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The Story of an Emblem
by
Robert E. LeClerg
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Have you ever wondered how the National Safety Management Society came upon its emblem? It's story is not a glamorous account of Madison Avenue ad agency work. But, it is a part of the history of a strong movement that merits preserving while memory remains.
Back in the days seven or so of us were establishing a professional society, the
checking account didn't have much in it. A two hundred dollar expenditure could "break us,"
so we had to be extremely prudent. But we needed an emblem, a logo, a form of identity. Being novices we sought professional advise of the free variety until we could learn what the costs might be!
A high school classmate was in the advertising business, specializing in developing all important corporate images. With breaths held and a firm grip on our meager pocketbook, three of us ventured into the Silver Spring, Maryland, offices. Here memory slips, but the three are thought to have been Chuck Grundmann, Trenton Crow, and myself - each, one of the seven "founders" of NSMS.
Our approach to the specialists was "what if." What if we were to engage them, what would it cost? We spent a couple of hours discussing the importance of a good image - an identifying logo. We saw the jobs the firm had accomplished. We picked their brains! But, the inevitable was realized we could not afford the $275 estimate for their services!
We departed armed with a world of information. We still had a critical need. We also were determined we could do it ourselves. Each of us spent some days thinking about ideas for a logo. Artists we were not, but we struggled to sketch designs. Somewhere in personal archives the many creations probably still reside. How interesting it would be to see them. Another story, maybe.
Trenton Crow and I sifted through the several ideas, weeding out some, improving upon a few. Finally, we cut the list of candidates down to three to five (memory fails again!). Since Chuck Grundmann had not been involved in the preliminary screening, he was the logical one to make the all important decision. His selection? An emblem rhomboidal in shape, consisting of four smaller separate black rhomboids super-imposed with the white letters NSMS (this descriptive language came years later when we decided to incorporate the emblem's description in the by-laws).
A point of personal pride, that "winning" design was mine. My prize? Years of satisfaction seeing the concept that that emblem represented grow into a strong voice for management improvement.
We turned to the L.G. Balfour Company for the ultimate design and creation of a die. Those were exciting weeks waiting with expectation for the first order of badges. Today, those same badges get ordered on a routine basis. Gone is any semblance of anticipation (other than "will they ever get here in time!"). The past gives way to the present as we head into the future. So, now it's known. If you haven't liked our emblem, now you know to whom you can complain!
The future is ahead of us, but it never hurts to reflect on the past-for enjoyment, for guidance, for motivation.
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