Maury Gallagher

Last updated
Maurice J. Gallagher Jr.
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
Occupation(s)CEO and Chairman, Allegiant Travel Company
Founder and owner of GMS Racing
Co-owner of Legacy Motor Club
Known forCommercial airline entrepreneur and NASCAR team owner
SpouseMarcia Gallagher
Children2

Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., (born November 26, 1950) also known as Maury Gallagher, is a commercial airline entrepreneur and current Chairman and CEO of Allegiant Travel Company. Prior to Allegiant, he co-founded and invested in WestAir and ValuJet. He is also the founder of several non-aviation businesses in the telecommunications and adaptive learning fields. [1] He is also the co-owner of the NASCAR Cup Series racing team Legacy Motor Club.

Contents

Gallagher is an alumnus of UC Davis where he endowed a chair in the name of him and his wife. The university also has a named hall for Gallagher, referred to as the Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. Hall.

Early life and education

Gallagher attended UC Davis where he received his Bachelor of Arts in history in 1971. He went on to UC Berkeley where he received his MBA in 1974. [2] [3]

Career

Aviation career

Gallagher was a founder of WestAir, which operated from 1978 to 1992. He served as Vice President-Finance of the parent company of WestAirCommuter Holdings, Inc. from 1979 until 1982. From 1983 until August 1992, he served as an executive and director of WestAir Holding, Inc. until the company was acquired by Mesa Air in May 1992. [4] WestAir functioned as the west-coast commuter/regional airline affiliate of United Airlines. Gallagher also was a member of the investment group that founded ValuJet Airlines, Inc. (one of the predecessors to AirTran Airways, Inc.) and served as a board member of ValuJet from its inception in 1993 until 1997. [5]

Gallagher is the Chairman of Allegiant Travel Company, and its major subsidiary, Allegiant Air. Gallagher was the major creditor of the then small, Fresno-based scheduled airline in 2000 when it declared bankruptcy. He gained control of the airline as a result of the bankruptcy and later became CEO and Chairman. [6] The airline changed headquarters to Las Vegas and eventually changed its business model of flying older large commercial aircraft from small cities around the US to large leisure destinations (initially Las Vegas, later Orlando, Phoenix, St Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale and other cities). [7]

Telecommunications and adaptive learning

Gallagher has been involved other entrepreneurial activities, not all of them aviation-related. For instance, in between his time at ValuJet and Allegiant, he founded and had leadership positions at Mpower Communications, a CLEC that went public in 1998. [2]

Motorsports

Outside of airlines, he is also known for owning GMS Racing, an American professional NASCAR team that currently fields entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Originally built in order to further extend his son Spencer Gallagher's racing career in the ARCA Menards Series, it has since become one of the major teams in the Truck Series and Chevrolet's current flagship Truck team. Drivers Johnny Sauter and Sheldon Creed won the Truck Series championship for GMS in 2016 [8] and 2020, [9] respectively.

After the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Richard Petty Motorsports majority owner and Medallion Financial CEO Andrew Murstein sold his stake of the team to Gallagher [10] and the team was renamed Petty GMS Motorsports. The team name was changed to Legacy Motor Club in 2023 after NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar Series driver Jimmie Johnson purchased an ownership stake. [11] However, the GMS Racing team did not merge into Petty's team, and GMS continued to field entries in the Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series in 2022. [12] In January 2023, the team announced it would not be fielding cars in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series Season in order to better focus on their entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. [13]

Philanthropy

Gallagher has made two prominent donations to the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. The first was for an endowed chair in the name of him and his wife, the second was a $10 million donation which prompted the school to name its new building the Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. Hall. In 2011, Gallagher gave the commencement address for the UC Davis business school. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Enfinger</span> American racing driver (born 1985)

Grant McArthur Enfinger is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado for CR7 Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet SS for Sigma Performance Services. Before moving up to the Truck Series, Enfinger won the 2015 ARCA Racing Series series championship with GMS Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GMS Racing</span> American stock car racing team

GMS Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, fielding three Chevrolet Silverado trucks: the No. 23 for Grant Enfinger, the No. 24 for Rajah Caruth, and the No. 43 for Daniel Dye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Gallagher</span> American racing driver (born 1989)

Spencer Moritz Gallagher is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series, driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry for BK Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro, and part-time the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. He is the son of Allegiant Air's CEO, Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. In 2018, Gallagher announced that he would step away from full-time racing at the end of the 2018 season to take on a managerial role at GMS Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Jones (racing driver)</span> American racing driver (born 1997)

Brandon Alexander Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, as well as part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet SS for Cook Racing Technologies. He has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series East in the past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalton Sargeant</span> American racing driver (born 1998)

Daniel Dalton Sargeant is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. He was the 2016 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year, and finished second in the ARCA point standings in 2017. He is the older brother of former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series</span> 22nd season of third-tier NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the 22nd season of the Camping World Truck Series, the third highest stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in North America. It was contested over twenty-three races, beginning with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnny Sauter of GMS Racing won the driver's championship with three victories. Toyota won the manufacturer's championship with 14 wins and 32 points over Chevrolet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thad Moffitt</span> American racing driver

