Sealy & Company was founded in 1946 in Shreveport, Louisiana, when J. Pollard Sealy, Sr. established Sealy Realty Company to subdivide land and sell residential lots. Eighty years later, the firm is a fourth-generation, family-owned, fully integrated investment and operating platform. Its growth over that period reflects not a single breakthrough, but a consistent investment discipline applied and refined by each generation of leadership.
From Residential Lots to Commercial Investment
J. Pollard Sealy, Jr. joined the company in 1950 following his service in the U.S. Army. Drawing on a background in banking, he expanded the firm into general real estate brokerage, appraisals, and third-party property management.
In 1959, after more than a decade in residential lots, Sealy Realty redefined its business, moving into commercial, industrial, office, and multifamily investment. The firm began acquiring under-rented, multi-tenant properties in select southeastern markets at a discount to replacement cost, a strategy that continues to guide its acquisitions today.
The firm executed on that strategy quickly. By 1962, Sealy was developing Shreveport’s ShreveCity Shopping Center and had brokered the land assembly for the Western Electric plant site, now occupied by AT&T. Scott P. Sealy, Sr. joined the firm in 1968, and Sealy completed the sale of its first large portfolio shortly thereafter, marking its transition from individual properties to portfolio-scale investment. By 1974, the portfolio had grown to 3.9 million square feet across the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, supported by an expanding base of investors drawn from long-standing family relationships.
Focusing on Industrial
The third generation advanced the firm’s specialization. Mark P. Sealy joined in 1981, and Sealy concentrated its capital and expertise on industrial real estate, with a focus on warehouse and distribution properties.
In 1986, the firm acquired and sold a 3.9 million-square-foot portfolio, one of the largest industrial property transactions in the Southeast that year. The real estate downturn of the early 1990s presented challenges across the industry. Sealy maintained its course, holding to conservative underwriting, ownership, and management practices and remaining focused on the stewardship of its assets and investor capital.
Building the Platform
By 1997, the portfolio had grown to 5.6 million square feet, and Sealy completed the largest disposition in its history to that date: a 66-property, 4.7 million-square-foot portfolio across Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans, sold to First Industrial in an UPREIT-structured transaction. In 2001, the fourth generation joined the firm and began building an institutional-grade platform. Scott P. Sealy, Jr. and Michael P. Sealy helped establish regional offices in Nashville, San Antonio, and Atlanta, and the company added a development and construction division, a strategic leasing platform, and enhanced investment underwriting.
Between 2001 and 2017, the platform supported more than $1.36 billion in transaction volume, including two disposition programs in 2006 and 2007 totaling more than 7 million square feet. In 2012, Sealy launched its first refined investment structure, bringing greater consistency to capital management, acquisitions, and portfolio operations. Lauren Sealy Pettiette joined the firm in 2014, with a focus on operations, culture, and continuing education.
Discipline at Scale
Sealy continued to strengthen its risk framework, adding a further layer of enterprise risk management in 2018. In 2019, the firm completed the largest disposition in its history: more than 16 million square feet across 106 industrial buildings in 16 markets, in a transaction valued at $908 million.
That same year, Sealy earned Great Place To Work® Certification and was recognized by GlobeSt. as an Influencer in Industrial Real Estate. In 2020, the firm recorded more than $400 million in investment volume, and Mary Megan Sealy and Jonathon Sealy joined as members of the fourth generation. Sealy marked its 75th anniversary in 2021 with a refreshed brand identity. In 2022, the firm completed $631 million across 18 acquisitions, the highest annual acquisition volume in its history, adding more than 8.5 million square feet and entering six new markets.
Industry recognition followed. In 2023, Arlington Commerce Center 57 became the firm’s first property to earn the BOMA 360 Performance Program designation. In 2024, Sealy ranked No. 26 nationally on the Fortune Best Workplaces in Real Estate™ list, produced in partnership with Great Place To Work®. In 2025, the firm surpassed $3 billion in assets under management and completed its first filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Eighty Years Later
Today, in its 80th year, Sealy & Company manages more than $3.2 billion in assets across 27 U.S. markets.
“My grandfather founded this company subdividing land in Shreveport,” said Scott P. Sealy, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We have added a great deal to what he built, but the foundation has not changed: a business grounded in trust, discipline, and long-term relationships.”“Across four generations, our family has expanded the company’s markets, capabilities, and platform while maintaining the same commitment to disciplined investment and long-term ownership,” said Mark P. Sealy, President. “The story continues.”
The complete history is available at sealynet.com/about/our-history.
For more news and information regarding Sealy & Company, please visit the company’s website at www.Sealynet.com.
About Sealy & Company
Founded in 1946, Sealy & Company is a fourth-generation family-owned commercial real estate investment and operating company specializing in industrial and logistics properties. The firm acquires, develops, redevelops, manages and operates industrial real estate throughout the United States through a fully integrated platform that includes acquisitions, development, asset management, property management, construction management, and brokerage services. Sealy & Company currently manages more than $3 billion in assets and has completed over $8 billion in investment volume throughout its history.