Henry Van De Werken
Founder
Henry Van De Werken, President and Owner of Sign Business Solutions, began in the paint and coatings business in 1979 working for a family-owned multi-store body shop supply distributor. During his 16-year tenure, he managed operations and sold paint, equipment, and allied products. He became technically proficient in multiple paint lines, including DuPont (now Axalta), PPG, Sherwin Willians, Inmont/BASF, and AkzoNobel (Sikkens) and attended numerous technical training classes and seminars in the process.
In 1995, Henry joined AkzoNobel, BV and held a variety of management positions in the car refinishes segment, receiving extensive management, technical, and sales training in the United States and Europe. In December of 2004, Henry transitioned to a senior sales position in the sign finishes segment where he worked with sign companies across North America until he retired in 2016. While working in sign finishes, he focused on technical sales, sales training, business development, technical product support, new product development, and the successful launch of a revolutionary new product line.
Following his retirement from AkzoNobel, Henry became the Director of Sales and Marketing for a national wholesale sign fabricator for three years until he was recruited by a large national sign company to become their Director of Manufacturing. His most recent position was Director of Business Development for a smaller full-service sign company who changed their business model to become a wholesale-only sign fabricator and needed help becoming recognized as a viable outsource option.
In December of 2023, Henry saw an opportunity to utilize his collective skills, experience, and training to provide support to sign companies and supply distributors through training and consulting services, passing on best-practices and processes learned from his years of experience. This led to the creation of Sign Business Solutions, a company ready to equip today’s sign business owners with the tools needed for success.
Henry is an alumnus of Northwoods University where he completed a BBA with a minor in International Business, graduating Summa Cum Laude. As a life-long learner, Henry attended Lakeshore Technical College and earned a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (47623428YB/26259) in 2019.
Involvement
Henry is the current President of the Illinois Sign Association and has served on the Board of Directors for over a decade. He is also a member in good standing of the Wisconsin Sign Association and Midwest Sign Association. He also serves on the Advisory Board for a national sign company that is known for providing high-quality interior and exterior signage.
On a personal note, Henry resides in northeast Wisconsin with his wife, Nancy. Together, they are active in their church in Appleton and most enjoy spending time with family, especially their five grandchildren, along with cheering on their beloved Chicago Blackhawks.
