ISA also awarded First and Second prizes in the competition’s Junior Division, which is open to students enrolled at vocational, technical and high schools, colleges and universities, and who are sponsored by an ISA member company. This year’s winners are:

• First place—Tyler Howlett, North Surry High School, sponsored by Burton Electric Signs, Inc., Mount Airy, N.C.
• Second place—Chad Rajski, Laurie Freeman and Jerome Banik, Purdue University School of Technology, sponsored by North American Signs, South Bend, Ind.

This year’s panel of judges was made up of three veteran sign professionals who selected the winners at ISA’s Western Sign Show, which was held January 15 through 17 in San Diego. The judges were: Steve Therriault, Integrated Sign Associates, El Cajon, Calif.; Christopher Bazner, Motivational Systems, Inc., National City, Calif.; and Brad Hillis, Pride Signs Ltd., Ontario.

Contestants were given specifications for an imaginary family golf center called the Putt-Hutt and were asked to design a free-standing sign, and building signage. The judges evaluated entries using a 10-point scale for a total of 50 points. They judged the entries on innovative use of materials and technology, distinctive identity, practicality of design, professional quality and creativity.

“The Sign Design Contest is the only industry award that recognizes the talent of our designers,” said Wayne Burton, president of Burton Electric Signs, Inc., Mount Airy, N.C., and vice chairman of ISA’s Education Committee. “It’s a way to bring local recognition, too. A company that has an award-winning designer can say to its customers ‘Hey, we’ve got an award-winning sign department!’ It can increase your business.”

The contest’s Junior Division is a way not only to award creativity, Burton said, but also to interest the next generation in working in the sign industry. “Signs are everywhere, but not many people really think about going to work in the sign business,” he said. “By entering this contest, young artists understand that there’s a practical application to their art.”

This year’s contest was ISA’s 58th annual, and the association received 43 entries in the Professional Division. ISA expects to announce in June specifications for next year’s contest. For more information, call ISA’s Patricia Hayden at (703) 836-4012, ext. 149.

ISA is a 2,200-member organization composed of manufacturers, users, and suppliers of on-premise signs and sign products produced by more than 400,000 employees in all 50 states and 69 countries. ISA exists to support, promote and improve the $30 billion-a-year sign industry, which sustains the nation’s nearly $3 trillion-a-year retail industry.

International Sign Association
Phone: (703) 836-4012
E-Mail: janay.rickwalder@signs.org
Website URL: www.signs.org