FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008

Gelberg Signs Wins Children's National Medical Center Contract; Looks to Hire Additional District Residents

Washington, DC - Gelberg Signs today announced the award of a $348,000 contract with Children’s National Medical Center, better known as the D.C. Children’s Hospital, to work on the hospital’s newly opened East Inpatient Tower.

The DC-based sign company, family-owned with a local history dating back to 1941, is an active member of the Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) program within the District, which offers contract bidding opportunities to small, local and disadvantaged businesses. The company employs a large number of D.C. residents, and the award of this project will allow the company to expand even further.

“The CBE program gives us the opportunity to compete for projects that we otherwise wouldn’t have a chance winning,” said Luc Brami, principal of Gelberg Signs, along with his brothers Guy and Neil Brami. “We are honored to have been chosen as a vendor for the Children’s National Medical Center, and we look forward to working on this project.”

Gelberg Signs will be responsible for the Architectural Exterior Graphics Program on the East Inpatient Tower, which officially opened in November 2007. The company will engineer, develop, fabricate and install all signage for the new Tower.

The multi-million dollar East Inpatient Tower has three floors of 140 new private patient rooms with private bathrooms and Internet access in each room, and is designed to enhance family-centered care. The contract officially began June 18 and is estimated to be completed on October 31. The Children’s National Medical Center, which dedicated itself to working with CBEs in completing the project, is located in Northwest Washington on Michigan Avenue.

"Gelberg Signs is an example of how local business owners, their employees, and the communities they serve benefit from the Department of Small and Local Business Development's business certification program, which grants local businesses a preference for procurement and contracting opportunities in the District of Columbia," noted Kimberly R. Smith, Business Development Specialist for the Department of Small and Local Business Development.

The CBE program, facilitated by D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development, was created in 1983 to develop contract and procurement opportunities for District-based businesses. The program was designed to foster economic growth within the District by directing its discretionary spending to participating local businesses. Being part of the CBE program has given local businesses like Gelberg Signs the opportunity to grow and, in turn, support the local economy by creating career opportunities within the District.

About Gelberg Signs:
Gelberg Signs is one of the region’s leading designers and fabricators of commercial signage. Founded in Washington, DC in 1941 by William P. Gelberg, the company was purchased by the Brami family—brothers Guy, Luc and Neil—in 1988, after their father, Georges Brami, spent his career with the Company. From a 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, Gelberg Signs produces an array of exterior and interior signs, canopies, building Identification, menu boards, dimensional lettering and electrical signs for companies including Marriott, ARAMARK, AARP, Sodexho, Rappaport Mgmt. Co., HMS Host, Mattress Discounters and Maaco Enterprises. For more information, visit www.gelbergsigns.com.

Gelberg Signs
6511 Chillum Place NW
Washington, DC 20012
Phone: 202-882-7733
E-Mail: sales (at) gelbergsigns.com
Website URL: www.gelbergsigns.com