​Highway Displays, Inc. was founded in Poughkeepsie, NY by Louis Schwartz in 1921.



In 1949, Louis' eldest son, Jules, began working for the family business. He'd recently served in the United States Army during World War II, and subsequently graduated from Baylor College in Texas. Having been born and raised in Poughkeepsie, Jules took great pride in helping his father run the growing business.



Louis continued to run the company until his death in 1969, at which time Jules took the reins.



By the 1980s, Highway Displays had grown to a respectable size, owning and operating billboards throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley, as well as parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In 1989, Jules' son-in-law, Jeff Hartman, moved his family to Poughkeepsie and joined the thriving company.



Jules continued to oversee his family's business until his death in 1999, at which time his widow, Sandra, took over as President of the company. Jules was tremendously proud to have given fifty years of his life to the family business.



Jules' daughter, Marcy, joined Highway Displays in the Spring of 2000.



At the beginning of 2021, Jeff's son, Evan, took over as General Manager. Evan has been with the company since 2008. At the start of 2024, Michael Schwartz, another grandson of Jules and Sandra, took over as Sales Manager.

 

Today, Highway Displays continues to play a major role in our regional economy, remaining the Mid-Hudson Valley's largest outdoor advertising company.