HOTELSIGNS.com wouldn’t be what it is without the hard work and dedication of its many Sign Artisans. One of these indispensable employees is Jon Wooldridge, a V.P. of National Accounts that boasts years of signage industry experience.

His focus on details and getting customers and clients everything that they need is part of why we’re glad to have him as part of the HOTELSIGNS.com team!

Meet Jon Wooldridge

  • Q: Where are you originally from? And where do you live now? 
  • Jon: I’m originally from Fort Worth, TX, and I grew up in the D/FW Metroplex. I moved to Chattanooga in 1998 and my wife and I have property in a little town called Soddy-Daisy. I call it “The Other Twin Cities.”
  • Q: How long have you been in the sign industry? And/or with HOTELSIGNS.com? 
  • Jon: I’ve worked for 35 years in the industry, and the last 26 years have been with HOTELSIGNS.com
  • Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your job? 
  • Jon: The best part of my job is seeing a project go from an initial design inspiration to an integral part of of the guest’s experience.
  • Q: What’s something you’ve learned since being in the industry? 
  • Jon: I was surprised by how regulation driven the industry has become. It’s not just the ADA, but also a myriad of state and local regulations. Fortunately, we stay on top of those for our customers.
  • Q: What’s one thing hospitality professionals don’t often know about signs? 
  • Jon: Most people don’t realize that signs are, in large part, still handmade per each order. There’s not a Sign-O-Matic 2000 that spits these things out! They are carefully crafted by highly skilled artisans.
  • Q: If you could turn one of your skills into a superpower, which would it be and why? 
  • Jon: One of my best skills is problem solving: whether it’s balancing design vs. what’s permitted by code, or scheduling installations to coincide with openings, I’ve had to learn how to navigate some pretty demanding situations involving multiple people (owners, designers, contractors, inspectors, …) with different agendas. I feel by now, I can pretty much save the world.
  • Q: Imagine you had unlimited money and could go anywhere for a week: where would you go and why? 
  • Jon: I’d like to tour Western Europe and experience the culture, history, and beer.
  • Q: If you could invent a new sign line, what would it be? 
  • Jon: I’d create QR coded wayfinding signs that give out audio directions, special events happening at the property, the local forecast, and other marketing opportunities for the hotel.
  • Q: Trade shows are back! Why should [hoteliers] consider attending? 
  • Jon: When it comes to trade shows, nothing beats getting out and actually being together with peers and customers. As humans, we are stridently social creatures so there’s an innate need to connect in person. It was so good attending my first conference post Covid. You cannot get a firm hand shake or a warm hug over video conferencing. 
  • Q: Outside of helping clients get the best signs ever, what do you enjoy doing? 
  • Jon: Outside of my job, I love being a dad and leader in our local Boy Scout troop, attending my boys Lacrosse games, and watching football and racing. I also enjoy ripping around our beautiful mountains and hills in my sports car and on my motorcycle.
  • Q: What is your favorite restaurant in the world? And what’s your go-to travel meal? 
  • Jon: My favorite food is a toss up between Pappas Bros. Steak House in Dallas and Abuelos Mexican cuisine.
  • Q: What travel accessory can you not do without? 
  • Jon: I absolutely need my tablet for reading while on planes. Best time to tune out and get into a good book.
  • Q: What was your best inflight experience? 
  • Jon: My best flight ever was on a last minute upgrade to first-class as I was stuck in a middle seat in Coach on a long late night flight. It was like the heavens parted and the angles were singing.
  • Q: Favorite travel destination? 
  • Jon: I love to head back home to D/FW to be with family and friends.
  • Q: Favorite tv show or movie? 
  • Jon: I’m not a big watcher of shows, and I mainly just tune in to sporting events. I used to watch Seinfeld, Big Bang Theory, and SNL, however.

Many thanks again to Jon for allowing us the opportunity to get inside his head and learn more about his integral role with HOTELSIGNS.com. If you need help on a signage project and want to contact Jon or one of our other sales representatives, check out our Contact Us page. 

Interested in working with awesome sign artisans like Jon, Sandy, Dyta, and our ever-growing sign army? (Well, of course you are!) Apply for one of the open positions at our parent company!