Thaddeus Drake Moffitt is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports. He previously drove the 46 for Faction46 before the team was shut down by its owner Lane Moore due to financial constraints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zane Smith (racing driver)</span> American racing driver (born 1999)

Zane Michael Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in an alliance with Trackhouse Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. He won the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship driving for Front Row Motorsports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 ARCA Menards Series</span> 67th season of the ARCA Menards Series

The 2019 ARCA Menards Series was the 67th season of the ARCA Menards Series. Christian Eckes of Venturini Motorsports won the championship over teammate Michael Self. Eckes became the first champion since Tim Steele in 1997 to win the title after missing a race during the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toni Breidinger</span> American model and racing driver

Antoinette Marie Breidinger is an American stock car racing driver and model. She competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, and part-time in the East and West Series, driving the No. 25 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage.

Kristofer Cole Wright is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, part-time in the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage. He has also previously competed in sports car racing, open-wheel racing, the Euroformula Open Championship, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Wright is also the 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series</span> 28th season of third-tier NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the 28th season of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season started with the NextEra Energy 250 on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway, and concluded with the Lucas Oil 150 on November 4 at Phoenix Raceway. This was the final season of the Truck Series with Camping World as the title sponsor, as CEO Marcus Lemonis announced the brand would not return for the 2023 season. On August 26, 2022, it was announced that Craftsman would return as the Truck Series title sponsor, although the tool company is now owned by Stanley Black & Decker instead of Sears, who owned Craftsman when they were the series title sponsor from 1995 to 2008. This makes Stanley Black & Decker the series' third title sponsor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 ARCA Menards Series</span> 69th season of the ARCA Menards Series

The 2021 ARCA Menards Series season was the 69th season of the ARCA Menards Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began at Daytona International Speedway with the Lucas Oil 200 on February 13 and ended with the Reese's 150 at Kansas Speedway on October 23. Ty Gibbs was crowned the series champion, having won ten times and finished in the top four in 19 of 20 races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 ARCA Menards Series East</span> 35th season of the ARCA Menards Series East

The 2021 ARCA Menards Series East was the 35th season of the ARCA Menards Series East, a regional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began on February 8 at New Smyrna Speedway with the Jeep Beach 175 and ended on September 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway with the Bush's Beans 200. Sammy Smith and Joe Gibbs Racing won the series championship. JGR's No. 18 car, driven by Smith and Ty Gibbs, won all but one race during the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Wood (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Jackson Ryan Wood is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, and full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet SS for Bill McAnally Racing. He has also previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 ARCA Menards Series</span> 70th season of the ARCA Menards Series

The 2022 ARCA Menards Series was the 70th season of the ARCA Menards Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began at Daytona International Speedway with the Lucas Oil 200 on February 19 and ended with the Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway on October 8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajah Caruth</span> American racing driver (born 2002)

Rajah Kirby Caruth is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports. On March 1, 2024, Caruth won the 2024 Victoria's Voice Foundation 200, becoming the third Black driver to win in one of NASCAR's three national series, joining Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 ARCA Menards Series</span> 71st season of the ARCA Menards Series

The 2023 ARCA Menards Series was the 71st season of the ARCA Menards Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began at Daytona International Speedway with the BRANDT 200 on February 18 and ended with the Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway on October 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conner Jones</span> American racing driver

Conner Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series</span> 29th season of third-tier NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

The 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was the 29th season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season started with the NextEra Energy 250 on February 17 at Daytona International Speedway, and ended with the Craftsman 150 on November 3 at Phoenix Raceway.

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Eric (November 22, 2015). "Allegiant Airlines CEO shares ideas with Chico entrepreneurs". Central Valley Business Times. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "About Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr. - UC Davis Graduate School of Management". gsm.ucdavis.edu. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  3. ↑ Lash, Nathaniel (December 21, 2016). "At Allegiant, a board and business model with roots in ValuJet". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  4. ↑ "ValuJet Registration Statement". Security and Exchange Commission. June 14, 1996. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  5. ↑ "About Maurice J. Gallagher". University of California-Davis. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  6. ↑ Dunn, Thurman (August 16, 2015). "Allegiant And The Uncertainty Factor". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  7. ↑ Mayerowitz, Scott (June 29, 2013). "Quirky Allegiant Air hits jackpot on small-town America". USA Today.
  8. ↑ "Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet Win NASCAR Trucks Championship for GMS Racing". Auto Week. November 14, 2016.
  9. ↑ Romero, Jose M. (November 6, 2020). "Late restart helps Sheldon Creed win race, take NASCAR Truck Series title at Phoenix Raceway". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Richard Petty Motorsports sells majority interest to GMS Racing owner Maury Gallagher". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  11. ↑ Degroot, Nick (January 11, 2023). "Petty GMS rebranded as Legacy Motor Club; Johnson car number revealed". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  12. ↑ Albert, Zack (December 7, 2021). "Petty GMS Motorsports to compete with two full-time Cup teams in 2022". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ Beam, Mike (January 6, 2023). "GMS Racing Statement on ARCA Menards Series". GMSRacing.net. GMS Racing, LLC. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.