Few awards in the sign industry are held in higher esteem than the Maury Ely Distinguished Service Award presented annually by the Illinois Sign Association to that individual who has distinguished him or herself for meaningful and meritorious contributions to both the association and the industry.

Maury Ely is almost singularly credited for developing various programs which propelled the National Electric Sign Association (NESA) to the federal legislative area, promoted a new and broader membership base and made NESA responsive to numerous member demands for greater education and information.

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Upon his retirement for NESA, Maury accepted the less demanding but equally important role of furthering the development of the state sign association of Illinois, serving as its first professional Executive Director.  His success is evidenced today by the continuing growth and activism of ISA.

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It is only fitting that Maury Ely’s legacy to the sign industry is one that encourages and then rewards foresightedness, determination and achievement.