Meet the YPN Board of Directors
President: Matthew Lavery
Matthew Lavery is the project co-ordinator for Spectra Advertising and Signs in Concord, Ont. He is the founder and director of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) and sits on the Sign Association of Canada’s (SAC-ACE’s) board for the events and fundraising committee. He also serves a role on the SAC board for Sign Expo Canada 2019. Lavery is extremely passionate about the youth movement in the sign industry and participates passionately in a co-op exchange program with a local high school, as well as the association’s Sign Manufacturing Day. With a background in sign installations, painting, sales, and project co-ordination, he has dedicated his passion and drive to the sign industry for the past 12 years and is comfortable giving advice or recommendations based on his experience. In 2018, Lavery was accepted into the ISA Elite program.
Vice-president: Taylor Blanchett-O’Donnell
Taylor Blanchett-O’Donnell is part of the fourth generation to work at Blanchett Neon, a family-owned and operated custom sign company in Western Canada. Blanchett is one of the founding members of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) and is an active member in both the provincial and national sign association. Blanchett is devoted and driven to promoting the sign industry as a viable career path. In her role as corporate services manager, she is responsible for business development, health and safety, brand presence, strategic direction, and works alongside senior management and the ownership group to develop, demonstrate, and execute the company’s vision of excellence. Blanchett-O’Donnell was named to the ISA Elite class of 2018.
Vice-president: Lee Murphy
Lee Murphy is a senior sales representative for Access Signs Inc., in Longueuil, Que. Through the Young Professionals Network (YPN), he promotes the signage industry as a rewarding career option to the younger generation. As a senior sales representative, he is responsible for business development, client satisfaction, and expanding Access Signs’ visibility throughout the industry. Lee was named to the ISA Elite class of 2019 and was recognized as an industry influencer throughout North America.
Director of education: Christopher Cicero
Christopher Cicero is a founding member of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) and is active in various trade groups, trade shows, events, and his local community. He started his career in tool and die before moving on to mechanical engineering where he studied product design. Cicero is now with Roland, a manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, personalization, and
vehicle graphics markets, and is responsible for sales and business development across Canada. With his technical background, he manages engravers, 3D printers, computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines, and medical product lines.
Director of events: Krista Edwards
Krista Edwards has been in the sign industry for nine years and is a project manager and sales representative for Media Resources Inc. She recently graduated from Sheridan College with honours in project management. Edwards represents the second generation of her family in the industry; the sign business has affected most aspects of her life and she intends to keep it that way.
Director of recruitment and outreach: Dario Giansante
Dario Giansante has been working in the sign industry since 2013. As the director of recruitment and outreach, his goal is to assemble the best and brightest young minds from across the country to help grow the Young Professionals Network (YPN) in both quality and quantity. He has worked in multiple facets of the industry, including sign supply/distribution, assembly, and as an installation supervisor for a trade show exhibit company. His varied roles in different companies have provided him with a vast range of experience. Currently, Giansante is a regional sales manager with Global Lux. He was named to the ISA Elite class of 2018.
Director of marketing and design: Stacey Gagne
Stacey Gagne is the business development manager at Signex Manufacturing in Manitoba. She leads the company’s sales and pre-production teams and promotes its products, services, and quality. Gagne, who always looks for creative ways to expand clientele and build long-lasting relationships with existing and new clients, started working for Signex in 2010 as a graphic designer. Having completed the Building Supervisors for Tomorrow program through the Winnipeg Construction Association, her wide range of knowledge and experience has allowed her to work alongside many contractors, project managers, and architects on several noteworthy projects. Gagne is also on the board of the Young Construction Leaders of Manitoba and is part of several committees such as the Winnipeg Chamber Ambassadors program, City of Steinbach business development committee, and Summer in the City. She is also an active member of the Manitoba Women in Construction.
Director at large: Mark Wallis
Mark Wallis started working for his parents’ Niagara, Ont.-based sign company, Signature Sign and Image, at the age of 15. From design and project management to installation, fabrication, and service, he has always been involved in every aspect of the business. Upon completing his degree in multimedia and design production at Fanshaw College, Wallis returned to join his parents as a co-owner in the family business. Recently, Wallis has taken the sign shop to the next level by investing in a variety of new equipment and expanding the services and products the shop offers, as well as modernizing the business operations by introducing new project management software. Wallis was named to the ISA Elite class of 2017. That same year, he was awarded the Outstanding Young Professional by the Sign Association of Canada.
