[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H114-H115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF WILLIAM WALLACE SPRAGUE, JR.
(Mr. CARTER of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute.)
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay respect to William
Wallace Sprague, Jr., who peacefully passed away last week at the age
of 89.
Mr. Sprague was born on November 11, 1926. He served 2 years in the
United States Navy during World War II, and he graduated with a degree
in mechanical engineering from MIT and Yale in 1950.
From 1972 to 1994, he was chairman of the board and the CEO of
Savannah Foods and Industries, which was the maker of Dixie Crystals
sugar. Under his leadership, Savannah Foods grew from a small regional
sugar refinery to a major national sugar company and a Fortune 500
member. In fact, from 1980 to 1990, Savannah Foods was number two in
total returns to shareholders with a total return of 4,862 percent.
Over the years, he also served as the director of several national
and international associations. In 1999, he was inducted into the
Georgia Southern University's Business Hall of Fame.
He was very involved in the Savannah community, serving as director,
trustee, or president for numerous community organizations, and he also
worked to improve the lives of people in the community in which he
lived.
His passion for life, his sense of humor, and his enthusiasm for
making Savannah, Georgia, a better place will truly be missed. My
thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
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