M S International, Inc. (MSI) announced that after a 47-year career as founder and CEO, Manu Shah is retiring. He will will retire with the title CEO emeritus and will serve to advise and coach leaders at MSI, including his two sons Raj and Rup Shah. Co-Presidents Raj and Rup Shah have been promoted to co-CEO, the company said. 

Manu Shah's career journey began with humble beginnings in India as the youngest of nine children. At the age of 22, he set out to pursue the American dream. A year later, in 1968, he received a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. A few years later, in 1971, he married his wife Rika, creating the ultimate dream team.

In 1975, the power couple formed MSI in the basement of their home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Working as an engineer during the day and on MSI at night, while their children Raj and Rup were sleeping, Manu Shah diligently started exporting microprocessors and memory chips. When exporting dried up, he began importing granite. By 1982, the Shahs completed a contract to supply the granite for the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

A year later, Manu Shah quit his job as an engineer to dedicate his full-time efforts to MSI, becoming the CEO. In 1984, Shah moved his family and MSI to Southern California so the company could be close to a port city. Within a short year, MSI surpassed $1 million in annual revenues, and in 1987, the company opened its first MSI Warehouse in Santa Fe Springs, California. The company is now headquartered in Orange, California.

“Success is a never-ending journey, it’s like climbing a mountain," said Manu Shah. "When you reach the top of the summit and look below, you forget all the pain it took you to reach the top. You see the beautiful surroundings below and look forward to the other mountains yet to climb… You have to keep climbing, sometimes fast [and] occasionally slow, and start fresh every day. Thank you, Team MSI for continuing our mission of making dream surfaces attainable. I look forward to this company growing forever.”

After trials and tribulations, the Shah’s have built a successful organization with $2.8 billion in revenue, supporting the lives and livelihoods of more than 3,000 employees worldwide. As a top private company in the United States, the company has more than 45 showrooms and distribution centers in greater North America. As a top 20 importer in the U.S., MSI features 10 product lines with thousands of on-trend products. While Shah has had much success over the last 47 years, he said he has never lost focus of philanthropic efforts and giving back to the community locally and globally. 

“We look forward to continuing to build MSI using all of the lessons and tools our parents have provided us,” said MSI Co-CEO Raj Shah.

“We would like to thank our parents for guiding us and assure them we will continue their vision for MSI,” added Co-CEO Rup Shah.

Read more about the company's philanthropic efforts here.