Education and a Lesson in Giving

Giving is more than just taking something (money or product) and donating it to someone in need. It is also about adding to our community and raising our standards. More importantly, it’s about educating ourselves about what is needed in our community. And, while we are receiving this education, we are also providing it to others.

Here at Coller Industries Incorporated, our primary focus is meeting our customers’ needs and providing a better future for our community. As such, we have a constant desire to give back to those in need. And what better way than investing in the education of our children?

The Granite Education Foundation

The mission of Granite Education Foundation is to improve educational outcomes by strengthening the Granite School District Community. This is accomplished through the engagement of business and community partners in the support of Granite School District and the academic achievement of all its students.
Who we are. Granite Education Foundation is a coalition of engaged business and community leaders with a passion and understanding of the importance of an education.
What we do. Granite Education Foundation seeks to improve the academic success and well being of each student with a particular emphasis on supporting students at risk of not graduating.
How we do it. In collaboration with Granite School District, concerned individuals, and community partners, Granite Education Foundation provides basic needs, programs and educational enhancement services that have been shown to improve the chances of student academic success and well being.

In 2009, we started giving to The Granite Education Foundation.

We are happy that we have been able to continue in this giving tradition, so last year we donated again. The knowledge that this money goes to help the children in our community is what keeps us giving. It isn’t about the money; it’s about the future of our kids and where they will lead us because they were able to obtain a good education.

We believe in giving toward the education of our children and our future. And because of that, we have enjoyed receiving something back for the past 11 years. Each year, as a thank you for our time and money, Granite Education Foundation has some of their school children write and send a personal thank you. We are always thrilled when our special letter arrives.

This year, the note that came with our Valentine’s card read:

Valentine's Day card from the Granite Education Foundation and a school child

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Granite Education Foundation and students from across the district wanted to express a heart-felt thanks for all you do. Enclosed you will find hand-made Valentine’s Day cards our students created with YOU in mind. Thank you for being a part of our success. We look forward to working more with you.
Yours truly,
The Granite Education Foundation Team

The Valentine’s Day card that came with this letter was handwritten with a simple message of, “Thank you for donating to GEF.” These two letters were included in a gray, felt heart shaped envelope. And we love it!

Gary Coller, President of Coller Industries, said, “We donate because it’s the right thing to do. We do it for the children in our neighborhood.”

While it is the right thing to do, we see the benefits it has on our community.

The monetary donation goes toward a scholarship fund for students in the Granite School District. And, with more than 50% of Granite School District’s 67,000 students living at or below the poverty line, we need to be doing what we can to support our community.

This donation also goes toward coats, gloves and shoes for these school kids. Backpacks are also filled with school supplies at the beginning of the school year and given to the kids who need them the most. We are proud to help support these efforts of giving.

And, we want to say thank you to the GEF for all of the outstanding work they do for our education system here in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our children benefit every day from their kindness and dedication toward learning.

Acrylic Awards & Recognizing VIPs

One-of-a-kind acrylic awards are the best way to make someone feel truly special! Everyone from your favorite coach to your boss loves to be recognized for their contributions to your success. And, with the newest addition to our plaque line, we’re positive that we have the perfect award for your needs.

5 x 7 Crystal Acrylic Plaque

With an average yet versatile size, you can use these awards to recognize almost anyone in your life. Add full color UV logos, engraved graphics and engraved text to your plaque to make it a unique gift for someone special in your life. And, with an 11/16 inch thickness, they are self-supporting, so they are perfect for displaying on a desk, bookshelf or in a trophy case.

Give the Best Gift Ever!

Is your best friend getting married? Or someone else close to you? Use the text from their wedding announcement, and this will be a unique gift for the special couple. Find out their favorite quote or a poem that is suitable specifically to them. Add colorful UV printed graphics along with the saying. Talk about a great way to help the couple celebrate their special day! Then wrap them in a personalized ribbon to complete the look.

These acrylic plaques are the perfect answer for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life. Customize one for your dad or mom for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day. Find some vector artwork of a fish or a flower bouquet to go with a personal thought. Your parents or grandparents are guaranteed to love this one-of-a-kind gift. Get a graphic that suits a sibling, niece, nephew or other family member and create a gift meant for one. Any recipient will be grateful for your thoughtfulness.

Use these crystalline blocks for holiday decorations. From pumpkins to Christmas trees and everything in between, add graphics and sayings to make your home sparkle during every holiday. With back engraving, the details from the text and graphics will be reflected and refracted within the plaque in various ways.

Honor a veteran with these fun plaques. Just like any other award we offer, these acrylics can be customized with messages of honor and presented as a keepsake. And, they look great on display on darker surfaces due to their transparency and white engraving. They are durable and lightweight, so they are easy to add to your decor. And, with a little personalization, they are the perfect way to honor someone for their service.

