Students and a faculty member from Lake Orion High School.

Signarama Troy | Metro Detroit (Troy, MI) recently reported hosting more than 40 students from two area high schools on Oct. 6 for Sign Manufacturing (MFG) Day, a program administered by the International Sign Association (ISA; Alexandria, VA) to introduce and market the sign industry to young people. The students and their faculty chaperones came from nearby Lake Orion High School (Orion Twp., MI) and Troy High School (Troy, MI).

Though Sign MFG Day has been around a while, this was the first year Signarama Troy hosted an event. Signarama Troy owner Bob Chapa credits Torey Rouillon, director of project management for National Branding (also owned by Chapa) for being the lead for organizing both companies’ participation in the day. “Torey’s leadership and development of the program was instrumental in the success of the day,” Chapa says.

“We have always wanted to do this but we had a lot of square-foot and floor-space constraints in our old building,” Matthew R. Godwin, Signarama Troy’s COO/CFO says. “With moving into our 85,000 sq./ft. state-of-the-art space we knew it was the right year to pull the trigger. It’s important to give back to the community.”

Bob Chapa (pointing) with AJ Titus, president of Signarama Corporate (at right). Behind Chapa are Torey Rouillon (left) and Matthew R. Godwin (right).

Signarma Troy recently moved into a new headquarters facility, where Chapa felt they finally had the space needed to make Sign MFG Day an extra special event for the students. “I sit on a Consulting Committee with local school districts helping to involve local businesses within the school district and this event was a perfect example of a way that a local business can become more deeply rooted in the community,” Chapa says.

From sales to graphic design, welding and painting to running full install crews, and from being experienced bookkeepers to senior executives, the staff of Signarma Troy presented what the sign industry has to offer. “Our favorite aspect of the event this year was breaking down the many ‘puzzle pieces’ that fit together to run a successful sign company,” Chapa says. “This plan gave students a very wide range of experiences understanding what we do each day.”

Clearly the day was a success for all involved. “I already had one applicant for part time and many expressed summer intern interest and/or possible full time after school,” Godwin says. “Very exciting.”

About half the participating students surround a vehicle hood they wrapped themselves.