was founded in 1937 by Mr. P. Ray Swank and his wife, Lucille Swank, and began operations in St. Louis as a “portable projection service,” predating technology such as color television, FM radio, 8-tracks and audio tape.
The Company’s projection service initially consisted of providing short entertainment films and slides, the motion picture projector, sound system and lantern slide projector. These services, along with the equipment operators, were provided at locations requested by customers, where they were conducting meetings. These local organizations, civic groups, schools and churches relied on Swank to “set up and run the show” for their entertainment.
As audio visual technologies and needs progressed and became more complicated, so did the need for new tools to provide education and communicate information, particularly to another growing industry: the business of conducting meetings and conventions by professional associations, trade and manufacturing organizations in hotels and meeting sites across the country. Swank formed what we believe to be the first formal hotel audio visual partnership of its kind in 1952, entering into an agreement to be the exclusive service provider for the Jefferson Hotel in St. Louis.
With St. Louis at the country’s geographical crossroads and an ideal convention location, Swank’s “portable projection service” benefited from its close professional association with hotels and civic facilities hosting these meetings. As a result, Swank rapidly developed a national reputation among business and industry leaders for quality service and reliable equipment.
Over the years Swank has successfully grown our business, never deviating from our core values of customer service excellence, team member support and career growth. Importantly, 100% of our growth has been organically created; in other words, we have never made an acquisition during our long history. This provides a unique benefit to our hotel partners and their customers, because Swank’s 50-person senior leadership team grew up together and has an average tenure with the Company of 12.1 years. Each of these individuals was hand-picked for their leadership position by the Company’s current Executive Team as a result of their success with Swank and ability to clearly articulate and live by our cultural values. This in turn creates an unmatched consistency of operation, passion for excellence, and ability to honor every commitment made to our hotel partners and their customers.
Please click here to view a brief video about our company's history.
