I am a third generation sign guy. It all started with my grandfather's company, Nelson Neon in Richmond CA in 1948. My father, Bill Moore, joined the business in 1953, the year I was born. My earliest memories are of the sign shop, where I started by pushing broom at a very early age. By the time I was 12 years old I was wiring ballasts and assembling sign components.After graduating high school in 1971, I enrolled in the Architecture & Planning at the University of Oregon. Having completed two years of full curriculum, I left school in order to get my state residency by working as a carpenter building barns throughout the state. I returned to school in 1975 when, after an arduous application process, I was granted an Independent Study Program in Land Use Planning from the Honors College.Graduating from the U of O in 1976, I took a job with Hood River County under a grant from the State's Land Conservation and Development Commission. I was the Community Involvement Director and cartographer. However, coming from a small business upbringing, I learned that I was not cut out for the slow pace of the public sector.In August 1977 I was lured back to California to assist my father with his newly formed sign company, Bill Moore & Associates Graphics, Inc. in Albany. His concept was to serve clients as a sign design/build firm. At that time, it was just my father and me. I did all the drafting and design work for local and national accounts like Wherehouse Records, Smith's Clothiers, Lyon's Restaurants, Music Plus, and Pier 39. While all but Pier 39 are now defunct, our reputation for quality and innovation lead to other opportunities the have expanded over the years.Today, we have 10 full and part time employees that provide sign design and manufacturing services for our clients, helping to roll out the identity packages for their growing enterprises throughout the country. After 44 years, I still enjoy what it is that I do, and appreciate those that help us get it done.