Image 360 in Traverse City, Michigan prides itself on providing elite service for their clients in the Lower Peninsula area of state. When Sign Builder Illustrated was holding our annual Top Young Sign Makers contest last spring, owner Andrew Kohlmann submitted 3D Production Lead Specialist Ryan Porter for the contest, and he very-well could have medaled due to the quality of their work. The field was very competitive and Image 360 Traverse City’s work stood up to the best of the best.
In order to understand what separates Image 360 Traverse City from the pack, we spoke to Kohlmann and Porter to understand the thought-process and actions behind some of their most impressive installations. Kohlmann has been with the business since he was a mere teenager and has grown with the company to become the current owner. It’s hard to imagine anyone could be more plugged into the Michigan signage market than him.
“I joined the team at the age of 16 back in 1996. Before I knew it, I was promoted to a management position, which showed me the owners trusted and mentored young employees more than I would have ever expected and I appreciated that beyond words. When my wife and I purchased the business in 2008, my goal was to continue that approach, making sure that we gave opportunities for growth and leadership to everyone on the team who showed the desire to learn, grow and lead – regardless of age,” says Kohlmann. “Ryan joined us while he was just twenty, and we quickly realized he had the right mindset and independence to head-up our budding fabrication arm of the business. It’s so rewarding to see young people like Ryan grow and prosper when faced with challenges that come with opportunities like this.”
Kohlmann’s “pay it forward” ownership attitude has resulted in an extremely effective and reliable team at Image 360 Traverse City. Porter, who reminds Kohlmann of himself, has been trusted to install important projects from vast trail wayfinding signage to impressive branding packages at local banks to sleek, modern interior designs at an insurance office.
Porter led the installation team on their jobs for 4Front Credit Union in Traverse City, which encapsulated five different locations and a plethora of different types of signage.
“When we build and install signs for projects like 4Front, one of the major challenges is ensuring they meet all the standards. Since each sign is custom-made, there’s no exact blueprint to follow. It’s a back-and-forth process to determine what will actually work. Typically, for large projects like 4Front, I begin by constructing the first signbased on the initial plan developed with the team,” says Porter. “If there are any minor issues during the construction of the first sign, we address them for subsequent ones, aiming to resolve everything by the second sign. This approach helps us maintain efficiency while upholding our high-quality standards. Starting out at Image360 was tougher, but after completing numerous fully custom signs, we’ve gained the expertise to handle almost any client request.”
Kohlmann also relied on Porter to lead an intricate signage package for Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which includes more than 4,000 miles of hiking trails, 2,085 miles of biking trails and 635 miles of water trails, among other features for the state’s residents.
“Building and installing trail and park signage is hard work, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see everything come together. For large park projects like these, we communicate extensively with the parks team upfront to sort out all the details. Despite thorough planning, unexpected challenges may arise,” says Porter. “That’s why gathering as much information as possible is crucial, as it helps projects run more smoothly. Our goal when working on park projects is to create structures that enhance the trail experience, provide clear information to visitors, and blend nicely with the natural surroundings.”
Being able to trust Porter with a job with such a high level of difficulty like Michigan’s DNR trail systems is one of the top reasons why Kohlmann considers him to be such a valuable asset to the company.
“Our hiring process is continually being improved and built-out, largely thanks to our General Manager and Traverse City Business News 40 Under 40 winner, Tyler Palsrok. Our limited resources and extreme workload prior to Tyler joining the team meant that the hiring process was rather fast, and training was very much “trial by fire” which was not ideal,” says Kohlmann. “Ryan joined us well before Tyler came on board, so he experienced the challenging onboarding and ramp-up process – always staying positive and helpful. Fortunately, Tyler has made a ton of progress in improving our team support, hiring, and training processes to make it a less stressful process for the team.
And to truly show that they are capable of all types of installs, Image 360 Traverse City’s work at Highstreet Insurance Partners, who wanted to achieve a sleek, modern look for their office lobby. With Porter’s help, the wooden paneled backdrop, along with the backlit signage, immediately set the tone for the insurance company’s customers visiting the office.
“The accomplishment of a project like Highstreet owes much to our dedicated sales and graphic design teams. They take the client’s needs and desires and turn them into something truly special,” says Porter. “Creating Highstreet’s sleek appearance involved skillfully blending design expertise, choosing the right materials, and integrating technology seamlessly. Each step, from the initial idea to the final product, was carefully planned to reflect Highstreet’s brand while also making a visual statement.”
Kohlmann considers Image 360 Traverse City’s calling card to be quality and service, and this is obviously demonstrated in work like Highstreet’s lobby.
“We pride ourselves first and foremost in high quality products and service. We approach it as the sign, graphic or display we’re making has our name on it as much as it does our clients’ name,” says Kohlmann. “We know that our business growth is fueled by return clients and referrals and know that wouldn’t be the case if we didn’t prioritize quality and service.”
For Kohlmann, having someone like Porter on the team is both energizing and encouraging for the future of the industry.
“I think the industry has a bright future as I see it continuing to attract young people for the same reasons it did for me: it can be an artistic, creative field with endless opportunities that’s very collaborative and rewarding in multiple ways. There’s so much opportunity for growth and fulfilment,” says Kohlmann. “But, to attract, we have to get the word out to young people by connecting with high schools, colleges and technical schools to make sure students know about the opportunities in our industry. For owners and leaders, I feel we must continue to invest in our employees, nurturing and mentoring them and continue to invest in facility and equipment improvements. Finally, and most importantly, keeping fair compensation and improving benefits to attract and retain are vital.”
