ISA's 2009 International Sign Expo Surprise And no more “Gothic” skulls, please. By Darek Johnson (05-05-2009) For most of us, ISA’s International Sign Expo 2009 was a nice surprise. The pundits – and I may have been one of them – expected a cheerless show. After all, the economy is in ruins, right? Wrong. For ISA anyway. ISA says its 2009 International Sign Expo was “a resounding success.” Nearly 18,000 people from 92 countries attended; the exhibit hall featured 500 companies and 1,600 exhibit booths. Even better, the attendees brought their checkbooks. And positive attitudes. Every digital print machine manufacturer told me they’d sold more than expected. Obviously, signmakers, a hardy group, have decided the best way out of the present economic quagmire is through work. Maybe it’s because work is an American thing. The 1st Annual Lowen Certified Wrap-Off, with 96 contestants signed up, excelled. First-place winner Dustin Shelley, owner of Atlanta-based...