Milestones: 200 and 10

January 01, 2024

Milestones: 200 and 10

An early version of the company logo.

Happy New Year! The post is coming out a bit early this week with good reason.

It's a week of milestones to celebrate the beginning of 2024!

This is my 200th Leaves on the Tree blog post. What better way to celebrate than to share another Casey family milestone: January 1, 2024 marks the 10th Anniversary of Nova Lume, the company my husband, Jim Casey, Jr., started in 2014.

After Jim earned his MFA from Western Illinois University, he taught university technical theatre, lighting design, and theatre production in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. In 1998, we moved to Texas and he pivoted into a career in project development and sales for various lighting and theatrical supply distributors.

Back in 2013, Jim envisioned heading his own company, with a goal of making a living and a better life, and to build something of his own from the ground up. He'll be the first to admit that the first few years were sometimes a struggle, but the pride he had in what he was creating sustained him. He was energized and focused, a man with a plan. He started out by representing several theatrical lighting lines, and later, among other achievements, scored the American distribution rights for Green-GO, a digital intercom system manufactured in the Netherlands.

And then came the call, on Christmas Eve, 2014. We were taking care of last-minute holiday preparations when his phone rang and he noted the caller. "It's the NFL, honey. Is it okay if I take it?" My response: "Honey, you just go ahead and take that call!"

A late-December 2014 demo in New York and one at the 2015 Pro Bowl began a long-term relationship with the league; Nova Lume has worked on numerous projects deploying the Green-GO technology in various NFL communication systems. Jim and Nova Lume have facilitated the use of Green-GO in NFL stadiums in the U.S., England, Mexico, and Germany, and also in the auto racing industry, in theatres and churches, broadcasting and music tours, and so much more.

Sample helmet used to envision a coach-to-player communications prototype.

Jim's lanyard collection has grown exponentially as he has traveled to various NFL stadiums and trade shows over the past ten years.

What started as a one-man operation with tiny office/warehouse spaces in our home, then in Lewisville, then Denton, and later Aubrey, is now a company of seven full-time employees, and a wide dealer network. A move to a larger office/warehouse space is set for February 2024 to accommodate the company's growth.

I'm incredibly proud of Jim for the hard work he has done. He's focused, creative, driven, ambitious, and humble. He has included his family in the company from the very beginning. I fondly recall the four of us sitting in our Corinth living room brainstorming a company name. Nova Lume—new light—was the winner.

Since then, our son James has done computer programming and database development for the company, and worked on preseason equipment prep while he was still an undergrad at OU. Our daughter Anne currently assists with company social media. I have been known to office-sit waiting for shipments to arrive when Jim and his staff have been out of town.

No matter our contributions, the success will always be Jim's. He envisioned, planned, and implemented. He has surrounded himself with a trusty and savvy staff who bring their own gifts to the table. Nova Lume will continue to grow because Jim has a wide and long vision of the future.

And I could not be more proud.

Congratulations on the 10th Anniversary of Nova Lume, Jim!