Lifetime Achievement in Business: Ralph Manley

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Ralph Manley|ret||ret||tab|

It seems like Ralph Manley always has a smile on his face.|ret||ret||tab|

He attributes his positive attitude to World War II: surviving it, that is. |ret||ret||tab|

Manley served in the 101st Airborne Division of the Army as a demolitionist and was wounded six times. He still carries pieces of shrapnel in his body. His twin brother, Roland, was killed in Italy while fighting during the war. What Manley took away from the experience was a love of and appreciation for life.|ret||ret||tab|

"I'm so glad to be here, and to be free, that I never complain," Manley said. "The war had an indelible effect on me. All days are good. Some days are just better than others." |ret||ret||tab|

After the war, Manley got into the home building business.|ret||ret||tab|

"When I got home from the war, I wanted a home of my own," he said. "So I built one and later sold it. Then I built another one and eventually sold it, and so on."|ret||ret||tab|

It was Manley's grandfather who taught him the basics of building: how to measure and saw, as well as other essential skills.|ret||ret||tab|

Since then, he has built 18 different subdivisions in Springfield and more than 2,000 homes. His great-great-grandfather came to Springfield from Redding, Pa., and bought a section of land on the west side of town where Man-ley still lives. He later deeded the land to each of his sons as they one by one married and established homes on 40 acres. Manley repurchased the land years later as it became available.|ret||ret||tab|

"My grandparents raised me here, so it's home," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Manley met his wife of 51 years, Jayne, when he was a student at Drury University and she was a waitress at Taylor's Drive In. Manley has a master of business administration degree and a bachelor of arts de-gree from Drury.|ret||ret||tab|

The Manleys have three grown daughters Janell Man-ley, Jodell Manley and Jennifer Manley Davis two of whom are builders and developers like their father. Janell Manley has her own home building company while Jennifer Manley Davis is in business with her husband, home builder Skip Davis.|ret||ret||tab|

These days, Ralph Manley is serving on the City Council, is an elder at his church and continues to sell real estate out of his office on Battlefield Road.|ret||ret||tab|

"I built houses for 54 years," he said. "I stopped three years ago because I wanted to do some other things, and I had enough money to live on. But real estate has been exciting all my life. I'd do it all over again if I was a student just out of college."[[In-content Ad]]