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Need any Midwestern representation? Hope things are going well for everyone there. I've been missing all of the gang there and having a craving for one of those awesome BUDS Subs! Let me know if you guys ever need any design help. I am more than available, and it sure would be nice to have an excuse to get back to California every once in a while! Jeff Newsom

With 20 years in the industry I've seen my share of employees come and go due to drug use. I've also had to eliminate a few from the ranks due to heavy use. Thankfully I have not had a workplace that has had any severe or wide spread users, but the few that did really were causing liabilities that were unacceptable to the company and other employees. Granted the easy solution is to just terminate the employee, however be cautious. Retaliation and sometimes even state regulations can get in the way of your easy solutions to the problem. Thankfully the instigators are usually not determined or capable enough to see any retaliation through or pursue any legal actions. However, some states mandate rehab before termination if they are senior staff. Anyone had any bad experiences with not being able to get rid of a user?

Good to see you here Patti! Superior is still probably the best place that I have ever worked in the sign industry. I really enjoyed my time there working with you all. Hope the economy is treating you better than it is treating us here in Iowa. Let me know if there is anything I can ever do for you guys. I'm always here to help!

I was in the same situation. Had a sales associate that ended up "running" the company if you can call it that. The only thing I could do was let her run it her way until she ran it into the ground. At least I still had a job until she screwed it up for everyone. A good business owner would take help or at least try suggestions to make it work instead of letting everything fail. But that is just my opinion. So now I'm stuck without a job and probably looking at opening up my own shop or franchise. Anyone who started a Fastsigns franchise that has some direction or pointers? I'm just starting to dig in and tae a serious look at a number of franchises.

Superior Electrical Advertising in Long beach I used to do the design work for Denny's when I was there.

Sorry - My router has been causing some additional issues with accessing Signweb. Went a got a new one - problem fixed.. Yes I do freelance. I have a some samples of my work for anyone interested.

My name is Jeff Newsom and I would like to introduce myself and give you a glimpse of my qualifications and career goals. I have had over 20 years of work experience in my field of mechanical design and sign manufacturing. I have a broad base of experience from production work to upper management and directorships. I am at an upper to senior management career level in my field of work. I also realize with this economic downturn that I may need to make a fresh start in my focus and start with lowered expectations and a positive attitude for growth. I especially enjoyed the design aspect of this industry and would really like to get back into it. I completed concepts, design work, programing and engineering for a wide variety of clients and signage. From the smallest channel letters to 80ft pylons and six lane lane street spanning structures, I've designed it all. Programming and electrical layouts are second nature to me. I am well aware of fabrication techniques and limitations when I create my designs and pride myself on design efficiency and cost savings. I am a very creative and technical individual that adheres to the idea that there is solution to every problem. I am always looking for a way to make things easier and more efficient. I enjoy all things mechanical and enjoy a good challenge almost as much as the solution. As a former cheerleader and instructor I understand the importance of being a strong leader and representing your "team" in the best light possible. I like to set the example and be an inspiration to my employees and fellow coworkers. I am analytical and methodical while maintaining an open ear and flexible attitude in order to reach my personal and job related goals. I am looking for a long term permanent position with a reputable company. I am well versed in office software and a variety of office management software systems. I am an expert with Corel Draw and well versed in a wide variety of design, CAD and 3D software. I also have a broad set of experience with billing, invoicing, payroll, purchasing and human resources. I am also very adept and creating office forms, legal statements and contracts. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or for additional information. I would be glad to speak with you regarding any current or future employment opportunities you may have at your company. Sincerely, JEFFREY NEWSOM PH: (515) 710-2877 email: jnewsom22@mchsi.com

Could you sell more with a better faster designer? Why wait for your in house design staff to play "Catch up" when you could have that design the very next day if not sooner? I have had 20 years of design experience in the sign industry. I am an expert at designing creative and buildable design solutions to fit any need. I have completed designs from conceptual corporate logo studies thru the finest fabrication details on 80' pylons and street spanning city gateways. I have completed complex sign programs for universities, parking garages and hotels. I have created sign code and criteria for clients ranging from your local strip mall to entire cities. I have ADA knowledge and an understanding of wind load construction requirements across the US. I have created programming for MultiCAM and Accubend machinery so I have an excellent knowledge of the programming and material requirements to make an efficient and effective sign design. I have wired for neon, fluorescent and LED signage and can provide electrical loads, neon footage and bill of materials when required. Resume and examples of my work are available upon request. Ideally I am seeking a stable remote position with reputable sign shop. I use both MAC and PC formats and have software available to meet your needs. If your design department could use a boost, please feel free to reply to my post send me an email at jnewsom22@mchsi.com or just give me a call to find out more - 515-710-2877

Thanks for the interest and the referral. That's the industry in a nutshell right now. Not hiring but always looking.

Yeah, I understand, but honestly I can't in good conscious give referral to them. I started with them not knowing exactly the details of their operations. Once I was in - who is going to really give up a job in this economy? So until now I have just been riding it out. Not that I have really anything against the people there, but the product and process needs a lot of work. There are just a few companies that I would really not recommend to ANYONE. Unfortunately two of those happen to be in Iowa, that is why I am so frustrated with finding a job out here. I used to work with ImageFirst Sign Solutions in Grinnell, IA. They're a bunch of really great people, but couldn't make a sign to save their lives. And they were associated with ASI Signsystems, so you would figure that great Denmark quality would proliferate there. They were late on a lot of things too. VERY frustrating to work with. I know that there are good sign companies out here, but really did not expect to find the garbage being produced in Des Moines, IA. Everyone is looking to undercut the next guy and product is really suffering as a result. Installers are coming into dangerous installation situations and it's only a matter of time before an honest guy gets really hurt. So with having so many connections in the sign industry, I really have to watch who I make referrals to. I don't want my friends and associates to get a bad deal. I guess I am just spoiled on the quality and scale that the West Coast had to offer. But having said that, there is no reason that everyone should not expect the same here in the Midwest. I'm still looking for the fabrication facility that can accomplish that out here.

Thanks for the tip! I'll give him a call. I don't think I have ever had a job that was actually advertised. Just kind of luck of the draw for me I guess. Anyone know why it now says "floor sweeper" under my screen name? Can't find a way to change that in my profile. Not that it isn't accurate at this stage, but I'd do just about anything right now to keep the house.

For what ever reason I have been having problems with my profile updating too. That's why it still says I work there, which makes this all the more interesting huh? OK Figured it out. I needed to actually have a company name associated with my profile. - Fixed now

I did work for them, and just can't take it any more. I came from sign companies in Los Angeles that could afford to give both quality service AND quality product. I just can't take working for someone who consistently breaks their promises. I am tired of customer complaints and taking the flack for lackluster performance. I gave them every opportunity to turn things around, and probably could have if they kept me on long enough. They were recovering from many years of mismanagement and "giveaways". The fact that the previous owner sold off all their service contracts to their competitors didn't help a lot either. Now most people don't even know Eagle Sign Co exists anymore. So instead of actually investing in equipment and manpower to actually provide additional services, they have decided to offer services they can't provide in house and then cross their fingers that their customers aren't shopping around. I'm ready to go back to design already. Which is another service they can't offer with any expeditiousness. They're down to one designer now too. I just give up man - Aren't there any quality sign companies here in Iowa that could actually use a guy with some real world experience? I'm about ready to give up on this industry out here. There's no pride in the work, and I just can't afford to open up shop. I need a new industry out here. Anyone need an exceptionally experienced designer? Going rate is pretty cheap.