Senate Resolution No. 2833

BY: Senator GRIFFO

COMMEMORATING the 80th Anniversary of JAY-K
Independent Lumber, Corp.

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to commemorate
the long histories of certain family-owned business endeavors, which are
the cornerstone of economic success in this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 80th Anniversary of JAY-K Independent Lumber, Corp.; and

WHEREAS, Founded in 1937 by Joseph T. Kelly and Thomas Jones, JAY-K
Lumber has grown to be a full-service independent retail lumber and
building materials business; and

WHEREAS, The name JAY-K Lumber originated from the initials of the
co-founders, who had previously been in various businesses under the
names of Jones and Kelly and "Jonelly Contracting"; the Independent part
of the name came from the fact that JAY-K Lumber was not a member of a
monopoly or combine, which showed favoritism to select groups; and

WHEREAS, In 1938, the business moved to its present location, a
property that was owned by Joseph Kelly; three years later, Thomas Jones
sold his interest in the business to the Kelly family, and branch
lumberyards were opened in Sylvan Beach, Clinton, and Mohawk, New York;
and

WHEREAS, During World War II, JAY-K Lumber was engaged in defense
work; millwork shops in both New Hartford and Clinton made boxes for
rifles produced by the Savage Arms Company and Remington Arms Company;
with the return of veterans to the workforce following the war, it
expanded with the purchase of larger and more diverse trucks and updated
buildings to handle mechanized operations; and

WHEREAS, In the late 1940s, as the business continued to grow and
provide a family environment workplace for its employees, members of the
Teamsters and Carpenters Unions picketed JAY-K Lumber daily for seven
years in an attempt to organize; even though outside delivery trucks
were turned away, customers and employees remained loyal, and business
continued to expand; and

WHEREAS, On November 11, 1972, Joseph Kelly died, and the business
was succeeded by his three sons, Kevin, Christopher and Stephen; they
implemented the drive-through concept of retailing lumber with an
improved yard and signage, becoming one of the first yards in the
country to merchandise building materials using this method; and

WHEREAS, Over the next decade, JAY-K Lumber continued to improve,
with the installation of computers and the founding of Cabinet and
Cupboards, Inc. to merchandise kitchen cabinets; today, JAY-K Cabinet,
as it is now called, has stores in both New Hartford and Syracuse; and

WHEREAS, On August 25, 1978, a fire destroyed the building used to
store JAY-K Lumber's millwork; 12 volunteer fire companies worked
diligently to bring the fire under control without any serious injuries;
and

WHEREAS, Through the tireless efforts of its employees who cleaned
and guarded the open yard, business continued as usual the next morning;
and

WHEREAS, Throughout the 1980s, JAY-K Lumber added larger
drive-through buildings, a building office, additional store space, a
yard office, and a drive-up window; during this time, it also extended
store hours to include Sundays; and

WHEREAS, In 1988, JAY-K Lumber was proudly voted Business of the
Year by the Utica Area Chamber of Commerce; unfortunately, Stephen Kelly
passed away at the young age of 45 in 1989; and

WHEREAS, During the 1990s, JAY-K Lumber was the recipient of
numerous awards and accolades including Retailer of the Year by Building
Supply Home Centers; the business continued to make store and yard
improvements, and introduced the Lighting Department; in 1997, it
purchased Utica Paint and integrated it into the store; and

WHEREAS, Upon the retirement of Kevin and Christopher Kelly in 2000,
their sons, Dean and Jonas became the third generation to oversee JAY-K
Lumber; as President and Vice President respectively, they took over
store leadership in 2001, and reorganized with a new management team;
and

WHEREAS, In 2006, JAY-K Lumber was once again recognized as Business
of the Year by the Utica Area Chamber of Commerce, and received a 2006
and 2007 FastTrack 50 Award; in November of 2008, the CNY Retail Lumber
Dealers honored JAY-K Lumber as Retailer of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Today, top quality products, and personal and professional
service, continue to be the mainstays of JAY-K Lumber; contractors
depend on it for high-quality products, and retail customers depend on
it for exemplary customer service; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated to its community, JAY-K Lumber graciously
supports several local charitable organizations such as the United Way,
Oneida County Habitat for Humanity, the Stanley Theater Expansion Fund,
the St. Elizabeth Hospital Emergency Wing expansion, the Miracle Home
and other initiatives of Faxton/St. Luke's Healthcare; and

WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of President, Kevin Kelly,
and Vice President, Jonas Kelly, JAY-K Lumber looks forward to many more
years of continued excellence and growth serving the residents of the
City of Utica, and the surrounding areas; and

WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body
acknowledges this exceptional business and its contributions to the
local and State economies, fully confident that it will continue to
enjoy the sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 80th Anniversary of JAY-K Independent Lumber Corp.; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Kevin Kelly, President, and Jonas Kelly, Vice President,
JAY-K Independent Lumber, Corp.