Founder & CEO — Office Sign Company
Ryan Fritz
Fargo, North Dakota · 18 Years at the Helm
Entrepreneur · Builder · Artist · Community Leader
"Act the way you believe, or you will begin to believe in the way you act."
The origin story
It started in a basement. No venture capital, no playbook, no safety net — just Ryan Fritz, an idea, and a stubbornness to build something genuinely useful. That basement in Fargo, North Dakota is where Office Sign Company was born, and where the company's values were forged: do the work, serve people well, and never cut corners.
What makes OSC different isn't just the products — it's the ownership. Ryan has been the founder and CEO for 18 years straight. The company hasn't been sold. It hasn't changed hands. It hasn't been rebranded by private equity or copied from a competitor's playbook. Everything you see at Office Sign Company is original — built by the same person who started it, still at the helm today.
What drives him
A builder, through and through
Ryan doesn't separate who he is from what he builds. The same instinct that pushed him to start a company in his basement — curiosity, craft, and originality — is the same one that drives him to pick up a paintbrush after hours.
He leads OSC with a hands-on style: close to the team, close to the product, close to the customer. After 18 years, he still shows up like it's year one.
Leadership philosophy
Built from scratch
No shortcuts, no acquisitions. OSC was built brick by brick from a basement operation into a nationally recognized brand.
Serve others first
Ryan's personal mantra isn't a tagline. It shapes how OSC operates — from how the team treats customers to how Ryan leads internally.
Stay in the work
After 18 years, Ryan is still hands-on across operations, people, and product. He's never been the CEO who disappears behind a title.
Recognition & awards
North Dakota Governor's Award — 2019
Presented by the Governor of North Dakota, this state-level recognition honored Office Sign Company and Ryan Fritz for outstanding contributions to workforce development — a reflection of the culture Ryan has built since day one.
AAF Silver Medal Award — American Advertising Awards
The AAF Silver Medal is the advertising industry's equivalent of a lifetime achievement award, established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising. Ryan received this honor from FM AdFed — one of the highest individual recognitions in the regional advertising community — presented on stage at the American Advertising Awards.
Rooted in Fargo. Invested in people.
Ryan and Office Sign Company have been active community contributors since day one — giving back to the organizations that make Fargo-Moorhead a place worth building in.
Foundation
Faith first, everything else follows
Ryan is a lifelong believer in Jesus Christ, and he'll be the first to tell you that any success he's achieved — in business, in art, in community — isn't something he takes personal credit for. His faith isn't a footnote. It's the foundation.
It's what drives the "serve others first" mentality at OSC. It's why he shows up for his community the way he does. And it's the quiet constant behind 18 years of building something real.
The art of Ryan M. Fritz
Fargo, ND abstract painter — large-scale originals, commissions open
Outside of building one of the most recognizable names in office signage, Ryan is a working abstract artist. His paintings — bold, large-scale, and completely original — are collected by individuals and businesses across the region. The same instinct that drives his business shows up on every canvas: never copy, never settle, always create something worth looking at.
"We started in a basement. We've never been sold. We don't copy — we create. And after 18 years, we're just getting started."
— Ryan Fritz, Founder & CEO, Office Sign Company