COLORADO BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
  • Laureates By Name
  • Laureates by Year
    • 2025
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  • Nomination Form
  • Laureates By Name
  • Laureates by Year
    • 2025
  • Supporters
  • Junior Achievement
  • PBS Specials
  • Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
  • Nomination Form

Charles "Charlie" Gallagher

Charles “Charlie” Gallagher has more than 45 years of operational experience and has managed over 20 middle-market mergers, acquisitions, and divestiture transactions, including 15 private buyouts.

Gallagher began his career in 1960 with Owens Corning Fiberglass in Toledo, OH. In his 19 years there, he held several senior management positions and is credited with developing sales and distribution strategies and national marketing campaigns that remain significant to Owens Corning today. In 1980, Gallagher became president and CEO of the then Denver-based Susquehanna Corporation, where he successfully executed a dramatic turnaround of this publicly-held building products company. He resigned in 1985 to form his first private equity organization.

After acquiring the Milcor Division of Inland Steel in 1985, Gallagher, from 1986 to 1997, was Chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder of Applied Industrial Materials Corporation (AIMCOR), a global leader in industrial carbon products, metals, minerals, and related services. While leading AIMCOR, Gallagher also led multiple buyouts of new middle-market platform companies (including Liquid Container, a leading national rigid plastics packaging company recently sold to Blackstone/Graham Packaging), as well as subsequent add-on acquisitions. In 1997, he formed the family partnership of Gallagher Enterprises, which led to future acquisitions. Gallagher’s string of successful buyouts continues today through Gallagher Industries.

Gallagher has served on numerous boards, including leading universities, hospitals, business organizations, and civic institutions.
The Colorado Business Hall of Fame is co-presented by
Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain Inc. and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Videos produced by Becky Holden of Biography Media, [email protected]