Meet the man who heads The O'Malley Companies

IAY O'MALLEY, chairman of lUthe board of The O'Malley Companies, Phoenix, Az., exemplifies the -strong link between his father and uncles who founded what has become one of the largest lumber and building supply sales operations in the Southwest and the second, third, and fourth generations of O'Malleys now active in the business.

Sales for last year were in excess of $120 million from four divisions, retail, wholesale, contract and manufacturing, and realty. Operations have expanded from Arizona into Texas and New Mexico. In addition to retail outlets, O'Malley Building Material Centers; wholesale building materials and supplies distribution, Mallco Distributors; the company operates The O'Malley Roofing, O'Malley Glass and Millwork Co., O'Malley Builder's Hardware and the O'Malley Pipe Co. O'Malley Realty and Development is one of the Iargest Arizona-based real estate brokerage firms specializing in commercial, industrial, and investment properties.

Jay was born James Charles in

Phoenix in l9ll, three years after The O'Malley Lumber Company of the Arizona Territory was incorporated. By this time the firm had acquired yards in Glendale and Buckeye and for $24,000 bought the land between 3rd and 4th Avenues on Jefferson Street in downtown Phoenix for operation headquaners.

Jay tells of his first Fb at age 13 as "head janitor" for the two floors and basement of Southwest Sash & Door Co. which the O'Malleys had acquired in 1919. Over the years, other O'Malley enterprises stretched out to El Paso, Tx., Albuquerque, N.M., and Tucson, Yuma, and Mesa in Arizona.

Jay continued to work summer vacations as he entered his teens, loading lumber at the 4th Ave. and

Story at a Glance

Jay O'Malley, leader of one of the West's major lumber and building supply firms, is a man whose broad experience has served him wellin guiding the company into its second century.

Jefferson Yard, as well as bucking logs at the Arizona Lumber & Timber Co. logging camp south of Flagstaff.

Reminiscing about his summer jobs, he recalls his dad telling him there would be no work for him in 1932 because with the depression, his employment would knock some married man out of a job. However, he did get the job of closing the Peoria Lumber Co., a victim of the depression. He still remembers how tough it was trying to collect the money owed the yard.

In 1935, Jay contracted tuberculosis. Following a regime of rest and exercise for six months, he was (Please turn to page 39)