Carey Smith incorporated the Delta T. Corporation in 1994 Lexington, Kentucky, to manufacture and install cooling systems for industrial spaces and warehouses.

[1] In 1999, Smith signed an exclusive distribution agreement with a California manufacturer of "high-volume, low-speed" (HVLS) ceiling fans, which were sold to farmers for cooling cattle.

[2] Fanny, the donkey used in the ad campaign, became the company's logo, and Smith changed his job title to "Chief Big Ass".

[11] When the company began their "Big Ass Fan" marketing campaign, some postmasters in Georgia, Mississippi, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, California and Louisville returned the cards to HVLS as inappropriate.

The Big Ass Fans Facebook page includes a gallery of letters complaining about the company's name, and in 2012, it began a YouTube channel featuring customer voicemail complaints styled as music videos.

The company has developed a line of fans for air-conditioned commercial and residential spaces, LED light fixtures and controls.