Series 1, consisting of boxes 1 through 54 , contains the personal business files of John William "Jack" Gallivan. Gallivan became publisher emeritus of the Salt Lake Tribune in 1984. He started working with the Tribune in 1937, following his graduation from Notre Dame. While publisher, Gallivan was responsible for assisting in the creation of the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) that governs the publication and relationship between both of Salt Lake's major newspapers, the Tribune and the Deseret News. During his 60-year career in the newspaper business, he helped to promote the development and renovation of the Salt Palace, Abravanel Hall, Capitol Theatre, the Bicentennial Arts Center and the city park that bears his name. He also figured prominently in Salt Lake City's bid for the 1972 Winter Olympics, initiating a process that ultimately resulted in the city's selection to play host to the highly successful 2002 Winter Games. Gallivan also was a co-founder of the cable television company Tele-Communications Inc.

The original filing organization and titles, from the donor, were maintained in this series.