In 1952 my dad, John A. Joyner, brought home a rock from the Gilsonite mines of Bonanza, Utah, and, for the next five years, our chicken coop became a makeshift science lab – burning once or twice – until he finally converted that raw gilsonite into a liquid form and created the first asphalt sealer. That product actually rejuvenated the old and dried up asphalt. He registered the company as Gilsonite Manufacturing Company in 1957. Being the perfectionist that he was, he always had asphalt and our clients in mind in making a quality product – seeing that your asphalt needs have been well taken care of and doing the work with pride.

My father invented asphalt seal coating, and he was the first to apply it to blacktop as a rejuvenating water proofer. My first recollection of this work was in the winter of 1964 when he made a batch of sealer and we traveled to St. George, Utah, where the winter weather was not so severe. He sprayed down sample after sample area, but to no avail. Nobody knew what a great product they were getting. He finally got a butcher shop to allow us to seal their parking lot. We ate T-Bones until my mom wired us enough money to get home.

In 1988, I purchased the Gilsonite Company from my father for a mere $7,000 and a hand shake. He told me, “I’m not selling you much son, but I am selling you a reputation for Quality, Honesty, and Integrity; these things you cannot buy!” I have found these qualities not always to be conducive with selling/landing a job, but they are excellent for keeping customers and friends – qualities for staying in business for over 50 years.