From the Home to the Office

Don’t forget about your office! Whether it is for adding something fancy to your desk or to use as directional signage in your office, these acrylic plaques are definitely something to look into. They will look great on a receptionist’s desk to welcome customers. Use them to identify a courtesy phone or other item your office has for visitors.

Add your company’s logo and motto and present it to your boss for National Boss’ Day. Then they can decide where they want to display your thoughtfulness. And, with full color UV printing, any logo is sure to stand out and be just the right touch for your office decor.

The elegance of these Crystal Acrylic Plaques will make any office achievement shine. So, for your next “Employee of the Month,” grab one of these incredible awards and make your team feel important and appreciated.

No matter who you want to thank, make it shine with these beautiful plaques. Remember that coach in your life whether it be for little league baseball or the professionals. Everyone enjoys being recognized for their hard work and achievements.

New Name Plates As Unique As You

Creating new name plates for your office doesn’t have to be boring. Get creative using these ideas.

Everyone seems to have one, a boring name plate sitting on the edge of their desk. How does it read? Your first and last name? Your generic title? Boring, right? Well, why not lighten up the mood in your office and share a laugh with your coworkers with new name plates. So, let’s get creative and get rid of the boring!

Your name is unique so it should stay put on your new name plates.

But, let’s put some class into it. Whether your name is short like Jim Shu or long like Vernon Ringo Fyre don’t underestimate the importance of font. Yes, you should remember to keep your name plate consistent with your company brand, but have a little bit of fun. With more than 15 different font choices, you can class up your name plate easily by changing the font.

And, what about that generic title.

Even if you are the CEO of your company, there are still better ways to say it on your new name plates. Use creative phrasing like “Master of Everything” or “The Man Who Signs Your Paycheck” to get the laughter going. Or are you the office clerk? Use a title such as “Magical Paper Transferrer” or “Organizer of Random Thoughts and Erratic Activity” to redefine a job that may seem boring. This can be done with any job title! Check out these other examples:

Human Resources becomes Timeline Overlord!
Social Media Manager becomes Entertainment Seer!
Customer Service Manager becomes Head Unicorn Wrangler!
IT or Computer Specialist becomes Warlord of Ingenuity!
Content Writer or Blogger becomes Ink Magician!

Who said it had to be a logo?

Okay, so we have your name covered and your title, but what about that logo? Why not go for something a bit more unique. Yes, if you are ordering in bulk, it will have to be the same for every name plate. But, you can still be creative. Instead of your company logo, make up a graphic that is just as fitting. Do you have a mascot? Or, try a unique icon that is suitable for your business.

Funny name plates also make great gifts!

From Father’s Day to Christmas and everything in between, everyone will love your creative side when you present them with a thoughtful gift of a new name plate. And, they don’t just have to be names and titles. Add a quote, personal thought or nickname to your new name plates. If the text can be engraved, put it on an Acrylic Desk Block or an Executive Desk Wedge to make it even classier.

get new name plates as Acrylic Desk Blocks and give them as gifts with a special and unique quote

If you are ordering for yourself, the sky may be the limit on this! And, with UV color printing available as well as engraving, you can include colors and images. Pick your favorite animal or other unusual and defining hobby. Do you like quilting? Provide an image of a quilt block. Are turtles or owls your absolute favorite? Well, you get the idea.

No matter what you decide for your new name plates, make sure you are representative of who you are and get that creativity flowing.

Scouting, a School Drumline and Name Plates

Giving back to our community is good for business. It’s a great way to get exposure for a company and to promote products or services. But, giving back isn’t about what you get in return, it’s about who you are helping.

Here at Coller Industries, we understand that when we are helping those in our community, the best thing we get back is that feeling of knowing you helped someone. Investing in the community by donating our products is one of our best forms of marketing. But again, it isn’t just about the marketing possibilities, it’s about the people. Even when the need is small, like for a BSA Eagle Scout project, it’s still important to us.

So, here’s our shout-out to Matt Pellegrini and what he’s doing in his community.

Coller Industries: Tell us about your project. What is the main goal?

Mr. Pellegrini: “The main goal of my project is to help the Enfield High School Drumline, which I am a part of. I have built a large shelf system for the drumline to store drums, cases, stands and harnesses. Right now, in the area where we will be placing the shelf, the drumline has all the drums inside their respective cases on the floor. It is very disorganized, and with the cases laying on the floor it takes up a lot of space. This shelf will keep everything that the drumline needs off the floor and organized.”

Coller Industries: How will the name plate donation help your project?

