Our Milestones
From a small local business to a modern, global leader.
Founded in 1951, Blair has grown from a small Altoona business to a global provider of brand image elements spanning across the Americas and beyond with a trusted international network of partners and a reputation for quality. Below are the milestones that made this incredible transformation possible.
Blair Image Elements is a division of Blair Companies.
- 1951
- 1959
- 1964
- 1968
- 1970
- 1972
- 1979
- 1980
- 1983
- 1989
- 1992
- 1998
- 2003
- 2006
- 2007
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2019
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1951 – Mike Devorris
1951 – Mike Devorris, PSU electrical engineer, buys 50% of a small electric company in Altoona, PA.
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1959 – Don Devorris
Mike’s son Don returns to Altoona and together with his father they acquire full ownership of Blair Electric Service.
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1964 – Steve Pelegrine starts Pellegrine Sign Co.
Pellegrine SignsSteve Pellegrine starts Pellegrine Signs in his garage and builds signs for the first Sheetz stores.
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1968 – Blair Electric Expands
Don expands Blair Electric’s offer with the acquisition of a small electrical service and sign company.
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1970 – Blair Sign Founded
Don and Steve begin working together and form Blair Sign Company.
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1972 – First UL Neon Letter Sign Listing
Blair Sign develops the first UL Neon Letter Sign Listing, creating a system used across malls nationwide. Blair Sign becomes the largest neon bender in the US.
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1979 – Blair Design and Construction
Blair Design and Construction founding which later becomes Blair Facility Maintenance.
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1980 – Entering the Wholesale Market
Blair Sign increases channel letter production and begins to sell wholesale.
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1983 – Blair Fixtures Founded
Blair Fixtures is founded, providing wood signs and cash-wraps.
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1989 – Andrea Devorris Cohen
Andrea Devorris Cohen, Don’s daughter, returns to Altoona to lead Blair marketing efforts and eventually takes over the Real Estate area.
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1992 – Phil Devorris
Phil Devorris, Don’s son, returns to Altoona and begins working full time for Blair Sign.
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1998 – A New Location
Blair Sign relocates operations to its current Altoona location, eventually becoming its corporate headquarters.
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2003 – The First EPCU
Blair Sign develops and installs its first EPCU (Electronic Price Changing Unit) for BP. This marks Blair Sign’s entry into electronics, eventually leading to the creation of new and innovative solutions such as LightBar.
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2006 – Blair Companies Formed
Blair Sign, Fixtures and Lighting combine to form Blair Companies, emphasizing Blair’s commitment to managing all Image Group business together.
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2007 – Global Signware Alliance
Blair Companies, along with German-based Pro Licht and Albert Smith from Australia, form Global Signware Alliance (GSA). This global initiative has allowed Blair Companies and partners to offer turnkey sign programs across 105 countries.
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2009 – Blair Architectural Imaging
Blair Companies acquires the architectural imaging assets from Image Point, creating Blair Architectural Imaging, and establishing our Knoxville office.
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2010 – Blair Asia
Blair Asia is formed to manage Asian sourcing from more than 40 companies, allowing for greater manufacturing prowess without sacrificing quality.
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2011 – LightBar Launches
LightBar is designed and launched, providing safe and reliable gas canopy accent lighting.
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2019 – Rebranding
Blair refreshes their brand, launching a new name, logo and website.