A Family Business
Built on Relationships.
After moving from Louisiana to Northwest Indiana, my father, Gary Murphy Sr., was looking for an opportunity to build a better future for his young family. My grandfather, Ray Telschow, helped him get his start in the roofing industry.
My father has always been quick to say that none of what followed would have been possible without that first opportunity. I believe he is right.
My grandfather never worked for GW Murphy, but his influence has always been part of the company. He believed in hard work, integrity, humility, and helping others. Those values shaped my father long before there was a business, and they continue to shape our company today.
My father began his career working for a local roofing manufacturer and eventually worked his way into management. In 1977, he took a leap of faith and started a small business of his own in Hammond, Indiana. He called it Ray's Discount Outlet in honor of my grandfather.
Soon afterward, my uncle, Ray Telschow Jr., became the company's first employee. He stood alongside my father during those early years as they worked to build something that would last.
There were no guarantees — just long hours, hard work, strong relationships, and a belief that if you treated people fairly, kept your word, and honored your commitments, opportunity would follow.
In 1980, the business incorporated under the name GW Murphy, Inc.
Relationships come first.
The decades that followed brought growth, new locations, new capabilities, challenges, victories, and many lessons. Through it all, one principle remained constant.
As the founder's son, I had the privilege of watching much of that journey firsthand. I watched my father make sacrifices, work long hours, and take risks when success was far from certain. More importantly, I watched how he treated people.
Customers became friends. Employees became extended family. Business relationships developed into partnerships that lasted for decades.
Today, GW Murphy is much larger and more diverse than the small business my father started in 1977. Our companies serve contractors, distributors, and manufacturers through retail branches, wholesale distribution, repackaging, logistics, and shared support services across the United States and Canada.
"Although our family name is on the company, the story of GW Murphy belongs to everyone who has helped build it."
As a second-generation leader, I feel a deep responsibility to honor what came before us while preparing the company for what comes next. My father built a business that created opportunities for many people and families. My responsibility is to be a good steward of that legacy — to invest in our employees, serve our customers well, strengthen our partnerships, grow responsibly, and create opportunities for future generations.
The Principles That Guide Us
Work hard. Do the right thing. Keep your word. Take care of people. Build lasting relationships.
Those principles shaped my grandfather. They shaped my father. They continue to guide GW Murphy today.
Gary Murphy Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Gary Wayne Murphy Sr. opens Ray's Discount Outlet, serving roofing contractors throughout Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicagoland area.
The company formally incorporates as GW Murphy, Inc. and begins building the operational foundation for long-term growth.
Gary Murphy Jr. joins GW Murphy, beginning a career that would take him through operations leadership and ultimately to the role of CEO.
GW Murphy begins repackaging roofing materials, establishing a capability that has since grown to over 41 million+ bundles repackaged.
Gary Murphy Jr. is named Chief Operating Officer, taking responsibility for day-to-day operations across the growing family of businesses.
Gary Murphy Jr. assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer, leading the company's continued expansion across retail, wholesale and product channels.
GW Murphy operates six contractor-facing branches across five states, a two-step wholesale division serving North America and specialized S.M.O.O.S.I. inventory solutions.
