User:Brightofamerica/sandbox

About
Bright of America is

History
1963: Brothers Bill and John Bright established Bright of America as a producer of notecards for women’s organizations in their hometown of Summersville, West Virginia.

1964 to 1979: The business quickly grew and branched out into other Graphic Arts Manufacturing including laminated placemats, posters, key tags, magnets, plaques, calendars, planners, greeting cards, stationery and more. As the company’s manufacturing capabilities grew so did its product development efforts & creative capabilities. Licensing deals with the Children’s Television Workshop, Disney, Care Bears, Center For Housewares Designs and others along with such programs as Key Finder Service helped fuel Bright’s growth and reputation. The company wisely trademarked and patented many of its product lines along the way. Customer support divisions included Church Graphics, International Sales, Local View, Ad Specialties & Premiums, Greenbrier Studios, Creative American Corporation, Fundraising, QSP Readers Digest, BrightCrest & Flush Closeouts.

1980: Candle production was added to production capabilities in the Summersville plant. Crysto-Glass candles were an instant hit.

1983: Acquired Lincoln House mail order catalog and began the annual Calendar, Placemat Ensembles, Candles and Christmas ornament programs featuring art from noted American artists.

1985: An imported products program was added to diversify the company’s product offering and included Stuffed Animals, Brass, Jewelry, Porcelain, Glass and Wood Products designed by the company and coordinated in ensembles with the in-house manufactured graphics arts products and candles.

1990: The Bright brothers sold the business to Russ Berrie and Company, a large New Jersey based importer and marketer of gift products. At the time the company was sold, it had grown to be “an international fundraising graphics, paper converting and marketing firm with 500 employees and over $20 million in sales exporting to over 40 counties and one of the country’s largest placemat producers.” In the wake of this purchase, Russ Berrie and Company began to utilize this company’s manufacturing facility, located in West Virginia, to manufacture greeting cards and other paper products also ran the Bright of America school fund-raising operation, in which schools purchased gift items for the students to resell in order to earn money for clubs and trips. russ-berrie-logo-180x133

1991 to 2003: Russ Berrie and Company continued the company’s growth through its acquisition of Scentex in 1997 and the creation of the Greenbrier-Scentex and Practice Power brands Practice Power Logo

2004: Russ Berrie and Company sold the company to Industrial Renaissance group of private investors.

2005 to 2009: During this period the company exited the Fund Raising market and expanded the Greenbrier-Scentex brand.

2010: Bright of America sold the Greenbrier-Scentex brand and closed its production plant in Summersville, WV in October, 2010.

2011: Bright of America under new ownership continues the tradition of Great American Design of innovative products produced globally. Many of the company’s original trademarked product lines and products include Practice Power® Bilingual Early Education Products and Bright of America® Custom Printed Promotional products known as “The Brightline” and are still being produced today.