In 1899, John traveled back to Kythera to marry his sweetheart, Diamantoula. Their first child, Marica, was born in Greece and arrived in America as an infant. Shortly thereafter, in 1903, William Basil Conomos, the future architect and developer of the business, was born.

William entered the world at a particularly difficult time. An economic depression was sweeping the world and the Conomos/Manos partnership was struggling to survive. In 1905, to keep afloat, John left Manos in charge and moved the family south for winter employment in sponge diving. He hired a small sailboat in New York, loaded up the family, and sailed around the Florida peninsula to the Greek settlement of Tarpon Springs, Florida. Two-year old William spent most of the trip strapped to the sailboat’s mast during the sometimes treacherous journey.

Work in the sponge diving business was inconsistent and soon the Conomos’ were back in Pittsburgh. Fortunately, the painting business began to recover, and during the next 15 years, the company prospered.

The 1929 economic crash and ensuing Depression presented the company with its next major crisis. Jobs were scarce, prices very low, and financing nearly impossible. Bill saw that if the company were to survive, he must leave McClintock Marshall and join his father to save the business. The company’s only job at that time was the new “Huey P. Long” Bridge spanning the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The price was desperately low and only with the closest supervision of John and William could they hope to make any money.

Thus, in 1933, the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, to supervise the job. It was “touch and go” from the beginning, with cash flow barely covering the expenses. At one point, Bill’s sister, Marica, lent the company $400 to cover payroll (literally saving the company from bankruptcy – wages were 35 cents per hour at that time.)

Fortunately, the outlook brightened, and Bill’s personal fortunes improved. A young Greek American girl, Ponny Bon, caught his eye, and he was smitten. They married in the spring of 1935 and with the New Orleans complete, the family moved back to Pittsburgh.

In 1940, John B. Conomos was born. Bill built the family homestead in rural Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania and spent the war years performing defense-related work. Dravo’s Neville Island plant built landing craft for the war effort, and Conomos painted many of these troop carriers. Additional work included munitions factories and other war-related plants.

The post-war years offered great economic opportunity, and Bill realized that Conomos Painting Company’s operations needed to be expanded, and formal organization and business facilities would be required. More importantly, he needed more managerial help.

George S. Venturatos, Bill’s sister-in-law Dita’s husband, joined the firm. George’s strength lay in his leadership and productivity skills. An ex-Army tank captain, George’s youth and enthusiasm blended well with Bill’s experience and business skills. Together they forged an organization that grew quickly.

In 1962, John B. Conomos graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). After a short stint in the Army, he joined the firm and immediately immersed himself in the family business.

John’s arrival and eventual 13 years as a Conomos Painting employee came at a fortuitous time. George Venturatos had left the business to pursue other interests in his native New Orleans. Likewise, George Aspiotes left for similar reasons. John had to quickly take on major responsibilities, but with his dad and his Uncle Paul’s help, he was able to help fill the gaps left behind.

Bill was concerned that the company lacked project diversity. Eighty percent of the company’s business was with two customers, Bethlehem Steel Company and United States Steel, and he reasoned that the loss of either customer would be catastrophic. He was also eager to develop a

succession plan to provide John with equity in the business and provide a legacy for his other children.

The solution was elegant and effective. A new company, John B. Conomos, Inc., was established. This firm was owned by John and his two sisters, Joan Lamprinakos and Theodora Kladakis, with John as President, a position he held for 35 years.

In 1973, the company’s offices and warehouse facilities relocated to Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. By 1980, a new office complex was constructed, and the warehouse modernized. In 1981, the company was reorganized into a holding company, Conomos Management, Inc., and three divisions: John B. Conomos, Inc.; Gulf Con Industrial Painting, Inc.; and Hydro Vac Services, Inc.

New ventures were tried. Gulf Con Industrial Painting, Inc., a merit shop operation, succeeded in the Gulf Coast area. Peter J. Karakitsos, its president, and John’s father-in-law, developed accounts with DuPont and similar petrochemical companies.

Sales diversity continued to flourish into the 1990’s. Conomos services expanded to include fireproofing, roofing, sheeting, general industrial maintenance, and lead/asbestos abatement. JBC, Inc. was no longer just a painting contractor but a broad-based construction services contractor.

Continuing the family tradition, John’s son in-law Chris Kucherawy, joined JBC, Inc. in 2001 as the company’s first Marketing Director—marking the beginning of the 4th generation of Conomos Family employees.

In 2003, John Conomos was named Chairman and CEO of the Conomos Companies. Jim King moved from Company Controller to President, serving in that capacity until his eventual retirement in 2017. Jim remained as a consultant until 2020, completing 40 years of service. During Jim’s tenure, an agreement with All-State Painting Company’s owner Dan Harbison was reached where Conomos acquired significant assets and valuable access to new markets expanding their market diversity.