In 1984 he took a job with Art's House of Signs in Chillicothe and within two month's the elderly owner's wife had to go in for a major operation. Art told Steve if he would help him move his stuff out, Steve could have the business. The only asset Steve had at the time was a motorcycle, so he sold it for $650 for the cash to get started. $200 was used to buy paint and brushes, $200 went for rent and $250 went to buy a 1966 Ford Econoline Van. For the first two years every sign he did was hand painted.

By 1986 he bought his first computer and began the process of learning how to merge his artistic creativity with the power of the computer.

As a result his company has been able to bring many new sign innovations to merchants in and throughout Ohio.

The awnings business has been a natural progression for ArtTech due to the number of businesses that use awnings to display signs. The same perfection to detail that fueled Steve's success in signs has been implemented into the awnings business. As a result ArtTech has grown into one of the largest Awning and Sign businesses in Southern Ohio. Their new 14,000 square foot facility houses many state of the art tools to create virtually any type of sign or awning that a merchant (or homeowner) might need.

Oh, and the most important thing according to both Steve and his wife Rhonda; the wellspring of Steve's creativity and success is credited to faith in God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They answer to a higher authority, so the work has to be good!