Alex Perry, CEO of Right Way Signs in Chicago and a member of the Illinois Sign Association and the International Sign Association, was relatively new to the sign, graphics and visual communications industry when he encountered the maze-like permitting process in the Windy City. His refusal to accept the status quo led to a coalition that worked for many months to streamline the permitting process.
His work has earned him recognition as the first ISA Sign Code Champion, presented during ISA International Sign Expo 2017.
“Being recognized as the ISA Sign Code Champion is validation that the work we are doing in Chicago is having an impact. It shows that if you roll your sleeves up and put in some hard work, you can make an impact at the local level,” Alex said. “Chicago is one of the most difficult cities in the country to pull sign permits, but we now have the attention of city officials and the mayor’s office and they know we are only getting started.”
As the 2017 ISA Sign Code Champion, Alex attended ISA Sign Expo, which he called a “valuable experience on many levels. From being able to connect with other industry leaders to discuss permit reform strategies, to even purchasing some new equipment, it’s the most valuable experience a sign industry professional can have each year. I even connected with sign leaders from outside of the U.S. who want to learn more about what we did in Chicago so they can apply some of the same approaches to their efforts. It is equally valuable to learn about their permitting process in terms of what works and doesn’t work. My hope is that this award encourages more sign companies to get involved within their city and push city leaders to make better decisions when it comes to sign permitting, which benefits everyone involved.”
