Donald S. "Buck" Freeman, visionary founder of the company that bears his name, discovered his passion for his lifelong trade while still in college at the University of Iowa. As a pledge for a national fraternity, Buck realized his knack for party decorating. His natural ability and early successes led him to establish the New Idea Service Company in 1923. Four years later, in 1927, Buck Freeman opened the first Freeman Decorating Company office in Des Moines, Iowa.

Freeman Milestones:

1927 - Buck Freeman opens the first Freeman Decorating Company office in Des Moines, Iowa.

1941 - Mr. Freeman creates Freeman Contractors Inc. to handle government work during World War II.

1950 - Freeman Decorating Company is invited to build an exhibit at the State Fair of Texas, and opens its first Dallas office - which in 1974 becomes the company's headquarters.

1961 - Freeman adds full-service freight and material handling services by purchasing Sullivan Transfer Company.

1966 - Freeman solicits the design business for the International Petroleum Expo, and adds a custom exhibit design and fabrication division called Freeman Design and Display - later named Freeman Exhibit Company.

1972 - Donald S. Freeman, Jr. is named President of Freeman.

1975 - Freeman purchases AVW Audio Visual Inc., a national full-service audio-visual company. In 2001, AVW merges with Canadian-based TELAV to form AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions.

1997 - Freeman Air, a trade show air freight company, joins the family - and later expands in 1999 to become a full-service global exhibit transportation service.

2000 - Stage Rigging Inc. becomes part of the Freeman family, offering theatrical, exhibit and event rigging.

2002 - Freeman celebrates 75 years in business.

2006 - With offices in 27 cities across North America, Freeman leads by producing world-class events - and by reinventing the industry it helped to create.