Chief Manufacturing started in 1978 in the basement of Bob Brantly’s home in Burnsville, Minnesota, making innovative stand solutions for slide projectors. Chief quickly moved from that basement operation and by the mid-1980s was making a wide range of communication support solutions for commercial AV dealers. Chief made its initial mark on the AV industry by producing the original independent roll, pitch and yaw adjustments for projector mounts. Chief continued to focus on commercial and high-end home theater applications of display technologies; importantly introducing a line of custom plasma TV wall mounts in the late 1990s which marked a new era of growth for the company.
Meanwhile, just across Minneapolis in Little Canada, Minnesota, Jim Wohlford started Sanus Systems in 1986, making the first audiophile-grade speaker stands for AV enthusiasts. Over the next 15 years, Sanus grew into a leader in AV furniture and speaker stands for the residential market. In 2002, Sanus introduced the first universal wall-mount for flat panel televisions, ushering in an era of significant growth and business expansion in the consumer electronics market.
Chief and Sanus Systems merged in 2004, uniting the leaders in both commercial and consumer AV mounting solutions. Since 2004, the combined business has expanded its global presence, with offices in The Netherlands, Southern China, and Hong Kong.
Following the merger, the combined global business became known as Milestone AV Technologies, with the broadest portfolio of mounting solutions in the industry for display and entertainment systems under a host of strong brands: Chief®, Sanus Systems®, Vuepoint™, and iC®.
In May 2008, Milestone became a wholly owned company of the Duchossois Group. The Duchossois Group is a privately-held diversified company headquartered in Elmhurst, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, with interests in access control solutions; advanced control and automation systems; lighting; venture capital; and gaming.
Throughout our history, through growth, mergers, and global expansion, one thing remains very constant for Milestone: We are absolutely committed to living up to our Purpose, while ensuring our customers’ needs are inline with our Core Values.
Our Purpose:
To provide unmatched attention to our customers’ known and anticipated needs through:
- Product Innovation
- Superior Customer Service
- Creative Solutions to Unique Customer Challenges
Our Core Values:
- Integrity: Honesty, straightforwardness, and personal respect for employees, customers, and suppliers
- Customer Responsiveness: Simply be the easiest partner to deal with for our customers
- Innovation: In products, customer service, and in our internal processes
- Passionate Contribution & Empowerment: Recognizing that everyone's contribution makes a difference
- Continuous Improvement: As a habit, not an initiative -- always focused on improving quality
