Vendors celebrate Dallas ISD legacy
Sergio Godinez has been part of Dallas ISD practically all of his life—his mother graduated from North Dallas High School, he graduated from Skyline High School, four of his children graduated from district schools and one still
attends, and he has been a district vendor since 2005.
“I guess you could say I am part of the legacy of Dallas ISD,” said Godinez, owner of Versa Printing, which was responsible for reproducing the print and electronic decorations for the recent State of the District celebration at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.
Godinez is one of the vendors who will be showcasing what his company offers to district departments during the Small Business Office Awarded Vendor Expo taking place on June 4 at Ellis Davis Field House. Departments can register to attend the expo using this link.
He is not the only vendor who is also a Dallas ISD alum. Participants will be able to meet several former district students who now offer the district goods and services like Versie Logan Merchant of Logan’s Photography.
Logan, a graduate of David W. Carter High School, is in charge of business development for her family’s photography business, which produces class photos, ID badges, yearbooks, senior photos, and provides other services to district schools.
“I feel it’s just an honor to do business with Dallas ISD because it’s the second largest district in Texas,” she said. “To do work in such a large district that you hold dear, knowing that you don’t have to choose us as vendors, we take a lot of pride in that.”
She said working with Dallas ISD is like coming full circle because it was thanks to her teachers and counselors who saw her talents and skills and pushed her in the right direction that she is where she is today.
“They helped me sharpen my skills and directed me to innovation,” Logan Merchant said. “They started doing a news channel with video so it allowed me to be creative. I can see how my past was directed because of Dallas ISD.”
Godinez has seen his business grow substantially in the past 20 years, mostly by building relationships and learning what clients need, he said. For example, he started by printing paper products but soon discovered that schools and departments also had a need for apparel that could be produced in a timely manner. So he invested and expanded into that area.
“That’s how we have grown into different areas,” he said. “It’s a faster turnaround time. We are local; we are in the community. In fact, we encourage corporate clients, schools, and departments to come back and visit us and see what we do in-house.”
Because he has benefitted from his relationship with the district as a student, a parent, and a business owner, Godinez and Versa Printing often give back to the community and Dallas ISD with donations to schools, programs, and organizations. He also encourages—and mentors—other businesses in the community to become vendors with the district because “there’s enough at the table to go around for all of us,” he said.
“Let’s work together; let’s partner so we can offer our clients more services,” Godinez said.
