[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 5, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO ROGER MILLIKEN

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                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 5, 2011

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, South Carolina has lost a 
titan of industry and a visionary to establish the modern Republican 
Party with the loss of Roger Milliken of Spartanburg.
  On this historic day of swearing-in the largest number of Republican 
Congressmen from South Carolina is more than 130 years, it is fitting 
to recognize the benefactor of establishing the two-party system in our 
state with an editorial from The Spartanburg Herald-Journal published 
December 31, 2010.

 Roger Milliken Left His Imprint on Most Aspects of Life in the Upstate

     enduring legacy
       No one in the 20th century had the impact on Spartanburg 
     that Roger Milliken did.
       The businessman, philanthropist, political mover and 
     conservationist, who died Thursday, affected most aspects of 
     life in the Upstate.
       Spartanburg has the business climate it enjoys today 
     because of Milliken. He saw the potential in this area and 
     brought his corporate headquarters and his research center 
     here. Milliken's presence and leadership led to the 
     tremendous investment that European textile equipment 
     manufacturers made in Spartanburg, and that international 
     presence helped bring BMW here.
       Milliken doggedly fought to protect the nation's textile 
     industry and American jobs from foreign competition. At the 
     same time, he rebalanced his own business to adjust to world 
     markets, finding new areas in which to compete. His foresight 
     included knowing when to step down from the leadership of his 
     company and paving the way for it to continue without him.
       Milliken was a political leader, supporting candidates in 
     local, state and national politics. Long before South 
     Carolina enjoyed its early spot in the presidential primary 
     season, national candidates came to Spartanburg, raising the 
     community's profile, because of the need to secure Milliken's 
     support.
       He invested in the educational life of this community. 
     Wofford and Converse colleges would not be the institutions 
     they are today without his generous support. He helped found 
     Spartanburg Day School.
       Milliken recognized that this region would need first-class 
     air transportation to compete with other areas and attract 
     industry. He helped establish Greenville-Spartanburg 
     International Airport, and the airport commission, for the 
     first time in its more than 50-year history, now has to look 
     for a new chairman. It would be appropriate for the airport 
     to be renamed in Milliken's honor.
       He also left his mark on Spartanburg in a very visible way. 
     He was passionate about trees, creating arboretums at his 
     research center and on the Wofford campus. His Noble Tree 
     Foundation has helped to improve the environment in many 
     cities.
       One of Spartanburg's most popular parks is not a public 
     park at all. It is the grounds of the Milliken Research 
     Center, a beautiful landscape planted with a multitude of 
     diverse trees. It has been open to the public so that 
     generations of Spartanburg families have been able to enjoy 
     feeding ducks at the pond or walking the sunny grounds.
       Many wealthy businessmen focus on building their companies, 
     their wealth and their power. Milliken was accomplished in 
     these areas, but he also focused on building this community 
     and region.
       His legacy includes the education and transportation 
     systems we rely on today, an economic climate that enabled 
     Spartanburg to weather the loss of the textile industry and 
     even much of the beauty of this community.
       Milliken left instructions that his epitaph would read 
     simply, ``Builder.'' It is accurate. More than anyone else in 
     the previous century, Roger Milliken built Spartanburg.

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