Message From Our Founder
"After four years with the Air Force during World War II, Lt. Col Armour Anderson was released from active duty and returned to civilian life. Born and raised in Twin Falls, he desired to plant his roots in Idaho. Armour discussed his options with a local businessman Jim Winterholer. Jim had owned a distribution company just before the war, but the lack of paper put it out of business. They knew that a business need was still there, and decided to partner together to start a new company. The new business would use the existing facilities of the J.J. Winterholer Company, office, and warehouse. Armour would be in charge of purchasing, selling, and delivery, and Jim would provide the storage, office, and bookkeeping.
June 1st, 1946, they opened their doors with inventories of janitorial and housekeeping supplies. On September 1st, they incorporated using the name of "Gem State Paper Company," visualizing that they would expand throughout Idaho and the Intermountain West. Paper products were added as they came off of allocation and by the year's end, Gem State Paper Company was a full line distributor of institutional supplies featuring janitorials, paper products, disposables, sanitary products, and institutionals."
—Armour Anderson
