The Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce recognized Jackie Fithian of Bellmore as the Bellmore Chamber’s honoree at its annual breakfast on Oct. 31, celebrating her decades of entrepreneurship and community involvement.
Fithian was one of 36 people honored at the 40th annual Business Person of the Year and Legislative Breakfast at the Crest Hollow Country Club.
“I thought it was great,” Fithian said of the event. “I thought it was really nice. I’ve been working with the Bellmore Chamber for so many years, and it was nice that they recognized me.”
Fithian is the owner of Vital Signs Plus, a business she founded in 1986 in the basement of her Baldwin home. The company began before the digital printing era, when every sign was carefully hand-painted and lettered. Within a year, the growing business moved into a small storefront on Merrick Avenue, marking the first of several expansions driven by local demand and community support.
A Merrick native, Fithian established her business in the community where she grew up, believing it would be the ideal place to grow her company. Her decision proved successful, as Vital Signs Plus gained a strong reputation for quality workmanship and customer service. The business eventually relocated to a larger space just off Sunrise Highway, where it operated for 19 years, serving a wide range of local businesses and residents.
In 2007, the company transitioned to a smaller-scale operation and moved to its current location in Bellmore, where it continues to thrive. Over nearly four decades, Vital Signs Plus has adapted to changing technologies while maintaining its focus on craftsmanship and attention to detail. The company specializes in custom signage, including truck and boat lettering, and continues to serve clients across Long Island, from Bellmore to as far east as Montauk.
Beyond her business accomplishments, Fithian has been a dedicated and active member of the Bellmore community. She has lived in Bellmore since 1991 and has been involved with the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce for more than 35 years, volunteering with the organization for over a decade. Her early contributions to the chamber include hand-painting the original street festival banners that once hung over Sunrise Highway, symbolizing her long-standing commitment to local events and small business development.
“I love the Bellmore community,” Fithian said. “It’s been wonderful. I grew up in Merrick, so it’s not like I moved very far. Bellmore and Merrick are such wonderful places, both of them. They are just wonderful communities.”
The Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce was established in 1979 when representatives from chambers across Nassau County—including Great Neck, Hicksville, Merrick, Hempstead, Baldwin, Westbury, Long Beach, Levittown, Freeport, Garden City, Franklin Square, East Meadow, Massapequa, Rockville Centre, and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce of Long Island—met to discuss issues affecting the local business community.
At subsequent meetings, the group agreed to form a council to address shared concerns such as legislative advocacy, community development, parking, and membership growth. Meeting monthly, the organization evolved into a formal advisory body that continues to provide leadership, coordination, and support to chambers of commerce throughout Nassau County.
