[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1562-S1563]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING R.J. CORMAN RAILROAD GROUP

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, from the early days of the steam-
powered locomotive to the modern era's high-speed rail, Kentucky's 
railroads have been at the heart of our Commonwealth's growth and 
development. Though railways are no longer our primary mode of 
transportation, they remain an essential ingredient of Kentucky's 
economic success, transporting the goods and resources that power our 
lives. The R.J. Corman Railroad Group, stationed out of central 
Kentucky, has been a driving force in propelling the rail industry 
forward. Today, I would like to recognize this organization's 
contributions to our Commonwealth on its 50th anniversary.

[[Page S1563]]

  The story of this Kentucky railroad empire begins in 1973 with my 
good friend and Nicholasville native, Mr. Rick Corman. It was just 
after high school when Rick founded his first business venture, R.J. 
Corman Railroad Construction, and, like its founder, the company hailed 
from humble beginnings.
  At 18 years old, Rick started out making track repairs for major 
railroads equipped with nothing more than a backhoe and a red dump 
truck. Thanks to his tireless work ethic and shrewd instincts, Rick 
grew his humble operation into what is now the R.J. Corman Railroad 
Group, a diversified portfolio of railroad companies. Rick would grow 
his business across 23 States, employ over 1,600 workers, and expand 
into a host of verticals that ranged from short-line railroad 
operations to emergency and natural disaster response.
  Amid some of our country's most horrific floods, blizzards, and 
hurricanes, Rick's team was on the ground to assist in recovery and 
cleanup efforts. When Hurricane Katrina struck the central Gulf and 
devastated railroad infrastructure across the South, Rick mobilized his 
emergency response crew to repair railways in record time.
  In his personal life, Rick and his company were avid donors to St. 
Joseph Hospital in Jessamine County, so much so that the hospital 
recognized Rick as its largest philanthropic donor. The hospital 
established the R.J. Corman Ambulatory Care Center in 2008, which 
continues to serve the community of Nicholasville to this day.
  Tragically, the company lost its seemingly unstoppable founder 10 
years ago to a hard-fought battle with multiple myeloma, a blood 
cancer. Rick was just 58. Despite his cancer diagnosis, Rick would 
continue to enjoy life, travel the world, and even run the Boston 
Marathon. To this day, his infectious laugh, warm demeanor, and 
irresistible spirit for life are deeply missed by his family and loved 
ones. In honor of Rick, the company and its employees contribute to the 
Richard J. Corman Multiple Myeloma Fund each year, which helps support 
research work at Harvard's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
  Despite losing its torchbearer, the company and Rick's legacy 
prevailed. R.J. Corman continues to operate as one of the leading 
railroad service providers in the U.S., serving all seven major 
railroads in North America. Most recently, the company added a 19th 
railroad to its wide-spanning portfolio. R.J. Corman's iconic red train 
cars are an unmistakable fixture of central Kentucky, and the company's 
impact on our Commonwealth continues to extend beyond its railway 
business.
  The company remains a worthy custodian of Rick's name and his legacy 
of generosity, compassion, and hard work. I am proud to honor this 
classic American success story and celebrate its many contributions to 
the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in 
recognizing R.J. Corman Railroad Group for 50 outstanding years.

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