Page 37 - BusinessWest September 14 2020

meaningful steps forward.
More Signs of Progress
It’s not an official indicator of how a sign busi- ness, or any other business, for that matter, is far- ing. But the Renzi brothers consider it one, and they’re quite proud of it.
They were referring to how signs that have the company’s name on it — albeit in small letters that you probably wouldn’t notice (although the brothers do) — have shown up in some recent movies and TV series coming out of Hollywood.
“That’s pretty cool when you’re sitting there
at a movie, either on Netflix or on the big screen, and you see one of your signs,” said John, not- ing that some of the company’s installations have become backdrops recently in the movies Knives Out and Behind the Woods, and the true-crime TV series Dirty John.
These recent on-screen appearances are mere- ly the latest ... well, signs of continued growth and prosperity for a company that has been part of the landscape in the Berkshires for more than 60 years. Known first as Alfie Sign Co., the business caught the eye of John Renzi Sr., a painter whose portfolio was dominated by commercial clients
at a time when Pittsfield was certainly seeing its fortunes wane as its main employer, General Elec- tric, was closing its massive complex.
“GE was moving out, and his painting busi- ness was commercial business only,” said John Jr. “So when you had large businesses moving out of Pittsfield, he was trying to set up a future for my brother and me.”
The company had a solid reputation and an impressive client list, he went on, noting that it had created signs for Fayva Shoes, Subway — it
At left, one of the many ITM canopies that GIS is making for a growing list of bank clients;
at right, a new sign the company created for General Dynamics.
was involved in the first-generation logo for that chain — and D’Angelo’s, among others. But it wasn’t exactly well-run.
“He knew that things needed change — it was a dollar-in, dollar-out company, and it had its challenges; it took a while to get the company
on its feet,” John went on, adding that his father brought some discipline and direction to the ven- ture and put it on more solid ground, with the intention of eventually passing it on to the next generation. Which he did, but not before that generation was fully prepared to lead.
“Dad didn’t just hand over the business — he wanted to make sure we could handle it,” said John, noting that he and Dan officially became owners five years ago, but they’ve been manag- ing it for the past 15. “And he did it right — we learned right from the bottom, cleaning toilets, sweeping floors, counting bolts, and getting dirty.”
In recent years, the company has, perhaps without knowing it, steeled itself against down-
Signs
Continued on page 52
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