Our Staff
Raymond P. Dion
Senior Account Executive
As President of Dion Signs, Ray oversaw the operations since establishing Dion Signs with his brothers over three decades ago. He has over 50 years of experience in all aspects of the sign industry including fabrication, service and installation. As president, his top priorities were quality and customer satisfaction. He also holds a crane operators and sign contractors electrical license.
Ray joined Poyant in 2019, bringing a wealth of knowledge and dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Northeast States Sign Association (NSSA) and sits on the Executive Board for the Rhode Island Sign Contractors Association (RISCA). Ray lives in North Smithfield RI with his wife Jeanne. He enjoys sharing his passion for country living and gardening with his grandchildren.
Words to Live By: “In the end it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
rdion@poyantsigns.com | c 401.742.3356
Jeffrey T. Carter
Senior Account Executive
Jeff was responsible for project management at Dion Signs since 2003. He has more than 35 years of experience in all areas of the sign industry. He joined Poyant in 2019 from Dion Signs, Inc. where he worked as a Sales Consultant and Project Manager for 16 years. Jeff supports the “Building Your Brand” experience by implementing innovative solutions and staying current with the emerging trends in the sign industry. He is responsible for growing our business in the Rhode Island market and surrounding areas.
Jeff is a certified service partners with Watchfire Signs and holds the following licenses – RI Crane Operator, RI Electrical Sign Installer, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and RI Certified Technician OSHA. Jeff lives in Rhode Island with his wife Susuan. He enjoys golf, New England sports, cars and good food.
Words to Live By: “Success if how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”
jcarter@poyantsigns.com | c 401.374.4255
Richard J. Dion
Production Lead
As former Vice President and Treasurer of Dion Signs, Rich has over 45 years of experience in the sign industry specializing in project planning, installation, and fleet management. With his diverse advertising experience and organizational skills, he is able to ensure your project will be completed in the most efficient and timely way. He also holds a crane operators and sign contractors electrical license.
Now, as a member of the Dion/Poyant Production Team, Richard brings his advertising experience, organizational skills, and invaluable fabrication experience to the combined staff.
Christopher Ramm
Project Manager
Chris joined Poyant in 2019 in the role of Permit Expeditor & Repair and Maintenance Project Manager. His focus in this new role is to build strong working relationships with Zoning, Planning, and Building officials to more effectively meet the needs of regulators and customers throughout New England. In addition, Chris also supports the Lead Project Manager for Poyant’s Repair and Maintenance department.
Chris has been involved in the sign industry for 30 years, taking part in almost every aspect of the industry from Design to Fabrication. He began as a fabricator for Gannon Sign in Warwick RI, worked as a Designer for Benson Signs, and even owned his own sign company for several years. Outside of the sign industry, he was Regional Account Manager for the global paint company, Akzo Nobel. In his most recent position, Chris was an Account Manager for Dion Signs, working with businesses to design, fabricate and install their sign packages. Chris enjoys spending time with his family, boating, and fishing.
cramm@poyantsigns.com | c 774.762.3413
Sarah Thearle
Lead Designer
Sarah joined our company in 2005 and is now an award winning senior designer within our fast paced and exciting in-house design group. Sarah’s education, including her Bachelor of Fine Arts and minor in Literature at the Rochester Institute of Technology, as well as her 10+ years of experience, have given her a strong understanding of environmental, branding and marketing design. She is always continuing to learn and is a member of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design.
Sarah began her career in a small sign shop where she was not only the designer but also produced and installed each sign, giving her an intimate knowledge of each process. Her experience at Poyant has only expanded that knowledge on a much grander scale. She is capable of creating sign schedules, message schedules and location plans for large projects that include interior and exterior planning. This organization and preplanning helps not only in the design process but also at the fabrication and installation stage, making sure our team builds beautiful signs that inform and delight.
With Sarah’s background and her attention to detail she is an asset to Poyant with her creation and upkeep of our fabrication design library. Her dedication to design, function and craftsmanship benefits not only Poyant but our customers too. Sarah works closely with the custom fabrication department to ensure that plans and details are practical to execute. The result has been a better understanding of the fabrication process and how we can stick to budgets while still creating signage masterpieces for the whole design team.
“Be curious, not judgmental.” -Walt Whitman
“Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.” -Paul Rand
sthearle@poyantsigns.com | t 508.207.1285
Jeanne Surprenant
Project Manager
Jeanne joined Poyant in September of 2018 as Project Manager. In her role, she currently supports the Account Executive for Bristol and Plymouth Counties, Cape Cod and Rhode Island, handling multiple accounts, including BayCoast Bank and Southcoast Health. She enjoys the challenge of learning to complete the project on time, on budget and with high quality results. Jeanne uses her previous experience outside the industry to help her assess situations quickly and minimize project threats. During her time at Poyant, she has attended the 2018 NSSA Sign Expo and has completed training with the International Sign Association in Digital Signage, Project Management, and Sign Design.
Before joining Poyant, Jeanne taught in both Texas and Massachusetts for 15 years. Jeanne also worked as a Customer Service Representative at Davico Manufacturing and Metropolitan Press. Through this experience, Jeanne understands how to work effectively as part of a team, how to show initiative, and how to prioritize tasks with ever-changing demands.
Outside of work, Jeanne likes to spend time with her family, which includes 19 nieces and nephews. She is a bit of a foodie and enjoys both cooking and working on her photography. She lives in New Bedford with Henry, her mischievous but adorable cat.
jsurprenant@poyantsigns.com | t 508.995.1777 x121 | c 774.328.6156
Kristen Pelchat
Repair & Maintenance Project Manager Lead
Kristen joined Poyant in February of 2014 in the position of Repair and Maintenance Coordinator. Due to her commitment to ensuring the success of the Service Department and happiness of our service customers, Kristen was promoted to Repair and Maintenance Project Manager Lead. In this role, she oversees the workplace of the Repair and Maintenance Department; serving local, regional and national accounts. She is also responsible for managing and growing the repair and maintenance business of the company and ensures that the department provides the highest level of customer service with exceptional client communication. Kristen also leads our internal Service Ambassador Program to help increase service.
Prior to joining Poyant, Kristen worked at Verizon as a Directory Assistance Operator. She was the President of a non-profit organization called “MOMS Club of Fairhaven” providing services and activities for approximately 90 families. She organized community service projects and fundraising projects to benefit people in need. She conducted several clothing, food and school supply drives to benefit schools, food pantries and homeless shelters. She currently enjoys volunteering in her free time.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, camping and volunteering in her children’s activities.
Words to live by: “If the Lord brings you to it. He will bring you through it.”
kpelchat@poyantsigns.com | d 508.207.1270 | t 800.544.0961 x132 | c 774.488.6133
