Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1491554
6 G R A P H I C S P R O • M A R C H 2 0 2 3 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M PRESIDENT DAVE POMEROY VICE PRESIDENT / AUDIENCE & EVENTS LORI FARSTAD VICE PRESIDENT / FINANCE KORI GONZ ALES, CPA VICE PRESIDENT / CONTENT REGAN DICKINSON DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES WOLF BUTLER CEO & OWNER ROBERT H. WIEBER, JR. 10170 Church Ranch Way Suite #401, Westminster, CO 80021 ( 800 ) 669-0424 | ( 303 ) 469-0424 | FAX ( 303 ) 469-5730 W W W.G R A P H I C S - P R O.C O M PRESIDENT DAVE POMEROY dpomeroy@nbm.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR MAT T DIXON mdixon@nbm.com DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR MARIE FENNEMA mfennema@nbm.com DIRECTOR OF SALES JAMES "RUGGS" KOCHEVAR jkochevar@nbm.com SENIOR TERRITORY MANAGER – WEST BRANDY JAMISON-NETH brandy@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – MIDWEST SARA REESE sreese@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – NORTHEAST & CANADA KRYSTAL FRANKLIN k franklin@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – SOUTHEAST DESIREE DELFRARI ddelfrari@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – PACIFIC & INTERNATIONAL RYAN APPLEBAUM rapplebaum@nbm.com DIRECTOR, EVENT OPERATIONS JACKIE RAMSIER jramsier@nbm.com EXHIBITOR SERVICES MANAGER JOIE MARTIN jmartin@nbm.com ART DIRECTOR LINDA CRANSTON linda@nbm.com SHOWS ART DIRECTOR IVETH GOMEZ igomez@nbm.com SALES SUPPORT SYDNEY BATCH sbatch@nbm.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAUL A AVEN GL ADYCH, MAT T CHARBONEAU, JENNIFER COX, RUTH L DOBBINS, CHARIT Y JACKSON, PAUL INGLE, A ARON MONTGOMERY, JOHN MORMAN, HOWARD POT TER, STEPHEN ROMANIELLO, BILL SCHIFFNER, JULIA SCHROEDER, KRISTINE SHREVE, MARK VASIL ANTONE, SHELLEY WIDHALM, LON WINTERS, DOUG ZENDER EDITORIAL INTERN NATHAN STROMBERG nstromberg@nbm.com Sign Columnist Rick Williams Passes L ongtime sign guy, magazine columnist, and educator Rick Williams died this week in Longview, Texas. For over 35 years, Williams was an integral part of this magazine and its parent company, National Business Media. Williams began writing about his trials and tribulations as a sign maker back in 1986 with the introduction of Sign Business magazine. And while the name of the magazine changed from Sign Business to Sign & Digital Graphics to eventually GR APHICS PRO, he never wavered in his goal of entertaining and informing his audience about the sign industry. His monthly In e Trenches column was a monthly peek into the ups and downs of running his small shop, Rick's Sign Co., in the heart of Texas. He also wrote a bi-monthly column called Shop Talk that was the industry standard for "how-to" signage articles. On top of his writing, he was also a longtime educator at trade shows, bringing his wit and wisdom to cities across the country as he tried to help his fellow sign makers improve and thrive. Rick's Sign Co. served businesses and oilfield companies in Longview and East Texas since 1974. He started his sign shop while still a student at Kilgore College. Rick's final column for GR APHICS PRO ran in the August 2022 edition. (https:// gpro.link/finalcolumn) Our hearts are with the Williams family, as well as the Longview, Texas, community, and sign makers around the country who enjoyed his work for decades. Rick is survived by his wife, Sharon, sons Sloan and Slade, daughter Lacey, and six grandchildren: Carson, Caden, Cole, Callie, Eli, and Wren. Memorial donations can be made to Pine Tree Church of Christ Mission Fund, 3221 Dundee Rd, Longview, TX 75604. In Memoriam Hear Rick talk about his long career during his interview at GPX Expo. Visit https://gpro.link/rickwilliams