Chamber honors TNT Signs as business of year

TEXAS CITY — Todd Nolte and Tom Bond spent many a working hour at their old jobs at a sign company talking about how they could do a better job in running the business.

After lots of talk, they put their money where their mouths were. They started their own company, TNT Signs, in 2004.

What started as a two-man company now employs 10 people. The company, which has a 6,000-square-foot building on Palmer Highway, produces signs for the likes of BP and the soon-to-be reopened Gus’ restaurant.

It also produces car wrap advertisements for Amoco Federal Credit Union.

Wednesday, the company was named the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year.

Bond focuses on the design work for the signs and special advertising products, while Nolte is the “guy who does all the heavy lifting,” Bond said.

While vinyl signs are still a moneymaker, the company has several large full-color printers that can produce signs of any size.

The company’s first paying job was to produce a sign for a homeowners association on the city’s north side. That sign paid enough to keep the two entrepreneurs in business and things have grown ever since, Bond said.

While not giving specific figures, the chamber said gross sales for the company in 2009 were seven times the figure for the company’s first year.

Wednesday’s surprise award presentation was a sneak peek at the chamber’s annual banquet next week.

This is the second year the chamber has named its Business of the Year in advance of the awards ceremony, chamber President Jimmy Hayley said.

Next week the outstanding citizen, community service and volunteer awards, along with TNT’s official Business of the Year Awards presentation, will be part of the banquet.

The highlight of the night will be a salute to the chamber’s past chairmen and presidents.

As part of the chamber’s 40th anniversary, the volunteers who headed the chamber’s board of directors have been invited to be part of the salute, Hayley said.

He said all but a handful who still are alive have confirmed they will attend.

Among those who will be in attendance will be Joe A. Hoover and Doug Hoover, the brother duo who served as chairmen. In 1969 Joe A. Hoover was actually the chamber’s first president (the position now titled chairman) of the chamber’s board.

His late father, Joe. F. Hoover, was chairman in 1972, while Doug Hoover was the head of the board in 1975.

Julia Oliver, the first woman to lead the chamber, will be there, as will be Gary and Georgia Meyer, the first husband and wife duo to have served as the chamber’s top boss, Hayley said.

+++

At A Glance

WHAT: Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce banquet

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28

WHERE: Doyle Convention Center, 2010 Fifth Ave. N. in Texas City

COST: Tickets are $60 for individuals, or $600 for an eight-person table

CONTACT: 409-935-1408

ONLINE: Video of the Business of the Year surprise in the Between the Lines blog at galvnews.com.