 6. Enter your user code and password AGAIN to get to your company information. At the bottom of your member information page, there is a place to upload your pictures. Use the following steps; 7. “Click” on Browse. 8. Find the picture you want to post from your selected file and “click” on Open. 9. Your picture is now uploaded and will automatically be sized for the website. 10. You can also add a caption for each picture. Just type your message in the box marked Caption.

You can use up to 65 characters. 11. When you are finished loading all your pictures, “click” on Update Record. NOTE: WSA’s website administrator will review all postings before your photos will appear on the

website.

This is your WSA Network working for you.

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WSA MARKETING PAGE A GREAT TOOL

Helping you market your business

At last year’s Annual Meeting, WSA announced the unveiling of a new and powerful tool to help you compete effectively in a challenging marketplace. Now you can point your prospects to a mini-website that explains the benefits of hiring a WSA member. Direct your customers to wsapublic.org and link to it from your company’s website for: Five videos detailing the merits of WSA members in the areas of regional and national accounts,

customized signs, reputable manufacturers, new technologies and lasting quality Location map One-page flier for download Attracting quality new members

The website doubles as a vehicle for educating and recruiting potential WSA members. A five-minute video describes the value of membership and the special culture that is the Spirit of WSA. It is pass-word protected to assure viewing by prospective members only, not customers. The password is; wsawelcome. Many thanks to those who made it happen

While developing wsapublic.org was a broad-based group effort, special recognition goes to the Net-working Committee for seeing it through to completion:

Chairman Mike Isaacson - Nebraska Neon Sign Company, Lincoln, Nebraska John Boyd - Ventex Technology, Juniper, Florida Ed Killion - Harbinger, Jacksonville, Florida Brad Love - Love Signs, Norfolk, Nebraska Ryan Schurle - Schurle Signs, Riley, Kansas

Visit;

wsapublic.org This site is a giant step forward for WSA mem-bers. It provides a high-tech, attractive and engaging sales tool that markets member businesses, explains the strength of our association and recruits promising new members.

http://www.wsapublic.org/

Here’s the link