[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 101 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8999-S9000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       THE PASSING OF BUCK MICKEL

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, as the Senate conducts its 
business today, South Carolina mourns the passing of one of its 
greatest citizens. Buck Mickel, a man who stands as a giant in the 
history of the Carolina Upstate, passed away Thursday morning, July 23. 
One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been my long friendship 
with Buck. I count it a privilege to have known him and to have learned 
from his example.
  Every moment of Buck's 72 years was spent in dynamic enterprise and 
productive activity. He was a tireless dynamo, a man whose vigor and 
energy was rivaled only by his bold ideas, humanitarian impulses, and 
sincere humility. No simple description of Buck does justice to the 
scope of his activities or the importance of his full life to the lives 
of everyone who lives in the Upstate.
  Buck was a savvy businessman. When he took the reins of Daniel 
Construction Company in the early 1960s, he steered it from its 
position as a successful, regional business to a thriving, global 
company. By the time he retired from active management of the company 
in 1987, he had expanded Daniel Construction's business, taken it 
public in 1969, and merged it with Fluor Corporation in 1977 to create 
today's construction and engineering giant, Fluor Daniel Corporation. 
In the meantime, he created thousands of jobs for South Carolinians and 
other Americans and helped lead the way in the creation of overseas 
operations for U.S. companies.
  In fact, after Buck ``retired'' (any use of this word in connection 
with Buck Mickel must be taken with more than a grain of salt) in 1987, 
he continued to travel the world to help groom young Fluor managers for 
eventual leadership within the company.
  Leadership was the theme of Buck Mickel's extraordinary life. His 
sense of duty and responsibility, with the recognition that he was a 
natural-born leader if ever there was one, informed every aspect of 
Buck's life.
  Buck's prodigious achievements as a businessman and his famed savvy 
qualify him as a great success on their own.

[[Page S9000]]

 Les McCraw, who succeeded Buck as head of Fluor, summed up Buck's 
position in his field. ``To say that he was a giant in the construction 
industry is a gross understatement,'' Mr. McCraw said. ``He clearly was 
one of the all-time leaders in that industry and had been for 40 
years.''
  But Buck's friends know his greatest passion was not commerce. He was 
consumed by a desire to enrich and expand the economic and cultural 
life of South Carolina, and he devoted every waking minute to those 
twin tasks. Robert Royall, South Carolina's Secretary of Commerce, said 
Buck ``loved South Carolina as much as anyone I have ever known and 
contributed more to developing the state than anyone in my lifetime. . 
. . He was constantly thinking about ways to help the state.''
  Buck stayed in regular contact with almost everyone in public life in 
South Carolina. I spoke to him just last week, and as always, he was 
spinning ideas about how to help the state. In fact, Mr. President, the 
universal reaction among public figures in South Carolina since Buck's 
death has been disbelief. It's just hard to believe that a man so 
vital, so full of ideas and concern for others, could pass from among 
us. It may take awhile for us to realize the full import of his death, 
but when we do, I believe Buck's death will hit us as hard as any in 
our state's history.
  Highest on the list of Buck's achievements is the revitalization of 
downtown Greenville, SC, and the tremendous development of the region's 
economy. As the Greenville News wrote, Buck ``put his imprint on 
virtually every civic project in Greenville for almost half a 
century.'' Buck was instrumental to Greenville's building its Peace 
Center for the Performing Arts, which has won national acclaim as a 
venue for the live arts; restoring numerous dilapidated buildings in 
Greenville proper; luring important businesses back to the downtown 
area; and raising funds for a new sports arena. These developments have 
transformed Greenville in a way impossible to imagine if you haven't 
lived there, Mr. President.
  Of course, Buck's beneficence and energy were by no means limited to 
Greenville. He helped attract Michelin, BMW, and other international 
businesses to the state. Buck supported secondary education--his 
support helped make the Governor's School for the Arts possible--and 
higher education. He and his wife, Minor, were active with Furman, 
Clemson, and Wofford Universities, as well as with the University of 
South Carolina. Buck rose from humble origins and relied on a 
scholarship to Georgia Tech University, so he knew the importance not 
only of education but of financial support for those in need of aid. He 
and his wife gave generously of their time and money to South Carolina 
colleges and endowed many scholarships.
  Buck Mickel's life has touched almost every life in my state. Because 
Buck was so humble and modest, most of those he helped do not even 
realize the debt they owe him. With Buck Mickel's passing, South 
Carolina has lost one of its greatest civic and business leaders. Quite 
honestly, Mr. President, I don't know how we will replace him.

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