This year marks the 75th anniversary for Midwest Sign and Screen Printing Supply, St. Paul, MN. Partners Bruce McNeil and Fred Sweet started the company in 1932 as a neon-sign wholesaler, and by 1958 Midwest had grown into neon sales and installation and sign supplies. McNeil became sole owner of the company in 1958. Five years later, he hired Bill Anderson as a clerk typist. Two years later marked Anderson’s promotion to vice president and the emergence of the company into the screen-printing industry as a distributor of supplies. Midwest achieved its first million-dollar year in 1973.
Bruce McNeil passed away in 1976, and Bill Anderson became president of Midwest. Anderson purchased the company in October of 1977 and changed its name to Midwest Sign & Screen Printing Supply Co. In 1981, the company opened its first branch in New Berlin, WI. During the next 13 years, Midwest continued to open other branches in Omaha, Denver, Kansas City, Hayward, Salt Lake City, Portland, and Seattle.
Bill Anderson passed away on July 18, 2004, after serving the company for nearly 42 years. Nancy J. Peterson Anderson, widow of Bill Anderson, was elected CEO of the corporation in September of 2004. Nancy has been on the company’s board of directors for more than 20 years and has been involved in many of the company’s events and served on various committees within the organization.
To honor its 75th year, Midwest Sign & Screen plans to hold special customer events at its individual branches and increase its presence at national trade shows throughout 2007. Midwest Sign & Screen Printing Supply Co. is located at 45 E. Maryland Ave., St. Paul, MN 55117-4610, 651-489-9999, fax: 651-489-0101, e-mail: midwest@midwestsign.com, Web: www.midwestsign.com.