Although the staff at E.R. Perry Signs & Engraving small, their dedication to detail and customer service allow them to compete successfully on a national scale against companies far larger in the sign industry. (L-R) Vilnis Neilands, Elizabeth “Betsy” Perry, Sue Goodell and Carin Gulstrand.
The local sign company with a national footprint is in line for an entrepreneurial award, and win or lose, business owner Elizabeth (Betsy) Perry said, “I feel like it’s an honor just to be nominated.”
E.R. Perry Signs & Engraving is one of 44 Northeast Minnesota companies selected to compete for one of five Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards given out by the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Center for Economic Development and the Small Business Development Center for Northeast Minnesota.
Fifteen companies are contending with E.R. Perry for the top spot in the Mature Entrepreneur category.
In operation since 1995, Betsy and her partner Vilnis Neilands wanted to boost their business so they started a website in 2000, Plastic- Tags.com where they offer, “Custom engraved plastic signs for your interior facility needs as well as exterior grade plastic or metal signs for traffic flow or identification purposes.”
The company website explains, “Although we specialize in engraved plastic tags and signs, travel our site and discover our other offerings such as vinyl lettering, plaques, bronze castings and even formed raised plastic and metal lettering.”
Before the website was created business was intermittent— sometimes busy, sometimes slow, said Betsy. Since its inception business has grown every year, said Vilnis.
Betsy added, “In the tags field, we are now a powerhouse.”
Toward that end both Betsy and Vilnis said they are constantly having their website updated. “When you Google us we are virtually number 1,” Vilnis added.
“We couldn’t have developed our website without the help and training we received from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Center for Economic Development,” Betsy said.
Besides local clients, their customers include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Senate, American Airlines, and a space transportation company called SpaceX as well as a plethora of large corporations.
“We have over 7,000 businesses entered into our data base. This morning (April 2) we gave a quote to company in Australia. We do business worldwide,” Betsy said.
Betsy, Vilnis, and two full-time employees, Carin Gulstrand and Sue Goodell, ship out more packages through UPS in a year than any other Cook County business—more than 1,600 in 2014.
“Plus,” said Vilnis, “The packages are getting bigger as the orders have grown larger.”
When asked how long she had been in the sign industry, Betsy paused for a moment to do the math. “I’m in my 40th year. I’ve been lucky, I really enjoy doing this and I enjoy keeping up with the changes. The new technology we use represents the possibilities of what a small business can do on a national and international setting.”
“What has given us the success we have had,” Vilnis said, “is our diligence to customer service and producing the best products we can at an optimal value with a trained, committed professional staff who always puts the clients first.”
Because UPS can get a package anywhere in the country in one day, Vilnis said they can get their product out in a timely fashion. This allows E.R. Perry to have a “sustainable, steady, predictable year-round business,” he said, adding that while he welcomes visitors to our area, “We don’t have to depend upon them.”
E.R. Perry Signs & Engraving is located on 1st Avenue West in Grand Marais in the former Doc Sande dentist office building.
Win or lose, said Betsy, “It is nice to be recognized for our efforts and success.”
Award recipients will be announced at a luncheon and awards ceremony on April 22 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Harborside Ballroom.
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