Gregory Gray Garland Jr.

Garland was born in Richmond, Virginia. His parents were Lula W. and Gregory Gray Garland of 112 Cathedral Place in Richmond.{{Cite news |date=May 23, 1945 |title=Local Ensign Sent to SF Conference |pages=10 |work=The Richmond Times-Leader (Richmond, Virginia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104154918/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=April 29, 1939 |title=Seeks to Recover War Risk Payments |pages=3 |work=The Richmond News Leader (Richmond, Virginia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104155294/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} His father was the district superintendent for Autocar Sales and Service Company in Richmond.{{Cite news |date=March 26, 1954 |title=G.G. Garland Services Scheduled |pages=3 |work=The Richmond News Leader |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104155100/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} 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.{{Cite news |date=June 5, 1942 |title=28 Students Are Graduated from St. Christopher's School |pages=30 |work=The Richmond News Leader (Richmond, Virginia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104556658/garland-st-christophers/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite book |last=Hankins |first=De Witt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0MlKAAAAYAAJ |title=The First Fifty Years: A History of St. Christopher's School, 1911-1961 |date=1961 |publisher=St. Christopher's School Foundation |pages=148 |language=en}} He then enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute for a year.{{Cite web |last=Crompton |first=Janice |date=June 3, 2020 |title=Obituary: G. Gray Garland Jr., a lawyer, businessman, author who led a life of adventure |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2020/06/03/G-Gray-Garland-Jr-obituary/stories/202006030154 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}

During World War II in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an ensign. 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 United Nations conference in San Francisco. 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 on the G.I. Bill.{{Cite news |date=September 24, 1946 |title=Study at Charlottesville |pages=22 |work=The Richmond Leader News (Richmond, Virginia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104154946/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} 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, 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.

In 1949, Garland went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with just 24¢ and a Gulf Oil 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.{{Cite web |title=McCann Garland Ridall & Burke, Attorneys at Law |url=https://www.mgrblaw.com/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=www.mgrblaw.com |language=en}}

In 1962, he founded Unionvale Coal Company which distributed coal from Ligonier, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web |title=Unionvale Coal Co - Company Profile and News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0002791D:US |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Bloomberg.com |language=en}} He also purchased Youngstown Steel Tank, Machinex, and Embassy magazine in New York City.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SvIKAQAAMAAJ&q=:%22G.+Gray+Garland%22 |title=American Federal Tax Reports |date=1997 |publisher=Prentice-Hall |language=en}} He was chairman Greenville Metals, Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, Ranger Investments, and Union National Bank.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MmsdAQAAMAAJ&q=:%22G.+Gray+Garland%22 |title=Moody's Handbook of OTC Stocks |date=1981 |publisher=Moody's Investors Service |language=en}} 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.

• The Swiss Bank Account of Baroness Von Braunstein: An Exciting Adventure Story. Dorrance Publishing Company, 2016. {{ISBN|9781480938267}}
• Four Knights: A Novel of World War II. World Association Publishers, 2015. {{ISBN|9781633850958}}
• Top Secret: Escape From Iran. Author House, 2009. {{ISBN|9781438933580}}

Garland married Margaret "Peggy" Garland McCann on August 23, 1948, at Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.{{Cite news |date=August 23, 1948 |title=The Marriage of Miss Margaret Gerry McCann |pages=12 |work=The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104154595/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=August 22, 1948 |title=Miss McCann Wed Yesterday to Mr. Garland |pages=54 |work=The Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104154726/ |access-date=June 27, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} 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. 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.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VeUpAQAAMAAJ |title=World Refugee Survey |date=1984 |publisher=U.S. Committee for Refugees |isbn=978-0-936548-05-0 |language=en}} He was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. 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.{{Cite web |title=G. Gray Garland |url=https://www.winchesterthurston.org/lifeatwt/athletics/hall-of-fame/inaugural-hall-of-fame2014/g-gray-garland |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Winchester Thurston School |language=en-US}}

In 2020, he died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Category:1924 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia

Category:Businesspeople from Richmond, Virginia

Category:St. Christopher's School (Richmond, Virginia) alumni

Category:University of Virginia alumni

Category:Virginia Military Institute alumni

Category:St. Anthony Hall

Category:Harvard Business School alumni

Category:Duquesne University School of Law alumni

Category:Lawyers from Pittsburgh

Category:American business executives

Category:American railroad executives

Category:21st-century American novelists

Category:Episcopalians from Virginia

Category:Magazine publishers (people)