About Us

UBS Proudly Serving The Construction Industry for Three Generations

Harold A. O'Callaghan Sr., a mechanical engineer and graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, established Universal Builders Supply in 1931. Harold had previously been employed by Con Edison as an engineer and then by Wickwire Spencer Steel Company where he sold steel products to the greater  metropolitan construction market, such as reinforcing mesh and other specialty items.  His most memorable job was one of the few jobs in New York City at the time, The Empire State Building.

R.A. (Tony) O'Callaghan joined the company in 1954 after receiving his B.A. from Columbia University. Early in his career, Tony opened UBS offices in Cairo, Egypt, Jeddah, Saudia Arabia and Tehran.  He introduced the most modern techiques for shoring and forming of concrete buildings on a number of major projects in the Middle East.  His most memorable project was working on The Statue of Liberty.  UBS designed and installed scaffolding around The Statue of Liberty in 1984.  Along with the scaffolding that made the 'Guinness Book of World Records' as the "Largest Freestanding Scaffold In The World", UBS designed, fabricated and installed the special crane in the highest corner tower which safely lifted the old ailing torch to the ground.

Kevin O'Callaghan, B.A. Trinity College, has been President and CEO since 1991. Kevin began his career in the construction industry in 1983 working with HRH Construction and subsequently, Hunter & Partners, before joining UBS in 1986.  During Kevin's reign, UBS opened offices in the UK, Canada and the DC Metro area.  His most memorable projects include: AOL Time Warner Headquarters NYC, The Washington Monument and Grand Central Terminal.