BUSINESS NEWS: FASTSIGNS sign and graphics center opens in Pottstown

February 11, 2010, 10:06 am

From left: Joan Emery, customer service representative; Bill Wellen, owner; and Bill Hess, graphic designer of FASTSIGNS.

POTTSTOWN — A new FASTSIGNS sign and graphics center is now open in Pottstown, under the ownership of area resident Bill Wellen.

Located at 180 Shoemaker Road, the center provides a full range of sign and graphic solutions to area businesses, organizations and events, including banners, site and architectural signs, window and vehicle graphics, floor graphics, point-of-purchase signs, safety and identification signage, trade show displays and exterior signage.

“We are very excited about this new venture and look forward to building a reputation on hard work, high quality signage and exceptional service,” said Wellen, who will manage the sign and graphics center.

Joining Wellen in the opening of the center are Joan Emery and Bill Hess. With 30 years of customer service experience, including 10 years within the commercial printing industry, Emery will serve the Pottstown FASTSIGNS as its customer service representative. Hess will utilize a strong background in the sign business — including graphic design, commercial printing and close tolerance screen printing — as the center’s graphic designer and sign maker.

Prior to the center opening, the entire Pottstown FASTSIGNS team recently completed an intensive training program at the Carrollton, Texas, headquarters of FASTSIGNS International Inc., the worldwide franchisor of FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers.

Members of the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce, the new FASTSIGNS team looks forward to becoming an integral part of the local business community. Wellen also currently belongs to the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group, BNI, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association and the Hellenic University Club of Philadelphia.

The new Pottstown FASTSIGNS can be reached by phone at 484-624-4874, or visit them online at www.fastsigns.com/566.

Nan Gatlos joins World Travel Inc.

GILBERTSVILLE — World Travel Inc. welcomes Nan Gatlos to its Gilbertsville travel office.

Gatlos is a certified travel consultant and accredited cruise counselor with 33 years’ experience in selling vacation travel. Specializing in Hawaii, the Caribbean, Disney and Italy, Gatlos takes continuing education courses to keep up with industry updates.

Gatlos may be reached at 800-451-5449 or ngatlos@worldtravelinc.com.

Local distributor attains new position with Reliv

HARLEYSVILLE — Maryann Luiso, a Harleysville resident and independent distributor for Reliv International, was recently promoted to the director level.

Reliv distributors advance to a higher level whan their sales organizations meet certain income and/or sales volume goals.

Reliv International is a direct-selling company that develops and markets nutritional supplements.

Reliv distributors sell the supplements directly to consumers. The company also provides the tools, training and support to help 68,000 distributors build their home-based businesses.

For more information about the Reliv International business in the Harleysville area, call Luiso at 215-513-1682.

Women’s Center announces stalking prevention and outreach initiatives for students

ELKINS PARK — The Women’s Center of Montgomery County, a community-based volunteer organization providing service to more than 3,500 victims of domestic violence annually, has announced a $5,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation. This funding will help to expand the center’s stalking prevention and outreach initiatives on Montco college campuses.

The grant will fund strategies tailored to meet the needs of each campus, including establishing volunteer counseling services, developing internal adjudication processes, and training law enforcement, resident advisors, faculty and staff.

“Thanks to Verizon Foundation and the ongoing support from Verizon Wireless’ HopeLilne phone recycling program, we are able to bring services to a venue where many young women experiencing independent living for the first time in their lives, can feel vulnerable and unsupported,” said Maria Macaluso, executive director of the Women’s Center of Montgomery County. “Stalking on college campuses can be an underreported crime. We hope this funding will address these problems by educating and empowering students to take action to protect themselves.

“Additionally, we hope this grant will help to develop a model program that could be used by other colleges and universities in Pennsylvania.”

Established in 1976, the Women’s Center of Montgomery County provides services including a 24-hour domestic violence hotline; peer and group domestic violence counseling; elder abuse counseling and advocacy; court and hospital accompaniment; financial literacy workshops; dating violence and stalking protection; training for law enforcement and the courts; and community education programs. Programs are administered by more than 175 trained volunteers in the Center’s six offices, in Elkins Park, Norristown, Colmar, Lansdale, Pottstown and Bryn Mawr.

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