Fastsigns
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Signage and graphic solutions |
| Founded | January 1, 1985 in Austin, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Gary Salomon, Bob Schanbaum |
| Headquarters | Austin , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Australia |
Key people | Catherine Monson (CEO) |
| Parent | Levine Leichtman Capital Partners |
Fastsigns International Inc. (branded as FASTSIGNS) serves as the franchisor for Fastsigns locations that provide tailored signage and graphic solutions.
Operating more than 700 centers globally, Fastsigns maintains a presence in countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Chile, and Australia—where it is known under the name Signwave. The company previously withdrew from markets in Brazil (1996) and Argentina.
Established in 1985 in Austin, Texas by Gary Salomon and Bob Schanbaum, Fastsigns launched its initial franchise in December 1986 and had expanded beyond U.S. borders by 1991. In October 2003, Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm located in Atlanta, acquired the business. Catherine Monson, formerly president of PIP Printing, was appointed CEO in 2009. Later, in July 2014, Fastsigns was purchased by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an investment firm based in Beverly Hills.
The company’s expansion and entrepreneurial approach have been analyzed in academic business case studies such as Managing: A Competency-Based Approach.