Lipscomb, Larry

 

Company: Pioneer Outdoor

Market: Springfield Missouri.

Address: 520 S. Union Ave, Springfield, MO  65802

Pioneer Outdoor is a family owned company which operates a plant of 80 static faces and 34 digital faces around Springfield Missouri.  The company was formed in 2011 by Larry Lipscomb who has nearly 40 years of outdoor advertising experience.  Pioneer is a member of the OAAA and an operator associate of the IBOUSA.  Insider talked with Libscomb this week.

Larry, your family has quite a history in the outdoor business.

My grandfather was a Ford tractor distributor who entered the outdoor business in 1952 along with radio and eventually television stations to promote sales.  In 1958 Larry Lipscomb’s dad Jack took over running the business.  Jack Lipscomb served as chairman on the OAAA legislative committee in the early 70’s.  I started in sales at Pioneer in 1974.  We sold the three companies, Pioneer, Superior, and Overland Outdoor to Lamar in 1997.  After a hiatus I returned to the business in 2010 when my son Stuart said he would like to get back in the outdoor business.

Tell us about your operation?

There are four of us in the business.  Myself, my son Stuart Lipscomb and an office assistant and an additional sales person. Our main focus is Springfield Missouri,however, we do have coverage in a 60 mile radius. This will be Stuart’s company to run in a few years as I back out.

Stuart Lipscomb
What changes have you seen in 40 years in the outdoor business.

Leaving business in 1997 we had poster faces and painted bulletins. Vinyl was just starting.  Now it’s all vinyl and digital. Uploading artwork that is live in seconds. Vinyl is easier to order and much less expensive.  When I sold, things were not as competitive for sure but were starting to get that way.

Who’s digital signs do you use and what have you learned?

We currently have both Watchfire and Formetco units. We have a great relationship with both companies.

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Pioneer Outdoor has acquired several billboard assets from Watkins Outdoor Advertising. The deal consists of 7 Daktronics digital faces and one static billboard face, all located in Springfield MO. Pioneer Outdoor continues to grow their digital presence, having already been the largest digital billboard provider in Springfield, MO, now with 27 digital faces in the city and a total of 36 digital faces in the Springfield, MO DMA.

In 1952, Lester E. Cox purchased a small billboard company in Springfield, MO of which Lester’s son-in-law, Jack Lipscomb, would take over in 1958. Jack’s son, Larry Lipscomb, joined the business in 1974 and was promoted to president in 1989. Pioneer Advertising would become the largest billboard provider in Missouri, with over 3,000 billboard faces and was later sold in 1997 to Lamar Advertising. Larry and his son, Stuart, started Pioneer Outdoor in 2011 to build a business together with Stuart initially overseeing sales before being promoted to President in mid-2019.

Pioneer Outdoor was formed in 2011 after buying a selection of billboard assets from Greg Watkins, who had been in sales for Larry Lipscomb at Pioneer Advertising decades before. Through acquisitions and organic growth, they used their knowledge of the outdoor advertising business to build the company into what it is today.

There were not brokers involved in the transaction.  Stu Lipscomb tells Insider that Pioneer has a long history with Watkins and that the two have been friendly competitors.  Watkins retains 9 static faces and one digital billboard.

Pioneer Outdoor announced yesterday that they divested their assets, including 140 out-of-home advertising displays, to Lamar Advertising. The transaction, which included 38 digital bulletin panels and more than 100 static panels stretching from Springfield north to Kansas City and east to St. Louis. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal is the second between the Lipscomb family of Pioneer and Lamar, with the first sale 24 years ago. Pioneer is led by Managing Member Larry Lipscomb, with President Stuart Lipscomb taking the lead on the negotiations.  For Lamar, the transaction was led by Ross Reilly, Lamar’s vice president of mergers and acquisitions.

“It has been gratifying to work alongside my dad as we built Pioneer into a regional leader in the out-of-home industry,” Stuart Lipscomb said. “We have had terrific customers, great partners, and an amazing team that have made our growth possible. We know our clients will be in good hands with Lamar, and we look forward to working with them to ensure a smooth transition.”

Company of the Day: Pioneer Outdoor