[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 21, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9777-S9778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     
     
                             TRIBUTE TO JAMES W. RANE
     
      Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I am pleased to speak today about 
     the profound impact of Mr. James W. Rane, a fellow Alabamian with many 
     contributions to our great country and my home State of Alabama.
       Jimmy has had an impressive career as a renowned businessman. Jimmy 
     is
     
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     the chairman, president, and CEO of Great Southern Wood Holdings, a 
     company with a diverse portfolio operating in the areas of building 
     supplies production, manufacturing and distribution, sawmill 
     operations, and transportation and logistics through trucking 
     operations.
       Among the family of companies is Great Southern Wood Preserving, the 
     producers of YellaWood pressure-treated pine products. In 1970, after 
     acquiring a single facility with a few pieces of equipment in his 
     hometown, Jimmy Rane started his company. Today, Great Southern Wood 
     Preserving and its subsidiaries operate in 37 distribution locations 
     from the Florida Keys to Texas to Canada, as well as much of the 
     Caribbean and Latin America, and part of the European Union, 
     Mediterranean region, and China.
       Born in 1946, Jimmy grew up in Henry County in southeast Alabama. He 
     attended Auburn University where he received a bachelor of science 
     degree in business administration and graduated from the Cumberland 
     School of Law at Samford University. Later, he successfully completed 
     multiple business related programs at the Harvard Business School.
       Jimmy is actively involved in many civic and educational 
     organizations. He serves on the board of trustees of Auburn University 
     and his local church and is on the board of directors of the Henry 
     County Historical Group. He is also an honorary member of the Auburn 
     Letterman's Association. From 1973-1977, Jimmy Rane served as a Henry 
     County judge and is a member of both the Alabama Bar Association and 
     the American Bar Association. In 2009, he was inducted into the Alabama 
     Independent School Hall of Fame. Jimmy was named by the Alabama 
     Broadcasters Association as its Citizen of the Year in 2014. 
     Additionally, he was named by the Dothan Landmarks Foundation, Inc., as 
     the recipient of its 2017 Heritage Award, and he was recognized by the 
     Boy Scouts of America Greater Alabama Council in March 2018 as a Heart 
     of the Eagle honoree. He serves on the Alabama Heritage Foundation 
     board of directors and is a member of the International Institute of 
     Strategic Studies.
       A long-time advocate for the positive role of sports in developing 
     character and leadership lessons, Jimmy was selected by the Alabama 
     Sports Hall of Fame as their 2018 Distinguished American Sportsman and 
     was inducted into the organization during an April 2018 ceremony. In 
     May 2018, he received the Johnny Stallings Award, recognizing his work 
     on behalf of those with special needs.
       Additionally, as the president of his foundation, Jimmy actively 
     works to raise money to fund college scholarships for deserving 
     students. More than 560 students have received college scholarships 
     since its inception in 2000.
       Jimmy's business acumen and his commitment to giving back to his 
     community are to be commended. I appreciate all that he has done on 
     behalf of Alabama and the many ways he has shared his success with 
     others. Jimmy will leave Alabama better than he found it, and for that, 
     I am grateful.
     
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