Alcoa, TN, October 04, 2023 - Gallaher & Associates, Inc. headquartered in the greater Knoxville, TN, area in Blount County, celebrates a major company milestone of 50 years in business as of October 1. The company began as a small family-owned operation, founded by Roy Gallaher as what was known as a manufacturer’s representative firm selling electrical and power distribution products to clients. Over time, the products and services portfolio expanded to cover a full range of life safety, security, and communication solutions across vertical markets such as commercial, industrial, education, healthcare, and government.
Gallaher has grown to three offices that geographically covers Tennessee in Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga with system installation projects in several surrounding states. As of 2023, select projects have since extended to many other states and even across the U.S. border into Canada and Mexico.
Much of Gallaher’s success is owed to strict adherence to a set of core values and principles that guide management decision-making in good times and challenging times, such as the recent pandemic. These values are posted around each office and are woven into the culture. The first key value is “Integrity in Everything-Regardless of Outcome.” As Tom Gallaher, CEO, states, “Customers always matter, and doing right by the customer is never a difficult decision, even if it was financially painful.”
Faith has always been the cornerstone of pushing through and overcoming challenging times. When Roy Gallaher founded the company, he took both a leap of faith into entrepreneurship and relied on his Christian faith to help guide him on his journey. This faith also serves as a compass for treating others honestly and fairly, whether an employee, vendor, customer, or serving the communities in which Gallaher does business. As Galatians 5:23-23 states, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” are characteristics of how we will treat and Serve Others (another core value).
Several early employees are still with the company today, witnessing many changes in the fire alarm, security, and communications industries with each passing decade, including the latest AI-powered technology to deliver camera and archive solutions that gather business intelligence to help manage production lines and efficiency in manufacturing operations, compared to classic security functionality.
Tom Gallaher, Roy and Carolyn’s son, has worked for the company in some capacity since college, taking on any role that would help the company and broaden his experience, becoming CEO in 2010.
Randall Davis, well known as a Gallaher sales executive around the Maryville and Knoxville area, recently surpassed 45 years of service. LC Cutshaw, another long-time sales executive who has held various roles over the years, celebrates 39 years of company service in November. Many others have been with the company for decades, and each and every current or former employee, regardless of tenure, has played a part in shaping the company and driving it towards the success and stability of the company today.
Max Thomas, COO from 2005-2008, returned to Gallaher as president in 2020 after a successful career in the enterprise technology and software sector, stating a key reason he “Decided to return are the core values and principles upon which the company was built and operates.” Max currently drives the company forward with fresh ideas and broad sales and operational strategy experience, with the ultimate goal of satisfying customers with cost-effective, high value solutions.
After 50 years, Gallaher is poised and ready to continue to serve the region for many more decades to come.
Contact
Gallaher & Associates Inc.
David Parsons
865-970-2471
gallahersafe.com
