A Legacy in The Making

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A behind-the-scenes look at creating the award-winning GRCC Ford Fieldhouse Legacy Mural

Facility signage can showcase a logo, give information, or point guests in the right direction. But sometimes, a project comes along that can inspire people in a much deeper way.

The floor-to-ceiling-and-beyond graphics in the new Grand Rapids Community College Ford Fieldhouse do just that.

Designed by Janice Ensing, a former GRCC graphic artist, Gilson played an integral role in bringing the award-winning project to life.

“I had worked with Jan on some smaller wall and window graphics at GRCC,” said Gilson account executive Rolly Smith. “When she reached out to me as a potential partner for the Legacy Mural, I jumped at the opportunity.”

“Jan had concerns about the size of the project and fact that we had less than 2 months to have it completed,” recalled Smith. “I assured her that we could handle it.”

Smith quickly assembled a team at Gilson to kick off the project, which included taking detailed measurements and sourcing the right material.

“We looked at about a dozen possibilities,” said Smith. “We finally found a new product by DreamScape® that was commercial-grade and met all the specifications for fire and wear that were needed to satisfy the builder.”

Rockford Construction and IDS Architecture were supportive throughout the entire build and worked together with Gilson’s installation team to ensure an award-winning final product.

“There were a number of challenges to overcome,” said Smith. “In one area there was a handrail that went right through one of the graphics, in another area there were light switch plates running though blocks of text. One of the longer hallways had a dip that we did not anticipate. Construction dust and unfinished walls presented their own challenges.”

“Working closely with the builders and with Jan helped us keep the project moving forward at a quick pace in order to meet the Grand Opening event date,” said Smith.

After weeks of printing and a few late nights of installing, the finished mural was ready for its grand reveal. The Ford Fieldhouse Legacy Mural was unveiled in January 2019 in the presence of politicians, local dignitaries, and the public at two separate Open House events.

The entire project featured nearly 2,000 square feet of printed wall graphics, including those that extended beyond the walls and were suspended from the ceilings in the locker rooms for a truly immersive experience.

The Legacy Mural earned Silver Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR), a national organization for community and technical colleges.

It also earned a Gold Medallion from NCMPR’s District 3, which includes community colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario as well as a Gold PRoof Award from the WMPRSA – West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Ensing was overwhelmed with the positive outcome, saying in follow-up correspondence, “Thank you Rolly for your enthusiasm and guidance throughout this project. I truly could not have done it without your team.”

Contact Gilson for help with your next big dream.

A look at the stunning visuals from the GRCC Ford Fieldhouse in our Project Gallery:

Riding Out The Storm

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During a webinar on navigating the current pandemic crisis, our team watched a clip from the iconic movie Forrest Gump. If you’ve seen the movie, you certainly remember the scene: Lieutenant Dan is out in the middle of a hurricane, whooping and hollering right in the thick of the storm, while others are hunkered down on the shore.

When the storm finally cleared, all those who sat idle on the shore were dashed to bits. Forrest and Lieutenant Dan had survived by leaning into the storm and navigating the rough waters with courage.

The COVID-19 crisis is the storm of the century. We could have sat idle, waiting for the storm to pass. Instead, we leaned right in.

Early on in the pandemic, Gilson was labeled an essential service by several of our customers as a critical component in their supply chain. We have risen to the challenge and continue to evolve, adapt, and adjust while keeping our employees and their families safe and healthy. While challenges abound, we are encouraged by the positivity that surrounds us:

  • We are thankful for the flexibility of our employees. For those who have volunteered to continue to work on-site supporting the essential businesses for which we provide critical materials, as well as those who stay diligent in working from home while balancing closures in schools and child care centers and co-working with their spouses, kids, and pets.
  • We are thankful that we are able to continue to provide services for many of our customers who are providing necessary services for our society. We are producing critical information and materials related to preventing the spread of the virus in our communities. We were even able to assist with the manufacturing of critical safety components for use in the medical field this past week, with more opportunities to do so in the pipeline. The ingenuity of our customers never ceases to astound us, and we are thankful for that.
  • We are thankful for the advent of video conferencing, and for our fantastic IT department for keeping us up and running and ‘virtually’ face-to-face with each other and our customers.
  • We are thankful that our business has evolved over the years to include services that we can provide remotely, such as agency/design services and document composition. We are in a better position than ever to weather a storm of this nature, and we are thankful for the decisions we made years ago that have led us to this place.
  • We are thankful for the stable financial position of our company due to conservative fiscal policies over the years, and the security it affords us as we all face uncertain and difficult times ahead.
  • We are thankful for the ability to collaborate with our peers and colleagues, many of whom we are often ‘too busy’ to engage with on a strategic level. Having this time to think critically and generate new ideas in the face of adversity will undoubtedly lead to new opportunities once the clouds have parted and the waters have calmed.
  • We are thankful for the opportunity to take a fresh look at how we approach customer outreach, as trade shows and in-person events are no longer a viable option for connecting with industry peers. We’ve been able to have more specific and personal conversations with customers that we wouldn’t have had in a community environment.

As this unprecedented storm rages on, rest assured that Gilson will continue to batten down the hatches and ride the waves right alongside our customers.

We’re all in the same boat, and we could not be more thankful for that.

For more on Gilson’s response to the global health crisis, please visit:  gilsongraphics.com/covid-19-prevention