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Editor's note: Richard Howe's very first blog on this site reflected the core values he instilled in all of us. We are pleased to repost this timeless insight. Recently I had the pleasure of making a donation to Toronto Rehab Foundation. It is interesting to trace the relationships that have meshed in order for that donation to happen. The donation was to the Toronto Rehab Foundation for their Stroke Research event: the Rocket Ride 4 Rehab. The Rocket is Howard Rocket, a former stroke...

Our leader, mentor, and founder Richard Foster Howes passed away on December 6th, breaking our hearts. Throughout the grieving, our Presidential team is reflecting on the hundreds of impressions showering us in sympathy cards, condolence emails, Memorial Posts, donations, & flowers. Speaking with friends and colleagues attending the funeral ceremony, it became clear that Richard touched so many lives, with the same sentiments echoing over and over: Everyone was in a state of shock. How is...

It is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge the passing of my boss, my mentor, my friend, Richard Foster Howes (1954 – 2017). Richard lived and breathed this company. He nurtured it for over 25 years and watched it flourish and grow over the past 2 decades. This is his legacy, this company that he built along with many top level associates and artisans. Richard was able to walk into a space and visualize a design. His creativity was inspirational. He loved reading and learning and that...

Editor's note: As we've just launched our sister website Awards by Presidential, it seemed like a good time to revisit an awards post from a couple years ago. Some manufacturers think that a custom award means slapping a name and logo on a catalogue piece. Although catalogue pieces are often designed to be customized that is not what we consider a “custom award”, as we have been designing them for over two decades. Instead, we take the ideas and intensions from our clients and transform...

If your organization has been around more than a couple decades, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you will have signs, plaques & displays in a variety of styles. Design changes with the times, and most times, organizations just move on. They’ll update logos, colours, fonts, etc. – but never go back to change what was done 20 or 50 years ago. That’s not always a bad thing – you want to ensure that heritage and change are both reflected. But drastic shifts in style can be discordant...

Often, organizations are so focused on recognizing giving and philanthropy, that they are slow in recognizing internal teams and individuals. These employees, volunteers, staff & leaders have helped advance the cause, and have given of themselves – time, energy and effort. Yes, employee of the month awards are common – and that’s part of the problem. They are routine, and the recognition is fleeting. Annual awards begin to shift in the right direction, especially when an individual...