Meet Our Team

What is your favorite thing about your role at FASTSIGNS?
I enjoy working in a team environment and seeing projects exceed customer expectations to present their signage needs.

How long have you been in the sign/printing industry?
I have been working in the sign industry for 10 years

What do you like to do outside of work? What are your hobbies?
I enjoy spending time with my family and getting outdoors

What is your favorite thing about your role at FASTSIGNS?

One of the reasons I truly enjoy working here at FASTSIGNS is the endless opportunity to help our customers find solutions for their project needs. It is exciting for me to watch a project unfold in its beginning stages and then follow it through as it blossoms into a result. The ultimate reward is seeing how grateful and appreciative our
customers are with their final products, and the combined satisfaction of the result and
process of working with our team.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on?
The most memorable project I have had was probably the one that taught me the most.
While it was frustrating for me not to be confident with this particular project, it pushed
me to learn and go outside of my comfort zone. Before this order, I had never dealt
with sign permitting with cities, city restrictions, and the process that goes into fabricating a backlit Channel letter system. There were many elements to this project that showed me how very important it is pay close attention to details, to re-check and then check it over again. Overall a stressful project but in the end it was my largest order sold, and the customers were beyond pleased. So much in fact they are coming back for another location!

What do you like to do outside of work? What are your hobbies?
Out side of work during the months that Minnesota permits me, I live for gardening. Of
course, I love my husband, 3 kids, and 3 fur babies, but this is just for me. Therapeutic to myself while also providing an environment for our much-needed pollinators and other critters.

Chris Grandell (with his wife Caitlin) purchased FASTSIGNS of Blaine, MN from his parents in November 2021 after being involved in the center part time while finishing high school and then full time while attending college at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul and starting a family.

Chris' favorite thing about owning FASTSIGNS is the variety of projects that we see and helping our customers make a difference in their businesses. He says he gets great joy in helping people solve communications challenges and helping them feel like the hero.

When he isn't working, Chris enjoys spending time with his family (wife Caitlin, sons Kenny, Matthew and Chandler, and daughter Elsie) camping in the RV, on the water or playing board games and watching movies. He also enjoys video games with friends, the occasional game of ice hockey and racing online on iRacing.

Ken and Char Grandell opened FASTSIGNS of Blaine in 1998 after Ken worked in a related business since being a teenager. Char was a Dental Assistant and continued assisting part time in Oral Surgery ever after founding the family's sign franchise.

After selling the business in November 2021, they have been able to enjoy time away from work traveling and riding their side by side ATV. Ken and Char continue to help in the center when needed, especially with making deliveries. Ken doesn't want to be retired. In 2022, Ken and Char are celebrating 50 years of marriage!