About Us
Are you sending the right message?
Ask yourself if your sign properly reflects your brand. Does your sign enhance the image that you’ve worked so hard to create or is it dragging your image down? We consult with you, learn about your unique business and your unique customer to create powerful and enduring images from your interior and exterior signage.
ROI or RO-I’m not really sure: Signs are often significant business expenditures and a well-executed signage campaign can pay for itself very quickly. Your sign will deliver a powerful and lasting impression on your customer. And you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Our mission: Deliver sign and graphic products that help our customers get the attention they deserve in a precise and affordable manner.
Des Laffan – Owner/President
Des Laffan founded Carolina Custom Signs & Graphics to continue promoting the idea that the customer is only best served when they are delivered products and services that help them meet their objectives. Nothing less. And at a fair price.
In 1988, Des co-founded a Greensboro, NC based printing company focused entirely on the Pharmaceutical industry – providing its customers with printed packaging, pressure-sensitive labels, folding cartons and printed literature. The business, Pharmalabel, quickly began thriving in this heavily-regulated and highly competitive market. When it was sold in 1999, Des stayed on as General Manager and later took over as Vice President of Sales.
Over the years, this small Greensboro start-up grew to employ over 150 people under his leadership.
After 26 years in the printed packaging world, Des was drawn back to his roots and was eager to start a new area business. His grasp of digital print and workflow, coupled with his production management experience made for an easy choice to enter the sign and graphics arena.
A graduate of Villanova University School of Business, Des moved to Greensboro in 1987 and now lives in Summerfield, NC. His wife Eileen, is a Registered Nurse at Moses Cone Hospital, working in interventional-radiology. His daughter Meg, is a 2016 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate currently working for the university while pursuing her graduate degree. His younger daughter, Claire, is pursuing a degree in Physics as part of the graduating class of 2021 at Yale University.
Contact Des directly at (336) 617-4053.
Jim Duffy – Senior Sales Consultant
Jim began his career at his parent’s print shop, Westgate Printing, in Zephyrhills FL. As is the case in most family businesses, he wore many hats including design, press operator and sales. Jim graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of South Florida and soon joined up with a sign company in Tallahassee, FL.
Jim and his family moved to Greensboro in 1996 where he immediately embarked on what would become an 18 year career with the American Sign Shop in which he worked in various capacities until becoming manager in 2002. Jim won several awards during that time, including three Top Design Awards for the American Sign Shop franchise in 1999, 2000 and 2001. During his 13 year management tenure, the American Sign Shop experienced explosive 400% growth and Jim soon began his own customer following.
Following a brief stint in advertising, Jim was compelled to return to his true passion and joined forces with the new team at Carolina Custom Signs & Graphics. While his primary focus is on business development, Jim brings his extensive graphic design, print and sign engineering experience to every client interaction. A huge benefit to his customers. The company also leverages Jim’s experience in many of their larger client relationships and projects.
A problem solver by nature, Jim prides himself on delivering creative sign and graphics solutions to his customers – and always with an overriding understanding that cost containment is paramount.
Jim is married to Lynn, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Their son, Sean, is a Junior at University of North Carolina – Charlotte and is studying Systems Management. Joe, their second son, is a Senior at Northwest Guilford High School. Both of their sons have been active in marching band and scouting, where each has received his Eagle!
