[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO FRED R. JOHNSON OF ROME, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 1, 1927 TO OCTOBER 
                                10, 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB BARR

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Rome, Georgia has lost one of its 
finest citizens. Frederick Ross (Fred) Johnson, a native of Floyd 
County, Georgia passed away on October 10, 2001. Fred attended 
Darlington School in Rome, and was a graduate of Auburn University and 
the Institute of Insurance Marketing at SMU.
  Fred entered the Life Insurance Business in December 1949. He quickly 
became known as ``icon'' in the insurance industry, throughout Georgia, 
and nationally. As general agent, he developed the Rome-based Piedmont 
Agency into one of the largest life insurance agencies in the country. 
The Piedmont Agency was Georgia International's Agency of the Year for 
an unbelievable 30 consecutive years. His brother and partner in the 
Piedmont Agency, Bob Johnson, describes Fred as someone who loved a 
challenge and was very competitive. According to Bob, ``if the tree was 
the tallest, he wanted to get to the top.'' In an interview several 
months before his death, Fred said he believed the secret to selling 
life insurance, or anything else, was to get up in the morning with the 
resolution to follow through. He was the author of, ``The Secret of 
Selling Life Insurance,'' a training tool for agents, published earlier 
this year by New York Life Insurance Company.
  Fred was a Director of the Rome Bank and Trust Company, and a member 
and current trustee at First Presbyterian Church. He served on the 
Board of Directors of Hand and Associates in Houston, Texas, and was a 
member of the Coosa Country Club. He was active in many other 
professional and community activities; and had a lifelong passion for 
politics. Fred Johnson was a fine family man, and a true friend to all 
in his community, including, thankfully, me. We will miss him.

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