2023 is not just any year for us…
Pro Image Design is celebrating our 25th anniversary, and we’re excited to mark this milestone in our journey!
The little business that started in a basement back in 1998 has progressed into the bustling 3-location, custom sign company that we are today.
When our owner, Alan Hubbard, left his day job in the late 1990s, he knew that he would never look back. He comes from a family of self-employed individuals and always had an interest in doing his own thing. With a talent for design, Alan was fascinated by the tradesmen who hand-lettered and painted his father’s race cars and logging trucks. While still in high school, he took that interest to the next step and started practicing on his own. At a time in life when buying dirt bikes, snowmobiles and 4-wheelers is top priority for most of the teenage male species, Alan sold some of his and purchased a plotter to cut vinyl.
Those initial years in Torch River were laid back and Alan worked primarily solo. Tara (his wife) supported the business by assisting with weeding and taping vinyl in the evenings and on weekends. In 2003, five years after going out on his own, Alan hired his first full-time employee, Sandy Sivley, who is still with the company today working in project management. Tara came on full-time in 2006, adding and running the embroidery and apparel side of the business.
There are milestones that stand out through the years. In 2009, Alan had the opportunity to partner with Dave Wilson of Creative Stone (now Northern Monument) at the Traverse City location. In 2014 Sign and Design of Petoskey was purchased, and in 2016 the Traverse City location was obtained in its entirety and the building was added onto. By 2017 production was split fully between the TC and Petoskey shops.
What transformed Pro Image Design into the award-winning sign company that we’re now familiar with? Small and sometimes big breaks, along with plenty of hard work, talent and dedication all factor into the equation. The iconic Dockside Sign on Torch Lake was the first opportunity for Alan to create a real sign structure and showcase the true capabilities of the business. It won several industry awards and still stands today, 19 years later. The Gaylord Collision Center sign was our initial Watchfire electronic message center sign. The project featured unique architectural elements on both the monument sign as well as the building, making it a landmark of visual interest. Then we pushed our boundaries when we created and installed The EJ Foundry sign, coming in at 24’ tall and 41’ long and installed at a 110’ elevation (in the winter, no less)!
In 2020 we updated and launched an all-new website that proved to be a game changer, elevating the company to yet another level. The website gave us the opportunity to highlight the growing portfolio of custom signage and services that we offer. In addition, we began to engage on social media regularly, using it to showcase both recent projects and our team members. Inquiries started coming in from across the state of Michigan and our sign shop has increasingly become more recognized.
During this same period, team members became focused on rising to meet the needs of our increasing customer base. Over the last ten years, the staff has expanded from 6 to 20 full-time employees. Yearly summit meetings offer a chance to challenge and push each other as a team. Professional funds, provided by the company, help employees achieve goals and work toward continuous growth. Investing in the team isn’t an afterthought – it’s the standard that team members both appreciate and enjoy when they become part of the PID family.
The future at Pro Image Design is exciting, with new opportunities ahead. Exterior building/storefront design, including architectural canopies, design elements and manufacturing building features is an area of expertise that we’ll be delving into. Alan has and continues to invest in the business by adding new equipment and staying ahead of industry trends. He especially enjoys working with new clients. When asked what stands out to him over the years, Alan comments, “Forging relationships with other business owners and seeing them succeed is very rewarding – if you give us the opportunity to work with you, you won’t regret it.” Be sure to stay in touch. We plan to host a 25th anniversary celebration later this year and hope to see you there!
