Meet Our Team

Ashley's favorite thing about working for FASTSIGNS, aside from our team, is helping people! She really enjoys helping customers find solutions for their visual needs. Everything from interacting with the customers and other vendors, to the research, and finding solutions, to bumps in the road. She says, 'The appreciation that I receive from our customers and team members is very gratifying."

For her position here, Ashley feels that her 20 plus years in customer service has prepared her to handle various situations with customers. The ability to communicate and engage with customers is very important for everyone involved in the project or inquiry. She enjoys letting our customers know that they are heard and making sure they know we will work to find a favorable outcome for all involved.

Ashley's hobbies outside of work include gardening, crafting, and being outdoors. She enjoys entertaining, planning gatherings and being around people. "I must stay busy!"

Tony's favorite thing about being a production lead is getting orders finished up and shipped out knowing that the customer counts on us in order for them to be successful with their visual communications. There is nothing more satisfying than looking back at your day and seeing that you’ve shipped out over 20 different orders. Tony started at FASTSIGNS in February 2020 with next to no experience with producing signs. He started in customer service, but has since learned so much about substrates and production techniques that he has moved to a more production oriented role. He says "The team around me has allowed me to try just about everything, to make mistakes, and to learn from those mistakes and now I’m the one teaching our newer employees."

Tony has an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in communication art and design, along with many years of customer service experience and 11 years of military experience that have all helped to prepare him for his success at FASTSIGNS.

In his free time, Tony is an avid outdoors-man and enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and birdwatching. He also enjoys spending time with his fiancé and her 3 children, and has a 3 year old daughter of his own that keeps him on his toes. He also enjoy watching sports

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!