Our History

1993

COMPANY IS BORN

Company is born (South African roots – where the shade industry was born)

1996

GOES NATIONAL

Apollo Sunguard receives first national account

1997

SDVOSB

Kevin Connelly purchased the business making it
a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
(SDVOSB) – the first and only SDVOSB shade
manufacturer in the U.S. to date

2002

RECEIVED NASA AWARD

Received small business award from NASA’s Space Alliance
Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) for the first
modular cantilever with specialized keder rail allowing for
continuous shade with no gaps in sun protection

2003

AWARDED GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

Awarded a long term government wide contract
through the General Services Administration (GSA)

2008

PATENTS & BIGGER CONTRACTS

U.S. Patent issued for the PlayTower integrated
playground shade (Patent 7,316,237)

First shade manufacturer awarded the prestigious Gold
Triangle from the American Academy of Dermatology
(AAD) for shade designed to protect children from the sun
on playgrounds

Awarded contract to shade MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays spring
training facility, Charlotte Sports Park

2009

SCHOOL CONTRACTS ROLL IN

Awarded contract with Collier County Schools
to retrofit playgrounds with Playtowers for 40
elementary schools

2011

CONTRACT FOR ORIOLES TRAINING FACILITY

Awarded contract to shade MLB’s Baltimore Orioles spring
training facility, Ed Smith Stadium

Awarded contract to shade MiLB’s Blue Wahoos Stadium
in Maritime Park – the MLB’s Cincinnati Reds affliate

2012

CHARGEPOINT PREMIER PARTNERSHIP

Became a ChargePoint Premier Partner

Awarded contract to shade MLB’s Pittsburg Pirate’s
spring training facility, McKechnie Field.

2013

SKY MANTA DESIGN IS BORN

New Sky Manta design first installed at Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall

2014

AWARDED $830,000 CONTRACT

New XTL Shade Wave installed – first hybrid
cantilever and shade sail design First Titan installed
over a basketball court

Awarded an $830,000+ GSA Blanket Purchase
Agreement (BPA) for ChargePoint’s electric vehicle
(EV) charging stations.

2015

QRS IMPLEMENTED

QRS – Quick Release System™ implemented on all
structures

2016

SHADING AMERICA

Awarded contract to shade the spring training
facility for MLB’s Houston Astros and Washington
Nationals, Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

Awarded shaded parking contract for West Palm
Beach’s Airport Building II.

2019

NaVOBA

Named as one of the National Veteran-Owned Business Association’s Certified Veteran’s Business Enterprises®.

2022

AWARDED BLANKET
PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Apollo Sunguard Systems, Inc. was awarded this BPA by GSA Fleet for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and Ancillary EVSE Data Services.

2023

30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Apollo Sunguard celebrates 30 years of providing quality shade structures to its customers.