Gregory Gray Garland Jr.
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Gregory Gray Garland Jr. (April 15, 1924 – May 29, 2020) was an American attorney, businessman, author, and magazine publisher. He was also chairman of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad.


Early life

Garland was born in
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. His parents were Lula W. and Gregory Gray Garland of 112 Cathedral Place in Richmond. His father was the district superintendent for Autocar Sales and Service Company in Richmond. However, in the mid 1930s, his father became disabled in serious fall. He attended St. Christopher's School in Richmond, where he graduated in 1942 and received the General Prize for Excellence in Journalism for his work with ''The Pine Needle''. He then enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute for a year. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an
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. He served as a communications officer on a submarine chaser in the Pacific; his ship was damaged during Typhoon Louise in October 1945. In May 1945, he was sent to a
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conference in
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. He was picked for a small group of Navy and Army personnel to attend the conference because of his background, conduct, and talent. After the war in September 1946, he entered the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...
on the
G.I. Bill The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I. (military), G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in ...
. While there, he was a member of St. Anthony Hall before graduating with a B.A. in 1947. He also went to
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...
, graduating in 1949. Known as the Gold Rush Class, the Harvard Business School Class of 1949 generated more company presidents and CEOs than any other class. His father-in-law suggested that he become a lawyer, and Garland enrolled in the Duquesne University School of Law, graduating in 1954.


Career

In 1949, Garland went to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
with just 24¢ and a
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card. He co-founded McCann, Garland, Ridall, and Burke Esq. This law firm specializes in corporate and commercial law, estate planning, nonprofit law, and real estate, but he was most interested in tax law, mergers, and acquisitions. In 1962, he founded Unionvale Coal Company which distributed coal from
Ligonier, Pennsylvania Ligonier is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,513 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idl ...
. He also purchased Youngstown Steel Tank, Machinex, and ''Embassy'' magazine in New York City. He was chairman Greenville Metals, Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, Ranger Investments, and Union National Bank. His specialty was to "take companies and turn them around." He incorporated his wartime and personal life experiences into three novels, including the thriller ''Top Secret:'' ''Escape from Iran''.


Publications

* ''The Swiss Bank Account of Baroness Von Braunstein: An Exciting Adventure Story.'' Dorrance Publishing Company, 2016. * ''Four Knights: A Novel of World War II''. World Association Publishers, 2015. * ''Top Secret: Escape From Iran.'' Author House, 2009.


Personal life

Garland married Margaret "Peggy" Garland McCann on August 23, 1948, at Trinity Cathedral in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
. Their reception was at the University Club. She was the daughter of John A. McCann of Pittsburgh, an attorney. Peggy predeceased Garland after 58 years of marriage. Their daughters were Margaret and Gayle. In 1980, Garland was invited to visit Liberian President William Tolbert of
Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...
. During their stay with the president and his wife in April 1980, the Garlands found themselves amid a coup where the president was executed. The Garlands fled Liberia during the cover of night. Garland served on the board of directors of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. He was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. He was also a member of The Brook Club in New York City, the Duquesne Club, Fox Chapel Golf Club, and Rolling Rock Club. In 2005, Garland donated an athletic field to the Winchester Thurston School in memory of his wife who had attended the school. In 2020, he died in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garland 02, Gregory Gray 1924 births 2020 deaths Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia Businesspeople from Richmond, Virginia St. Christopher's School (Richmond, Virginia) alumni University of Virginia alumni Virginia Military Institute alumni St. Anthony Hall Harvard Business School alumni Duquesne University School of Law alumni Lawyers from Pittsburgh American business executives American railroad executives 21st-century American novelists Episcopalians from Virginia Magazine publishers (people)