Father’s Day is that special time of year where sons and daughters express their heartfelt appreciation to a person in their family who might have taught them to throw a baseball, build a model or… paint a sign. It’s within that vein that we’d like to highlight for this Father’s Day, a dad and his son, who have not only made a profound impact on each other, but on a city and an entire fanbase.
Because of the relationship we’ve built, the Philadelphia Phillies entrusted Cima to take on the monumental task of completely overhauling and refurbishing their iconic Liberty Bell that hung atop Veterans Stadium. However, for the past thirteen years it has sat in a field rusting behind a warehouse. We aligned the right team members with the right skillsets to handle the job and leading the charge was Paul Hlywiak, a craftsman with over 35 years of experience. His masterful touch on the all-important painting portion of the project was impeccable.
One evening during a family dinner Paul mentioned his work refinishing the bell and to his surprise his father, Peter, said he had helped with the original finishing of the bell back in 1982! At that time Peter managed a paint department within a sign company that was responsible for bringing the Phillies’ Liberty Bell to life. He actually introduced Paul to the sign industry and helped him get his first job.
Both Paul and his father have left their mark, and have made a connection. This connection has not only left an imprint between father and a son, but helped bring an iconic symbol to life, and brought a city closer to its team. That’s quite a legacy. That’s quite a bond. A bond that will last a lifetime, and bring a father and son that much closer together this Father’s Day.
