ISA-UK powered by BSGA, the trade association for the sign, graphics and visual communications industry, has appointed Linda Edwards of The Sussex Sign Company to its council. ISA-UK held its AGM in June, and its directors voted unanimously to bring Linda on board.
Having spent more than 20 years working in the sign industry, Linda brings a wealth of experience to ISA-UK.
Linda began working full time in the sign industry at the age of 21 and joined The Sussex Sign Company two years later as a designer. Over the last 17 years Linda has progressed to production manager, branch manager and general manager, before being appointed as operations director in 2014.
Though the Sussex Sign Company has grown significantly during Linda’s time with the business, she continues to foster a company culture with a family feel and seeks to develop and retain staff internally. Linda knows first-hand the importance of investing in staff training and development and proudly recalls being the first person within the company to complete both an NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 in Sign Making at Crawley College. As a fully accredited vehicle wrapper, it was Linda that introduced the service to The Sussex Sign Company’s portfolio some years ago. Vehicle wrapping is now a key offer of the organisation.
Linda believes that her wide and varied skill and knowledge bases have complement her unique skill set that covers the creative, manual, and practical techniques, that are essential within the signage sector.
Notwithstanding the award- winning recognition she has achieved within the Sussex business community Linda is embarking on a Senior Leaders’ Master’s Degree Apprenticeship at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln this September. She is looking to further develop and strengthen her skills and the company strategy, which is all the more crucial as a response to COVID-19.
Furthermore, Linda will be supporting her team to not only develop additional skills but diversify existing skills and knowledge bases to ensure that they remain agile and responsive, together with the ability to confidently undertake various roles, accept new responsibilities and tasks across the business.
Linda’s passion for both signage and talent development inspired her to join the ISA-UK technical committee in 2018, and she subsequently became part of the sign industry trailblazer group, working to shape the new NVQ Level 3 signage technician apprenticeship.
“Having a trade association such as ISA-UK to bring the sector together is vital as it ensures our professional community has a voice. Being a member of ISA-UK demonstrates that businesses and individuals are committed to helping to support and evolve the industry,” Linda says.
David Catanach is Director of ISA-UK. “Linda will be an incredible asset to the ISA-UK council,” he comments. “She has great practical and technical skills but is also an experienced business director and strategist. She’s passionate about the role ISA-UK plays in uniting and inspiring the sign and visual communications industry and is committed to playing an active part in the development of the association and the businesses we work hard to support.”
At the latest AGM, the ISA-UK gave a heartfelt thanks to Mike Smith of SignFab who resigned after five years on the council.
