[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 20 (Monday, February 24, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1432-S1433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO LAWRENCE GRESSETTE, JR.

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, in any State, there is a core group of 
businessmen and women who help promote and guide development and 
economic success. These are the people who serve as the leaders of the 
private sector, individuals who work in concert with elected officials 
to create jobs, opportunity, and growth. Lawrence Gressette, Jr., has 
been one such leader in South Carolina, and I rise today to pay tribute 
to him and the many contributions he has made in helping South Carolina 
become one of the fastest growing centers for commerce and industry 
anywhere in the Nation.
  Though Lawrence Gressette presides over one of the biggest 
corporations in our State, he did not begin his professional career 
with ambitions to become

[[Page S1433]]

a captain of industry. As a matter of fact, Mr. Gressette started out 
as a country lawyer, which is about as far away from corporate America 
as one can get.
  Born in rural St. Matthews, SC., Lawrence Gressette, Jr. was the son 
of a well-respected attorney who also served as one of the Palmetto 
State's most influential elected officials, State Senator L. Marion 
Gressette, Sr. Early on in life, Lawrence learned the importance of 
being a man of integrity and dedication, and he approached all his 
tasks with a keen sense of purpose. These characteristics have helped 
shape Lawrence's life and are a direct correlation to the many 
successes he has enjoyed. Whether it was during his days at Clemson, 
where he played football for the Tigers on scholarship and served as 
student body president; graduating first in his class at the School of 
Law at the University of South Carolina; building a successful practice 
as an attorney; or rising to the position of chairman and chief 
executive officer of the SCANA Corp., it was a commitment to hard work 
and honesty that paved the way for Lawrence Gressette to become one of 
the most influential and respected citizens of South Carolina.
  While he did not follow his father's footsteps into public service, 
Lawrence Gressette, Jr. has certainly been a public spirited person, 
and he has repeatedly lent his time, name, and efforts to many causes, 
all of which had the goal of making the Palmetto State an even better 
place to call home. A devoted family man, he served his Nation as an 
Infantry officer in the U.S. Army, he serves on several boards and 
committees throughout the State, and he is very active in his 
community. For his efforts, he has been recognized on several occasions 
with awards and commendations, and most significantly, he has been 
awarded two honorary degrees from colleges and universities in South 
Carolina.
  Mr. President, Lawrence Gressette, Jr., is about to step down as the 
head of the SCANA Corp. We are grateful for all his hard work and 
leadership in running not only one of our State's most important 
organizations, but for his commitment to helping make South Carolina 
one of the Nation's most economically dynamic States. We wish him great 
health and happiness in the years to come, as well as continued success 
in whatever endeavors he chooses to undertake.

                          ____________________