Name: Gary R. Schellerer
Job Title: President/CEO Signs By Tomorrow
Direct Line: 630-980-4567
Email: grschellerer@bloomingdalesigns.com
Where did you work before you worked at SBT? What did you do there?
Carla & I were married in 1970 shortly after my discharge from the Army. I really had no advanced schooling to speak of and found myself in a position of having a lot of bills and responsibilities, to include a baby on the way. So as you can see I was already planning a future management staff for what is now Bloomingdale Signs By Tomorrow. While Carla was in labor she was insistent that we name our first son Gary. I had a feeling that this would cause confusion 20 years down the road but couldn’t refuse her request at the time. So if you call the shop and ask for Gary and are asked which one, it’s Carla’s fault.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family at our lake house in Wisconsin. We have a standing policy of not talking business there, but somehow the conversation always moves in that direction.
What do you like most about your job?
Working with my family and especially my Sons, Gary (not junior), Mark & Alan has been rewarding as a Father and sometimes challenging as the Boss. Although, it has given me the perfect opportunity for payback in regards to their teen years.
What would you consider to be your strongest attribute in a business environment?
I’d say one of my strongest attributes is perseverance. Failure or giving up has never been an option.
Why did you choose the field you are in?
In the late 80’s while working for a major hotel chain in Chicago I stopped in small vinyl shop off Michigan Avenue. I was extremely impressed with the concept and saw a great deal of opportunity in this type of operation. It just seemed to fit the bill for everything important to me in a business. We opened Bloomingdale Signs By Tomorrow in 1991.