Mr. Pellegrini: “I am looking to have name plates and metal wall mounts donated to go on the shelf. These name plates will show the drummers where they can store their drums. This donation will help because I have only raised roughly $1,500 through family and friends donating to the project. Any additional donation or discount is appreciated.

“This project is an Eagle Scout project which, if you didn’t know, is the last step in a Boy Scout’s journey through the BSA Scouting program. I am a part of the school’s drumline and know that our music department doesn’t have enough money to buy a shelf along with sending us to several competitions every year. So, I thought this would be the perfect project!

“I am a senior at Enfield High School, and I feel this something I can do for the school along with leaving a little piece of myself behind after I graduate this spring.”

Plastic Name Plates with a UV Color Logo

Your logo will stand out when it is printed in UV color on a plastic name plate. This high-quality printing method recreates your logo with all its colors, photographic images, shades and blending. All names and titles are engraved to show the underlying color of the two-tone plastic. These plastic name plates are also available in a large variety of colors.

Creating Community Understanding

Understanding the community concept teaches that no matter the setting, there are things which must be done to keep it healthy. These insights are supported and managed by people feeling that they belong somewhere. And this comes with accepting each other and the diversity of those around you. This community understanding makes us responsible for those around us. In turn, this community responsibility not only aids those in need, but it assists everyone influenced by any actions in that community.

Donations are one way that makes us more responsible in our community. And, building trust in our community is not only a requirement but also the best way to maintain any community. This is why we, as a company, are always looking to help out in our neighborhood and surrounding areas.

“Thank you again for your donation! The project came out great and your company’s labels added substantially to the final product!” said Matt Pellegrini.

The Truth About Name Tags

The more you know of the truth about name tags, the more you will want to wear them all the time!

the truth about name tags is that even professional and collegiate coaches wear them

From a mural in Texas to the neck of a football coach in Utah, name tags continue to make a mark in the news! And, the truth about name tags is that actors, athletes and plenty of other people wear them daily. And we’re sure you have heard about people (Scott Ginsberg) that choose to make name tags a daily part of their wardrobe. So, we’re here to prove the truth about name tags and why everyone should be wearing them.

Recently, Shannon Palus, a writer at Slate magazine, found herself wishing for name tags in her office. Palus said, “I started at Slate not too long ago, and in my first weeks in the magazine’s New York office, I was faced with a problem that is familiar to anyone who’s ever started a new office job. I was surrounded by dozens of new faces and struggled to connect them to names. Which man with a scruffy beard was the one in charge of podcasts again? Who was the friendly woman at my desk pod offering me some of her snacks? I found myself wishing, as I often do, that everyone was wearing a name tag. In fact, I realized all adults should wear name tags.”

And, here at Coller Industries, we love Palus’ anecdote, “Think of the accessorizing possibilities: Everyone could have a little name tag drawer, right next to underwear and socks. Flowery script for days when you feel fancy, basic Helvetica for no-nonsense impressions… Entire new traditions could spring up around name tags; dare I say it would be a cute move to leave one of your tags at a date’s house?”

The Best Features of Name Tags

From security to identification, the truth about name tags is that people use them for a variety of reasons. And, because of their distinguishing features, name tags are perfect for everyone! By providing everyone at a conference or other event with identification, it reinforces their identities. They will also help with networking activities where attendees may not know everyone yet.

By using name tags at conferences and other events, you become more approachable. And, in turn, this approachability increases your chance of making lasting relationships that will help in life and business. The truth about name tags is that wearing one stretches your personality. It makes you come out of your shell and your comfort zone. And, in turn, it helps others to do the same. Sure, it might be a bit uncomfortable at first, but think about the impact you have on others by immediately disclosing your name.

When you wear a name tag, you become the face of your purpose, and you are representing that to everyone around you. In many ways, this benefits both you and your goal so that the people around you can put a face with a name. We have all heard that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So, tell that story simply and quickly with your smile and a name tag.

Name Tags get the Last Word

And, finally, we again agree with Palus when she said, “The thing is, in the 21st century, we already use name tags for lots of our interactions. Entire meetings’ worth of discussions take place on (work chat systems), where you can always clearly identify the name of whoever is ‘talking.’ Facebook is an endless high school reunion, with name tags. LinkedIn is a networking happy hour, with name tags. Twitter is, at times, like being stuck on a 20-hour flight where everyone is yelling, but at least there are name tags. If we made wearing name tags in the real world a social norm, we might even reduce the friction of in-person interactions—and make it a tad easier to log off.”

Because name tags are permission slips, they encourage engagement. Their primary function is to personalize and humanize each person. Inviting encounters is what they do. And you permit this change to happen every time you put on your name tag. So, grab your name tag and start sharing the truth about name tags at your next office party or friend’s night out!