Pat Gallagher Retires After 39 Years

After 39 years with Gallagher Uniform, contributing in sales, service, human resources, and family leadership roles over the course of his career, Pat Gallagher recently announced his retirement.

He will retire as Corporate Vice President and Secretary as well as HR Manager, and while we’re sad to see him go, we wish him the absolute best in his retirement!

Service Culture: Compassion, Patience & Understanding

True to the nature of the company, Pat says some of the most rewarding parts of his work were keeping customers happy and seeing associates move up within the company. And having served nearly 4 decades with the family business, he says he learned a lot about himself along the way, too. “I’ve learned that in order to be a successful person in the family business, you have to be patient and understanding. You sometimes need to give in when you don’t think you should have to. You have to be a hard worker, and realize that the job is a 24/7 commitment.”

On Working with Family, Including 3 Brothers

Family operated businesses often come with their own unique set of challenges and rewards. Pat is no stranger to these and admits it can be a struggle at times to truly separate family and work. But he adds, “I enjoyed being a good steward of the family company. Although it may have been tough some days, it was always extremely rewarding and I never had a boring day.”

Pat has seen some major technological advances at Gallagher Uniform over the past 39 years too. For example, he recalls the excitement of purchasing the first compact computer with 32mb of storage space in the early 1980s. We’re glad that technology and the company have come a long way since then!  Another significant advancement he recalls was when the company committed to barcoding in the early 90s, which has since grown to include RFID chip technology and one of the most comprehensive online garment tracking systems in the industry.

But according to Pat, some of the most memorable moments had more to do with family than they did business. “One of my fondest memories was whenever all five Gallaghers – our dad, Ron,  and my brothers, Mike, Dan, and John – would all team up on a presentation together,” he said. “We would all show up in our green blazers, which must have been just as memorable for everyone we presented to.”

 

Family Business Advice

When it comes to advice Pat has for others who are involved in family business, he says, “Remember always that family comes first. The goals and aspirations of the company might have to take a back seat in some situations.”

It’s All About the People

While he said he won’t miss the general stress that comes with helping run the family business and always being in a hurry, his compassion for our associates will likely remain. “I always worried about our employees, about their safety and well-being. I worried so much about that, and don’t think it’s going to be an easy habit to break, even in retirement.”

But there are things Pat will miss as well. “What I’ll miss most, of course, is the people. But that’s what it’s all about! Seeing people succeed and be happy while working side-by-side with their peers has always been rewarding.” He says he’ll also miss the competitiveness at Gallagher, including the intellectual challenges encountered on a daily basis.

Congratulations to Pat, on his retirement. It is certainly well-earned, and we can’t thank him enough for his dedication to Gallagher Uniform and all our associates over the years. Even though we’re sure we’ll still see him around the building checking in on everyone from time to time, we know there are plenty of adventures ahead for both Pat and his family.