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The number of Bay State Building Specialties employees has grown substantially over the years, from two in 1947 to more than 30 today. Present for this "family" picture (l. to r.) were: Art Vogt, Jerry Pratt, Ken Weir, Carol Fleming, Bob White, Nancy Johnson, Peter Hamill, Robin Moriarty, Bill Kirsch, Mark Campbell, Joe Vardaro, Brian Barry, Ed Giroux, Gil Lentol, Dave McManus, Mike Byrne, Bob Cossaboom, Scott Litsey, Matt Temple, Greg Belcher, Tim Maher, Mark Coughlin, and Sean Mahony. Missing from the photo are Peter Hamill, Sr., Marie Ponder, Judy Cossaboom, Chris Leoncello and Pat Cavanaugh
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About Bay State Building Specialties Inc.
Bay State Building Specialties, Inc., provides and installs a wide variety of quality building specialty items for the retail, commercial and institutional markets in New England.
Founded by Preston Maxwell and G.J. Healy in 1947 as Bay State Blackboard Company, Inc., the company began and operated from the back two bays of a gas station in Belmont, Massachusetts.
As the name implied, Bay State Blackboard originally specialized in the resurfacing of slate chalkboards. By 1960, however, slate was becoming obsolete as porcelain enamel steel emerged as the principle product used in the construction of chalkboards.
Reflecting the changing market, Bay State Blackboard changed its focus and began constructing and installing framed porcelain enamel steel chalkboards and tackboards.
The company underwent a major change in 1973, when Sean Mahony joined the firm as sales manager and in 1974 purchased the firm from its founders.
Under the leadership of Mr. Mahony, Bay State Blackboard expanded its operation over the next 30 years to include the sale and installation of a number of other building accessories, including projection screens, window treatments, acoustic wall panels, toilet partitions, lockers, wall protection, fire extinguishers and cabinets.
The steady growth of the company—from four employees in 1973 to more than 30 today—has required a commensurate increase in office and warehouse space. This has been accomplished by a series of moves, beginning in 1979, when it moved from its original 600-square foot home in Belmont to a more spacious building in Braintree, Mass.
The company continued to grow and expand and just four years later, in 1983, it moved again, this time to Quincy, Mass. Then, in 1999, Bay State Blackboard moved to the company's current 15,000-square-foot headquarters and warehouse in the Weymouth Industrial Park.
In 2003, the company underwent another major change. Noting that the name "Bay State Blackboard" did not encompass the expanded scope of his business, Mr. Mahony changed the name of his company to Bay State Building Specialties, Inc. to more fully describe the company's expanded operation.
The change in corporate identity, however, is the only thing that has changed. The management and employees of Bay State Building Specialties take pride in the history of their company and are dedicated to providing the high standard of quality products, workmanship, and service for which Bay State Blackboard was so well known.
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