During the 1950’s Richard Deeble entered the outdoor advertising business while located in California.  Proven a success in the field, Richard Deeble later purchased the Standish Johnson Company from the founding families. The Standish Johnson Company transitioned from the original outdoor advertising entity New England Outdoor, to the Standish Barnes Company, eventually to its current name Standish Johnson Company.  At that time, the Standish Johnson Company encompassed the second largest New England media market with a prominent billboard presence in Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut. In later years, Richard Deeble sold the RI plant to a national company White Co, who later sold to Lamar Advertising Co. Richard Deeble retained the Standish Johnson Company and its Connecticut locations.

In the 1960’s the Standish Johnson Company’s operation was very different than it is today.  Located in an obscure industrial corner in India Point Providence adjacent to the bay, and just South of historic Fox Point; the former ice house building rose up to the sparkling roof top bulletins welcoming Route 195 drivers across the Providence border.  Standish Johnson Company’s building could be compared in size to one of today’s shopping malls.  Contained within the five-story high brick walls were: workshops, offices, studios, and an apartment for out of town guests.  Every space and amenity of the Standish Johnson Company structure was designed to support the busy production and personnel of the high-quality outdoor advertising operation.

The outdoor advertising process has evolved considerably, due to the technological advances during the last thirty years.  Gone are the pantone paints, overhead projectors, wall-sized paper posting charts and numerable ledgers.  Taking advantage of cost-effective services offered by specialized businesses, media is now designed and produced out of house. Large hand-painted panels requiring heavy machinery of the past have made way to printed panels that can be placed into a compact container and transported using today’s standard shipping methods.  Standish Johnson Company now utilizes recyclable media to display choice panels in two Connecticut counties.  Communication by the internet, phone, fax, and smart phone photography with GPS coordination replaces business lunches and costly plane rides of national advertisers.  Today, Standish Johnson Company efficiently produces quality, outdoor advertising; and is still personally managed by a third-generation Deeble. Standish Johnson Company is local in reach, yet easily able to service national accounts.