The Boren Supremacy

I was thrilled to hear that Kozell Boren, founder of Signtronix (Torrance, CA), was awarded the sign industry’s highest honor, the Kirk L. Brimley Distinguished Service Award, during April’s Sign Expo tradeshow in Las Vegas.

Kozy’s financial/educational gifts to the sign industry are legendary, but perhaps his greatest gift is his ability to bring people together. Call it Tuna Diplomacy. His floating conference center, the 62-ft. Slice of Life II, and his love of fishing have spawned countless relationships.

In the summer of 1999, Kozy wanted to unite some sign-legislation efforts. A handful of industry people were invited for a weeklong dialogue/fishing trip to Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, including Dr. R. James Claus (founder of the Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence [SFCE] in 1994) and then-ISA Chairman Cal Lutz. Cal caught a 70-lb. tuna, the biggest one on the trip. More importantly, I believe, Cal caught up with Jim personally, which catalyzed ISA/SFCE collaboration.

Tom Cummings III, now the CEO for Kozy’s companies, didn’t really know Kozy until that 1999 trip. Similarly, the Small Business Administration (SBA) had no information about signage on its website at the time, but seeds were then planted that have produced a bumper crop of subsequent information.

Two years later, Kozy organized a similar trip, but this time invited fathers and sons. Guests included then ISA chairman Joe Rickman (more on Joe later).

In 2001, the ISA and SFCE began working together. Kozy’s sign company, Signtronix, donated $245,000 for various projects, including legal fees regarding the American Planning Assn. project (see ST, March 2007, page 184). His donations kept coming: $26,000 in 2002.

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In 2003, Kozy developed the video, Signs, Speech of the Street, and presented it at the ISA/SFCE National Symposium. The SBA later utilized the video on its website. Overall, Signtronix donated $34,500 to that year’s ISA/SFCE projects.

In 2004, Signtronix provided $55,000 for other projects, followed by $29,000 in 2006.

Kozy twice (1988 and 1996) served as the California Electric Sign Assn. (now the California Sign Assn. [CSA]) president. He received CSA’s President’s Award in 1990 and a special CSA award for Dedication to the Sign Industry in 2003. Kozy served nearly a quarter century on its board of directors and was named a director emeritus in 1997.

Closer to home for me, Kozy has very generously pledged and donated more than $100,000 to the American Sign Museum, as one of the first people to contribute. Museum President Tod Swormstedt presented Kozy with a Lifetime Membership Award at the museum’s dedication in June 2005.

Kozy initiated an incentive plan in 1997, whereby he would give discounts to his customers (end users) who would ask their customers how they heard about their business (see ST, June 1998, page 240). Kozy presented the results in his testimony before the California Energy Commission on November 18, 2002. First, he proved how critical the on-premise sign is to small, independent businesses, and then explained why their illumination was equally important.

In Kozy’s study, over roughly a five-year period, 5,820 customers responded to surveys from 388 Signtronix sign purchasers, and 48% (2,794) said the sign brought them into the business.

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When Tom Boren, Kozy’s son, accepted the ISA award for his dad, he described his father as “an innovator, not an imitator.” A huge polycarbonate user, Kozy couldn’t find vacuumforming equipment that met his needs. So, he built more than a dozen units of his own.

Kozy created a niche when he debuted Gulf Industries in 1963. His plan? Sell signs to businesses that “normal” sign companies don’t approach. His more than 225 salespeople (independent contractors referred to as “dealers”) have no territories. They receive commissions as soon as contracts are signed. They have access to more than 750 copyrighted graphics, so they can design signs on the spot. (In June 1997, Inc. magazine wrote an article about SFA [sales-force automation] that primarily focused on Kozy’s strategy for outfitting all of his salespeople with laptops.

In his late 70s, Kozy’s still innovating. In 2006, Signtronix merged with 60-year-old Ontario (CA) Neon, now known as Encore Image Inc. A new company, Encore Image MD, specializes in signs for the medical profession (including veterinarians). As of November 2006, Signtronix became not just a 100% ESOP, but also a NESOP (non-employee) so his dealers can also reap benefits.

Back to Joe Rickman. During the time I spent with Joe on the 2001 trip, his integrity and devotion to the sign industry became apparent. He’s now heading up the new Signage Foundation, which I’ll write about in this column in a month or so. My respect for Joe has grown since that trip, but Kozy’s boat gets the credit for the introduction.

Kozy epitomizes the consummate gracious host. If I ever want to act like a true gentleman, he will be my role model.