ATSSA The Signal January February 2020

The Signal | January/February 2020 15 Vice President Pence visits ATSSA member company Safety Signs When Vice President Mike Pence visited Safety Signs in Lakeville, Minn., he commended owners and longtime ATSSA members Jay and Sue Blanchard for what President Donald Trump called their “pioneering spirit.” “Small-business owners embody the American pioneering spirit and remind us that determination can turn aspira- tion into achievement,” Pence told the Blanchards and their employees in quot- ing the president. Pence later added that he wanted to congratulate the owners of Safety Signs and their team for “making a business like this have such a great impact on this community, and, frankly, on the lifeof this state and this nation.” Safety Signs has been an ATSSAmember since 1995 and employs nearly 30people. The family-owned business offers traffic control, pavement marking, sign manu- facturing and installation, aswell as Intelli- gent TransportationSystems (ITS) services. The vice president’s Oct. 10 visit started with a surprise phone call from some- one the couple knew from their involve- ment in the community, Jay Blanchard said. The person asked if they’d like to host Pence at their facility, and in only a few days, members of the White House and Secret Service were onsite at Safety Signs, preparing for Pence’s visit. “We were extremely proud and excited about the opportunity to host him. They were gracious guests and Vice President Pence is a very calming spirit—it was a really nice visit,” Jay Blanchard said. In addition to Blanchard’s role as vice president at Safety Signs, he has served on the board of Northland ATSSA Chap- ter and is a former member of ATSSA’s national board of directors. The Blanchards met with the vice pres- ident and his wife Karen Pence, as well as Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, and former Congressman Jason Lewis, before the vice president gave remarks and toured the facility. Pence spoke with employees and learned about the work the company does with roadway safety infrastructure. “Some of our folks were able to actu- ally show him how we make signs,” Jay Blanchard said. At one point during the visit, Pence learned it was Jay’s birthday and stopped the event to sing “Happy Birthday.” Pence’s remarks focused on the impor- tance of small business, trade and economic opportunity for American workers. For Sue Blanchard, one of the highlights of the visit was the educational oppor- tunity it offered her employees. “It brings our employees closer to our elected officials,” she said. “It’s kind of educational for themas well to hear and see these elected officials face-to-face. It was very impactful for our people.” The Blanchards said they recognize the value of ATSSA member companies getting involved in political advocacy and hosting site visits with elected officials. “Sue and I would absolutely encourage other members of the ATSSA family to invite their elected officials to visit their sites. All of us that make a living from this industry owe it to leave the industry better than we found it, and political advocacy is one avenue for us to make that lasting impression,” Jay Blanchard said. “Not only do these visits give us an oppor- tunity to showcase what our industry does, but these visits crack a door open so when we need to go visit our repre- sentatives, they know who we are and what we stand for.”  For more information on hosting a site visit at your facility, contact ATSSA Director of Government Relations David Bell at david.bell@atssa.com . Sue and I would absolutely encourage other members of the ATSSA family to invite their elected officials to visit their sites. All of us that make a living from this industry owe it to leave the industry better than we found it, and political advocacy is one avenue for us to make that lasting impression. Government Relations