Business

Riverhead Building Supply has a new president

RIVERHEAD BUILDING SUPPLY COURTESY PHOTO | John Callahan has been named president of Riverhead Building Supply.

The director of purchasing for Riverhead Building Supply has been named the company’s latest president, marking the first time in company history that a Goodale family member is not the head of the local business.

John Callahan, who has worked for Riverhead Building Supply for 31 years, was appointed president this week. Previous president Edgar Goodale and vice president Russell Goodale will stay on as co-chairs of the company’s board, Mr. Callahan said.

“They have a lot of energy, they have a lifetime of commitment to the business so they’re not going anyplace,” Mr. Callahan said. “I’ll be handling more of the day-to-day issues of the company and just making sure that we continue to do the best job for our customers as we possibly can while they focus on other areas of growth and development.”

The supply company was founded in 1948 and currently employs 400 full-time workers in New York, as well as 70 employees in Rhode Island. It has 11 locations on Long Island.

Mr. Callahan began working for Riverhead Building Supply for two summers while he was a student, and later moved into the company as a full-time employee, first at the counter and later in the sales and purchasing departments.

Mr. Callahan said one of his primary goals is to be a steward of the company, a “bridge” between the previous leadership and the next generation of the Goodale family that will return to take over the family business.

“My job will be complete when there’s another member of the family running this company,” he said.

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