Newman hopes growth a sign of things to come
Jonathan Knutson
The Forum - 10/23/1999

Harold Newman knows his way around North Dakota. His company, Newman Signs, has put up many of the road signs and billboards in the state.

"I've traveled most stretches of road in the state at one time or another," he said.

Now this Jamestown, N.D., businessman with so much personal knowledge of the state is receiving one of its highest honors: The 1999 Greater North Dakotan Award, which is presented by the Greater North Dakota Association, the state chamber of commerce.

The award honors Newman for his business success and community involvement. Among other things, he played a crucial role in completing the world's largest buffalo statue on Jamestown's south side.

Newman will receive the GNDA award Wednesday at the Holiday Inn of Fargo during the association's annual business conference.

Newman runs one of the state's most successful - and visible - companies. The Jamestown-based firm, which employs 150 people at eight locations across the United States, including 110 in North Dakota, makes road signs and billboards and sells them nationwide. Road signs account for about two-thirds of the firm's annual sales of $13 million.

Newman Signs, now one of the nation's 10 largest sign companies, had modest beginnings.

Newman, a native of Mayville, N.D., and graduate of Moorhead State University, started painting signs in his mother-in-law's garage to pay for college tuition.

In 1956 he moved to Jamestown, a convenient central location in the state, and launched Newman Signs. The company, concentrating on billboards, grew slowly in the late 1950s and 1960s. It had only eight employees in 1972.

But that was a watershed year for the company. It landed a big contract to supply signs to the Minnesota State Highway Department, and that opened the door to secure other traffic sign sales.

Development of the interstate highway system had created plenty of demand for roadway signs, and Newman Signs was happy to oblige.

The diversification into roadway signs was needed. In 1965 the federal Highway Beautification Act placed restrictions on highway billboards, temporarily crippling the billboard industry.

"We knew we couldn't rely on billboards like we had been," Newman said.

Despite the short-term problems caused by the beautification act, Newsman said, the act helped strengthen and improve the billboard industry.

Newman Signs has grown in part by acquiring other sign and billboard companies - nearly three dozen since 1972.

But good salesmanship has always been the key to the success of Newman Signs.

"It's easy to make things. But they're no good until they're sold," he said.

Newman and his company also have shown a shrewd grasp of public relations.

When Newman Signs began operating in Roswell, N.M., for example, it put up a billboard there honoring Nancy Lopez.

The professional golfing star is a Roswell native and local legend.

Newman is a big sports fan and particularly enjoys baseball and golf.

He and his family donated $1.5 million to Newman Outdoor Field at North Dakota State University. The stadium is shared by NDSU, the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and other area baseball teams.

Newman delights in the success of Jamestown native Darin Erstad, who plays major league baseball for the Anaheim Angels.

"Darin is a fine player and a really good person. We're all so proud of him, he said.

In golf, Newman carries a 13 handicap and seems to know personally just about every prominent golfer in North Dakota and western Minnesota.

Has Newman, 66, throttled back a bit at work to make more time for other interests?

"Well, my life isn't as regimented as it used to be. I'm still active in the business, but I've surrounded myself with good people and I let them do their jobs," he said.

Newman and his wife, Mary, have five children, two of whom are active in Newman Signs. He said it will remain a family business.

Newman said he never anticipated Newman Signs becoming so big or successful.

"Some people say they set certain goals at the beginning and always knew they were going to reach (those goals)," he said. "But I'm not so sure it works like that. Conditions change and you have to change, too."

Newman said other business people can succeed in North Dakota, too.

"It's a great place to start a business. But you've got to do your homework and you've got to realize it's not a 9 to 5 project," he said.

"If you commit yourself, though, you can do it."