[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              JIM CLAYTON

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
outstanding Tennessean, James L. Clayton, better known as Jim.
  Jim Clayton is the son of a sharecropper and was raised in West 
Tennessee. This impressive Tennessean has lived the American dream of 
Horatio Alger. From his most humble beginnings, he has gone on to 
become one of the wealthiest men in the United States. Mr. Clayton is 
the entrepreneur behind Clayton Homes, Inc., a $1.2 billion 
manufactured-housing company, which is one of Tennessee's great 
economic treasures.
  Last week, Warren Buffett, the widely respected head of Berkshire 
Hathaway, recognized what we in Tennessee have long known about the 
quality of Clayton Homes by offering $1.7 billion for the purchase of 
Clayton Homes' manufactured-home empire.
  Mr. Clayton has served as chairman of the board of Clayton Homes, 
Inc., since he founded the original Clayton auto sales companies in 
1956. In 1966, he expanded and branched out into manufactured housing 
and sold his automobile dealerships in 1981. The Clayton Homes 
corporate headquarters is located in the county of my hometown, Blount 
County, TN. Clayton Homes employs 2,500 Tennesseans who work in its 
sales centers and factories in excellent jobs. Thousands more 
Tennesseans are employed in good jobs as a result, direct and indirect, 
of Clayton Homes. And I am pleased to say that as a result of the 
negotiations, Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to leave Clayton Homes and 
its employees in Tennessee.
  I want to say a few words about Jim Clayton, who is a good and long-
time friend. Mr. Clayton received his college degree from the 
University of Tennessee in 1957 and his law degree from the University 
Of Tennessee College Of Law in 1964. He has received several honorary 
doctoral degrees and numerous business awards, including many Wall 
Street Transcript Gold Awards, Silver Awards, and a Bronze Award as the 
top chief executive in the manufactured-housing industry. Forbes, the 
business magazine, has named Clayton Homes, Inc., one of its 200 Best-
Managed Companies at least nine times. Clayton Homes has received the 
Platinum Award for being one of the top companies in the United States. 
Just this year, Worth magazine recognized Jim Clayton as one of 
Tennessee's wealthiest residents. Mr. Clayton's amazing story from 
sharecroppers' son to America's business elite can be found in his 
fascinating autobiography, First a Dream.
  Mr. President, not only is Jim Clayton outstanding in the business 
arena, he is also an outstanding member of the Knoxville, TN community. 
He has made generous contributions to many charitable causes, including 
$3.25 million for construction of the Knoxville Museum of Art; $1 
million for the University of Tennessee College of Law for its Center 
for Entrepreneurial Law; $1 million to start the Clayton Birthing 
Center at Baptist Hospital; and many grants to K-12 educational 
programs, most of which were given anonymously.
  Mr. Clayton also generously donates his time to various committees 
and community organizations that work to improve Knoxville and its 
surrounding communities.
  I know Mr. Clayton and count him as a friend. Despite his great 
wealth and success, I know him to be a warm and humble person. But my 
colleagues need not take the word of one of Mr. Clayton's friends. Many 
other Tennesseans have told me over many years of how helpful, kind, 
and approachable Mr. Clayton is, what a perfect gentleman he is. Mr. 
President, compliments do not get much better than that.
  Mr. President, this brief statement cannot capture all the strengths 
of Jim Clayton and his manifold good works for his employees, his 
customers, his community, and his State. I did want to bring to my 
colleagues' attention the accomplishments and legacy of Jim Clayton, 
and I am honored to recognize his contributions to Tennessee and 
America as a whole.

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