Pictured from left are Nick DeGol, Bruno Degol Jr. and Bruno DeGol III. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

The DeGol Organization is truly a family affair, with more than 30 family members working for the organization, which got its start when Bruno and Lena DeGol purchased a small masonry plant in Gallitzin in 1950.

What Bruno and Lena started has evolved into a group of companies operating from numerous locations in the eastern United States.

The DeGol Organization, which marked 75 years in 2025, is the “management arm” of all of its companies, said Chief Executive Officer Bruno DeGol Jr.

There have been many important events over those 75 years, with one of the biggest being the founding of Seven D Wholesale of Gallitzin in 1972, according to COO Denny DeGol.

Seven D Wholesale, which today has seven locations, more than 1,000 customers and 125 employees, is a wholesale distributor of building materials.

“Wholesale is the largest part of our business,” Bruno DeGol Jr. said. “It is the lion’s share of the company — 65%.”

“Last year we sold more than 4,000 tractor trailer loads of roofing. We sell them in the mid-Atlantic area and the northeastern part of the United States,” Denny DeGol said. “Roofing is one of our largest items. We’ve done business over the years in every state east of the Mississippi.”

Another arm of the company, DeGol Carpet, was founded in 1975.

Dave DeGol is president and senior partner of DeGol Carpet, and has offices in Duncansville and Philadelphia.

“We buy and install mainly commercial and some residential floor coverings. He has done work at Penn State, West Virginia and other schools and hospitals,” Bruno DeGol Jr. said. “He signed a contract with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, a five year contract for $75 million to install floor coverings.”

“It has been a nice revenue producer,” said Executive Chairman Don DeGol.

In 1982, the DeGol family acquired the Scotch Valley Country Club, now regarded as one of the premier golf facilities in Pennsylvania.

In 1990, Seven D Industries/Truss Division was founded by Bruno DeGol Jr. It was sold about 10 years ago.

“It was in our best interests to get out of that business,” Bruno DeGol Jr. said.

In 1994, Seven D Industries, which made vinyl windows, was established.

About 100 employees work at the window division, which was retooled about five years ago by utilizing automation.

“With automation, we are building more windows with less people,” Bruno DeGol Jr. said.

In August 2025, the family agreed to have Bruno Jr.’s children (Bruno III, Nick, Andrew and Cristina) acquire Seven D Industries and rename it Seven D Window and Door.

Community engagement

Another major development in 1994 was the establishment of the Bruno and Lena DeGol Family Foundation to further philanthropic activity.

One of the foundation’s first endeavors was a $2 million donation to the Saint Francis University Capital Campaign, enabling the school to construct a new gymnasium — the DeGol Arena. In keeping with their goal to assist in educational endeavors, the foundation annually awards $15,000 in scholarships to college-bound high school seniors.

Saint Francis congratulated the DeGol Organization on 75 years of business excellence.

“This milestone reflects a lasting commitment to service and leadership within our region. Years ago, Father Christian Oravec, my predecessor of happy memory, spoke fondly of his relationship with the DeGol family, a fine relationship the university enjoys to this day,” President Malachi Van Tassell said. “We ask God to continue to bless the DeGol family as they mark this meaningful anniversary. Saint Francis University remains deeply grateful for their continued generosity, which has strengthened our mission and expanded opportunities for our students over many years.”

Over the years, the DeGols have been major contributors to the construction of a new community center in Gallitzin (The DeGol Plaza), the Northern Blair County Recreation Center in Tipton, the UPMC Altoona Foundation (Breast Health Center), the DeGol Center for Chemistry at Saint Francis University and countless other capital improvement projects throughout the region.

“Our father felt the success of our companies came from the people of Blair and Cambria counties, (so) he wanted to make charitable contributions to Blair and Cambria counties. I remember he said we started as a small company and they supported us and helped us grow,” Don DeGol said.

The foundation was selected as the winner of the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Philanthropy Award by the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation.

“The Bruno and Lena DeGol Family Foundation has been a wonderful supporter of charitable projects in our community providing both large and small donations since 1994. Their legacy of giving began long before that though, the family often funded projects quietly just because there was a need. In addition to funding, the family members give of their time to serve various organizations throughout the community,” said foundation CEO Jodi Cessna.

