It came to life again in early 1972 when Jesse Cooper and Gary Jost partnered with Pierce and Walker to form a drywall and plastering company based in Phoenix, Arizona. Their first project was an 18-story addition to Harrah's Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Since there wasn't time to secure a new Nevada license before starting the project, they decided to use AROK’s license.

In October of 1972, AROK was awarded its first major Arizona contract, the Metro Center Mall; a large, difficult job. Competitors called our price too cheap and the job too tough for a young new company. They predicted it would break us. With the help of a lot of good people doing a lot of hard work, the project was successfully completed well ahead of schedule.

The letters we received from the owner, architect, and general contractor, upon the completion of Metro Center, praised the work we did. Some excerpts from the letters: "Most cooperative and well coordinated sub-contractor --- Professional, well run organization--- people with the ability to understand the problems of a difficult job and able to conduct themselves on the highest level of good performance---the quality of workmanship is excellent, as was AROK's rapport with the other trades".

This was heady stuff for a company that had been in business for only eighteen months. It began the reputation for quality and service that has been the basis for all of our success since that time. This experience reinforced our philosophy that we accomplish nothing, no matter how well a job goes, if our customer doesn't want us back for their next project. This attitude has served us well.

In 1975 Jost and Cooper bought out Pierce and Walker. Jost and Cooper’s successful partnership lasted until Cooper decided to retire in 1984. From 1984 through 2000 Jost owned and operated AROK. Then, in 2001, Jesse Cooper’s oldest son, Jim, who had worked for the company since the Lake Tahoe project in 1972, took over ownership. Today, Jim’s sons, Brian and Brent, own and operate the company. Brian and Brent have been with the company since 1992 and 1994, respectively. Throughout the years, AROK has operated with the efficiency and integrity that have been an integral part of the company since its

inception.

For years AROK has shown its strength and flexibility, changing with our ever-fluctuating markets. We operated offices in Los Angeles in the 70's and 80's, Washington in the 90’s and Colorado in the late 90’s, closing them with the downturn in the area's economies. Though we’ve done plastering, sprayed fireproofing and painting over the years, our core focus has always been metal stud framing, drywall, and drywall finishing.