12 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 tubs. It was a great summer job. “I started with that company, and eventually moved to Michigan. I worked there in the RV business for a couple of years. “At the time, I was dating the niece of Continued on page 14. Tim Overmyer and his daughter Lauren meet with bankers at the IBA Mega Conference. Bruce VanDerWeele, who needed a salesman at Vanadco. He told me how much the work would pay, but I was making more in the RV business, so I turned it down. I was in my 20s then. “Mr. VanDerWeele said, ‘Do you know what’s going to happen to you? When you turn 50, that company is going to say thanks for your service, but we’re done with you. We’ll get somebody younger and cheaper.’ “That was in September. In December the RV company closed for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Right before closing, they were passing out paychecks and Christmas turkeys. “There were three of us salesmen – two were young, and the other was in his 50s. The plant manager said to the older guy: ‘Here’s your turkey and your final check. We won’t need you next year.’ And that was it. “If there had there been cell phones back then, I would have called VanDerWeele right then. So I waited until I got home, called him and said, ‘I’m in at Vanadco.’ I had seen his prophecy come true. “I’ve had customers the whole time since at Vanadco. I’m more of a talker than a closer, and I think that helps in repeat sales. I’ve had a lot of repeat.” What is the company culture of Vanadco Signs? “We’re a fairly small family business with a staff of 14. When Bruce VanDerWeele retired, his son-in-law, Bruce Stauffer, became president. Then Stauffer retired in 2000, which is when I was named president. “Bruce’s son Jay, the grandson of the original owner, is my partner. Jay’s son is now in the Navy, and may want to come back and get into the business someday. “One of my daughters, Lauren, works here in sales. She handles a lot of schools, hospitals and churches, and is doing a great job. “We’re a tight-knit company. All the people in the back have been here 20-plus years, so I’ve seen their kids grow up and gone to their basketball games. We have very little turnover. “We also have two dogs. One, a labradoodle, belongs to our designer, and the other, a basset, belongs to my partner. They’re our ‘assistants,’ and the UPS guy brings them treats.” What are the factors that affect bank signage? “First, location: Is the sign on a city street, or is it out on a highway, where cars are going fast? The biggest controlling factor, though, is zoning, which dictates how big of a sign is allowed. “I spend 80 percent of my time dealing with zoning, and I also gather the permits. It takes a lot of time, because the ordinances are full of legalese, but it’s important to do it right. We can’t put clients, especially banks, in jeopardy with an illegal sign. “Deadlines are tight. Vanadco can have the signage all ready, but the bank may not be ready until a week before branch opening, if they’re finishing landscaping. “An early step in the installation process is to check with an organization called ‘Underground’ to make sure we know where we can dig safely, so no one gets electrocuted. We also coordinate with an electrician to get electric out to us. “We pour the base, put the steel in, and come back the next day or two to put up the sign. It usually takes two trips. “We like to get things done on time or ahead of schedule. We’ve never opened a bank branch without their signs being ready.” How does it benefit Vanadco Signs to be an IBA associate member? “It’s a sales tool. If a sign company is bidding against me for a job for a small bank, and the bank says, ‘You’re not from around here,’ I say, ‘No, but I am an associate member of the Indiana Bankers Association. I pay my dues every year to help support your conventions and events.’ “Another benefit is attending the conventions. The Mega Conference is especially good for us, because we get to Interior lettering is installed with care by Tim Overmyer.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==