Always forward thinking

Another major development was the 2006 purchase of the former Samuel Rea Car Shops in Hollidaysburg, now the DeGol Industrial Center.

Bruno DeGol Jr. was the driving force, Don DeGol said.

“I served on the board of ABCD Corp. for about 19 years. When the car shops closed in 2000-01 it was a topic of discussion at every meeting. There were all kinds of environmental problems. Being on the board gave me some insight. Norfolk Southern was going to clean it up. It had been available for five years with no takers. Cleaning it up got my interest. I went to dad and asked him what he thought about the Samuel Rea shops. He said ‘Talk to your brothers. If you want to take a shot, go ahead.’ I was looking for another location for the truss plant. I could buy this and put the truss and window plants here,” Bruno DeGol said.

Bruno DeGol admitted the industrial center has been a challenge.

Today the building is completely full and is one of the largest privately owned rail car storage yards in the country, Bruno DeGol Jr. said.

The industrial center includes Seven D Window and Door, Mineral Manufacturing Corp., Curry Supply Co., Activated Carbon Innovation and Hollidaysburg Rail Car Services.

Hollidaysburg Rail Car Services was established in 2015, which has turned into a multiservice rail operation.The company now provides an area for transloading aggregate products from rail cars to trucks, offers many services to customers for repair and maintenance of the rail cars in storage and operates two locomotives for receiving and proper placement of incoming and outgoing rail cars.

Several companies also lease space. About 300 people work across the various companies.

“We are still in our infancy of what will happen here in the future,” Don DeGol said.

The DeGol Organization’s businesses have functioned as a catalyst for community and economic development, driving revitalization and enhancing the quality of life in our area, said Marty Marasco, retired president/CEO of Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation.

“They breathed new life into the former railroad car building and car repair shops in Hollidaysburg. This was a major undertaking, with millions of dollars invested in the complex that now supports numerous business operations and resulting employment opportunities for the area. The Degol Industrial Center’s rebirth is just one example of the many ways that the Degol Organization/family has touched our community and exemplifies the qualities of their leadership,” Marasco said.

The DeGol Organization has an international reputation for the type of businesses they have as part of their organization, said Joe Hurd, retired president/CEO of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce.

“Bruno and Lena DeGol raised their children to appreciate hard work and to support the businesses that are here and the people that work for those businesses. It is no surprise the DeGol Organization has been successful from the very start,” Hurd said.

Despite the many accomplishments, Bruno DeGol Jr. said “working as a family” is DeGol’s claim to fame. About 30 family members work for the organization today.

“We lost dad in 2009. The brothers got together and agreed we would continue to work hard and grow the company and continue our parents’ legacy and that’s what we are doing. We do this because of the opportunity our parents provided for us,” Don DeGol said. “Dad said his biggest accomplishment was his family.”

The Degol Organization is synonymous with the DeGol family and includes a nationally recognized group of affiliated broad-based business activities, Marasco said.

“The organization operates under many of the lessons that were instilled in family members by their mother and father — Bruno Sr. and Lena DeGol. They exhibited the values of hard work, sacrifice, determination and love of family and community,” Marasco said. “Their legacy lives on in the organization that has stepped up to foster meaningful community relationships.”

The brothers say hard work has contributed to their success.

“Having good people and hard work. We have a lot of good people working for our companies. In wholesale and carpet, 50 percent of our people have 25-plus years’ experience. We have a lot of good people who have been with us long term. The strength of our company is hard work and the people,” Denny DeGol said.

The DeGols are excited about the future.

“We are constantly on a growth pattern in all divisions,” Bruno DeGol Jr. said.

“We are working on a succession and transition plan. We are trying to get our company younger and we are doing that,” Denny DeGol said.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.

Today, the DeGol Organization is comprised of:

– Seven D Wholesale of Pa.

– Seven D Wholesale of Ct.

– Seven D Wholesale of Fla.

– Seven D Wholesale of Md.

– Seven D Wholesale of N.Y.

– DeGol Carpet

– Seven D Window and Door

– D Holdings

– Hollidaysburg Rail Car Services

– Scotch Valley Country Club

– DeGol Aviation