On November 4, Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc., received the 2017 Distinguished Women Award presented by Northwood University.
“It’s an honor to be recognized among Northwood University’s Distinguished Women Award recipients, both past and present,” Monson said. “Northwood University is dedicated to developing future leaders of a global free enterprise society and understands the important role that education plays in developing these future leaders. I am excited about meeting the students and being part of this year’s Distinguished Women celebration.”
Created in 1970 by the Northwood University Board of Trustees, the Distinguished Women Award honors role models by recognizing the enormous contributions women make to communities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public and private sector services worldwide. Honorees share a dedication to higher education and represent the values Northwood University espouses for its own students: commitment to free enterprise, the partnership of arts and business, and the management of global commerce.
“For forty-seven years, Northwood has celebrated leading women who espouse the values we demand of our own students,” said Keith A. Pretty, Northwood University president and CEO. “The Distinguished Women honorees serve as role models for Northwood University students and alumni, and offer dedication to the principles of both higher education and a global, free-enterprise society. We are pleased to recognize the achievements and true leadership of Catherine Monson in her community and in the business world.”
About Catherine Monson
Catherine Monson is the CEO and President of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. She joined FASTSIGNS® in 2008 and has more than 30 years of franchising and management experience in sales and marketing, operations, development, training and advocacy. Monson is a past recipient of the International Franchise Association’s prestigious Bonny LeVine Award. She has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the top twenty-five Women Industry Leaders and an Innovator and an Influencer by Sign and Digital Graphics magazine. In 2012, Catherine appeared on the two-time Emmy Award-nominated reality series, Undercover Boss, to learn new ways to further advance the FASTSIGNS brand. In 2015, she received the inaugural Franchise Action Network FAN of the Year award for her advocacy work in the franchising community. In 2016, she was selected as a Soderstrom Society Inductee for her contributions to the printing and graphic communications industry and was also honored with the 2016 Leadership Award from the Women That Soar organization. She serves on the Board of Directors of the IFA, for the franchise company The Learning Experience®, for the franchise company Brain Balance, as well as the Board of Trustees of Pi Sigma Epsilon.
FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 660 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS® centers in eight countries including the U.S., Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Grand Cayman, Mexico, and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE®).
FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including décor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at www.fastsigns.com. Follow the brand of Twitter at www.twitter.com/FASTSIGNS, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FASTSIGNS.
