[General Sign ???? WTF]

Wow! that is strange, Mr. Maxey has been dead for several years. The copy of the Secretary of State in 2005 shows Lenn Scheibal to be the President, Cris Orthwein to be the Secretary, and Adophus B. Ortwein to be the Chairman of the Board, and addressed to his oldest son Steve Ortwein? By the way Lenn Scheibal was a great leader and the company prospered while he was there. I worked through three presidents of the company within the ten years I was with General. Mr. Adophus Ortwein was in his eighty's when I was there. The old logo of the General looked just like Mr. Maxey and we were all very sad to see it taken down after his death.

[General Sign ???? WTF]

After 70 years, General Sign Co. closes its doors

Monday, June 28, 2010

Melissa Miller

EDITOR'S NOTE: The opening date of a business listed in this column has been corrected.

Thirty-one workers employed by General Sign Co. at 4857 Nash Road are now looking for new jobs after the company closed June 18. A few staff remain onsite working to finalize financial accounts.

Wayne Waldon, owner of Idyllic Enterprises, a quarter of a mile up Nash Road from General Sign, visited the facility last week to notify former workers that he has openings for clerical, shipping and sales positions.

Employees of General Sign received two weeks' severance pay.

Company spokesman Clay Otto said the decision to close was made by the company's 94-year-old owner who lives out of state. Otto declined to give the owner's name. However, records filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office identify Lon J. Maxey as the company's registered agent.

General Sign opened in Cape Girardeau in 1939, according to its website. It manufactured custom outdoor illuminated signs at its Cape Girardeau facility. The company also had a sales office in St. Louis.

[General Sign ???? WTF]

I worked at General Sign Company for ten years. It was owned by Adolphus B. Ortwein who bought it out of bankruptcy from Lon Maxy. Unfortunately there were a lot of great signcrafters and down right good people that built that company to be the largest in the state of Missouri. I left several years ago and soon after several of the key personel left also. Things just seemed to spiral downhill without any onsite leadership from the owners and with more companies closing locations instead of building and opening new stores. I have spoke with Dean in the Admiral Plastics division, he has re-located to Coast to Coast Signs, just down the road from General Sign. Most of the empoyees have secured new positions with other sign companies within the area. I will continue to keep them all in my prayers and hope everyone will find positions. This is a very difficult time for all of us in the sign industry.

[General Sign ???? WTF]

Very sad indeed. I love how big government keeps saying the recession is on the way out BULL SHIT! I personally don't see things getting any better for a long time so hang on guys.

[Have you read the fine print in National Sign Co. contracts?]

Brenda thank you for not looking the other way when you noticed the absence of ethics at your previous company! If more people would stand up for good business ethics then we would all be better off. I wish more people were like you.

Some weak people look the other way to avoid losing their job and say it's not my business I don't own the company however that's like driving the get away car! Gee honest Judge I didn't rob the bank! I only drove the car. Guilty by association!

And Brenda what good advice: "Make sure you have every detail in writing and signed before you even schedule the work."

I guess I was fortunate to have great parents that tought me that right is right and wrong is wrong, two rights never make up for one wrong! Most subcontractors that I have worked with have gone above and beyond what I have expected of them. On the other hand If I did not specify a detail in the purchase order (thinking it was just common sense) others simply did not do that portion of the work "My Bad" They should not do anything I did not put in the contract, but I greatly appreciate the ones who saw the whole project being inclusive.

I simply could not work for anyone who took advantage of others.

[Have you read the fine print in National Sign Co. contracts?]

I took a sales position with a company in Ohio a few years back. They asured me that they always paid the subcontractors on time. After a few months I found that the not only did they not pay the subcontractors they re-worded their purchase orders stating that they would not pay until they got paid and added the lien clause ( I would imagine they fell into the same trap and were just trying to pass it on) . Needless to say I found employment elcewhere. I have worked in the signage industry for over fifteen years. My number one rule is that you take care of the people that take care of you. I have spent years developing great relationships with excelent subcontractors. My subcontractors are my lifeline, they are my eyes and ears in the field. I hold them in the highest regard! You can not survive without these hard working individuals, they deserve to get paid and paid on time! If I have to borrow money, these guys are going to get paid!

Unfortunately not everyone has my regard for subcontractors. Please read the contracts, you can not simply trust the person you are speaking with. You simply have to make sure you protect yourself from these greedy buggers! Make sure you have every detail in writing and signed before you even schedule the work.