Sam Azarian Sr. started the Azarian Companies in 1952.

Sam Sr. first joined the Army at only 15 years old, but when his parents found out two weeks later, they told the army his real age. He rejoined three years later at age 18. He made 72 jumps out of an aircraft all throughout Germany before being shot and wounded in battle. He returned to America and honed his entrepreneurial skills in several different businesses.

Early on, Sam Sr. developed a reputation as an honest, hardworking man with a very benevolent attitude toward the Racine Community. Sam dedicated vast amounts of work and money to local churches, schools, and youth groups. After business ventures of dredging, sewer work, and real estate development, Sam found his niche in what would become his bread and butter in the Demolition business.

Known in the early years as “ Sam’s Wrecking”, and later as “Azarian Wrecking”, Sam became an innovator in the demolition industry.

Azarian Wrecking was one of the first companies in the Midwest to utilize hydraulic excavators in the demolition work. With the “ wrecking ball & chain”, mentality behind, Sam Safely and efficiently completed projects of all sizes. From Demolition of one car garages to four story hospitals, Azarian wrecking did it all and still does to this day.

After Sam Sr. passed away in 1982, the company was in the hands of his 5 sons: Harry, Sam Jr, Rick, Tony and Steve. Tony Azarian lead the way in running Azarian Wrecking while Sam Jr. ran the cement company known as “Sam’s Cement”. Harry, Rick, and Steve were equipment operators and managed the job sites. Tony lead the way with hard work instilled by his father and kept all the brothers working together until his passing in 2000.

Sam Jr. was next in line and had to teach himself how to bid and operate Azarian Wrecking through his brother Tony’s notes. Azarian Wrecking faced many difficult years from 2000-2010, but the Azarian blood never gave up. Azarian Wrecking continues today and is finally becoming a stronghold again in the demolition business in southeastern Wisconsin. Sam Jr. is still in lead and is building the company back up to what it once used to be. Azarian Wrecking’s two main operators Tony Jr Azarian (Tony’s oldest son), and Anthony Azarian (Sam Jr’s oldest son ) lead the way on the job sites and have become the core of Azarian Wrecking.