Acoustics & Specialties was originally founded in 1939 by Mr. Buchanan. At its inception, Acoustics & Specialties was a dealer for fiberboard insulation made by Acousti-Celotex Corporation. The company was originally headquartered in New Orleans, LA and had an exclusive dealer territory of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and West Tennessee.
In the late 1940s and early 1950’s, Celotex and its dealers were fueled with growth from the post World War II era construction and expansion. It was then that Acoustics & Specialties started opening branch offices throughout its territory. Mr. Buchanan’s Memphis branch was being operated by Don J. Carmouch during the mid 1940s. The office location was 656 Marchall Avenue. In 1950, Buchanan and Carmouch hired James “JW” Hankins. Hankins whetted his appetite for construction while briefly working of a local general contractor. While working for that GC, Hankins met and built a relationship with Don Carmouch. Carmouch offered him the opportunity to advance and he took the chance and joined A&S. In his early years, Hankins was tasked with growing the Memphis branch and eagerly accepted the challenge. Over the period of approximately a decade, he slowly grew the business in the Bluff City.
In approximately 1962, Mr. Hankins was awarded the contract for the acoustical ceilings for the new 25 story headquarters building of First Tennessee Bank at 165 Madison Avenue in downtown Memphis. It was this project that was both the catalyst for growth of the Memphis office and the change of ownership from Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Jim Hankins. At this same time, Mr. Buchanan’s health rapidly deteriorating, Hankins boarded a train and headed to New Orleans to strike a deal to buy the Memphis territory from Buchannan. In the mid 1960s, Jim Hankins purchased the Memphis territory and began operating as a stand-alone company separate and apart from the now defunct New Orleans office and other branches.
In the 1970s, Celotex Corporation launched a new product known as “isocyanurate foam ceiling tile”, which was what has evolved into present day acoustical ceiling tile. This product changed the acoustical ceiling industry and spurred the growth of Acoustics & Specialties significantly. Mr. Hankins’ son, Mike, joined the company straight out of University of Tennessee in the 1968. In the mid 70s, United States Gypsum corporation introduced its own line of acoustical ceiling products and came calling on Mike and Jim for their business. Their young sales rep, Mr. Edward King, was effective enough to convince them to relinquish their exclusive Celotex product line in favor of USG’s new product offerings.
In less than two years, Mr. King joined Acoustics & Specialties as a project manager and estimator. Mike Hankins and Ed King, despite their very different personalities and styles, worked effectively together under Mr. Hankins’s direction to successfully maintain their elite status of the preferred acoustical ceiling contractor in the Memphis area. Slowly Mike and Ed acquired Mr. Hankins’s membership interest until they owned it outright and were 60/40 partners. The Company was led by this duo for the next 15 years until 2004 when Mike elected to move out of Memphis and to Knoxville, home of his beloved UT Volunteers. Mike sold his interest to Ed, who continued to operate the Company as sole owner until 2009. Having had a successful career and wanting to enjoy the fruits of his labor, Ed sought out and found a suitable successor, William Roark, close friend of King’s eldest son. In 2009, Roark acquired King’s ownership and continues the Acoustics & Specialties legacy today.