[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 63 (Friday, April 12, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING FRANK RENDA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETH VAN DUYNE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 12, 2024

  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a great American 
success story that has taken place in the 24th Congressional District 
that I represent in North Texas As a member of the House Small Business 
Committee who represents countless job creators with growing 
businesses, I appreciate the role of our small business owners in 
creating opportunity and prosperity for North Texans. I rise to 
recognize one such company, Southland Holdings in Grapevine, Texas, 
which recently realized the American dream, starting as a family 
business and recently reaching the milestone of becoming publicly 
traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Oscar and Rudy Renda, Sr., and 
their three other brothers, along with their parents, immigrated to the 
United States from Italy in 1956. Sponsored by their uncle, Ernie 
Renda, a Pearl Harbor survivor and construction veteran, Ernie 
tirelessly worked to bring his family to America. The Renda brothers 
grew up influenced by their Uncle Ernie's strong work ethic and a 
profound passion for construction. Oscar embarked on his career as a 
high school coach and history teacher but always harbored a deep 
passion for construction instilled by Uncle Ernie. In 1974, he realized 
his dream by founding Oscar Renda Contracting (ORC). A year later, his 
brother Rudy joined him, and they began building small-diameter water 
and wastewater pipelines across the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, 
employing former high school students as their initial crew, many of 
whom remain with the company today.
  Over the next few years, ORC refined its expertise in constructing 
large-diameter water and wastewater conveyance pipelines and treatment 
plants. Much of the company's early experience centered around building 
projects for the City of Dallas. From this local experience, the 
company gradually expanded its operations with larger and more complex 
projects across Texas and neighboring states. Through these years, the 
next generation led by Frank and Rudy Renda gained invaluable 
experience working alongside skilled crew members from an early age. 
During their college years at Texas Tech University, Frank and Rudy 
crossed paths with Tim Winn, which further led to a discovery of shared 
goals, values, and aspirations that have been the foundation of 
Southland's success.
  Frank, Rudy, and Tim assumed control of the company in 1999, and the 
following year, entered a joint venture with Southland Contracting, 
established by Charlie Griffith in 1981. Charlie's unfortunate and 
premature death led Frank, Tim, Rudy, and Clay, Charlie's son, to 
assume leadership of the company, and in 2002, Oscar Renda Contracting 
acquired Southland Contracting. Their shared vision, unwavering 
commitment, and steadfast principles motivated them to establish 
Southland Holdings in 2006. Frank Renda assumed the role of CEO, while 
Rudy Renda and Tim Winn became co COO's. This strategic move laid the 
groundwork for the company's remarkable growth in the following decade. 
In the coming years, Southland Holdings welcomed Mole Constructors, 
Johnson Brothers Corporation, and American Bridge Company into the 
Southland Holdings family. This family of companies has accomplished 
remarkable feats in various sectors, including connecting the United 
States through transportation projects, establishing water pipelines 
and treatment facilities to transport water across vast regions, 
tunneling through challenging geological conditions, and contributing 
to the construction of some of the nation's most iconic structural 
landmarks.
  Once again, Frank, Rudy, and Tim achieved an ambitious goal, with 
Southland becoming publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under 
the ticker symbol SLND. On March 2, 2023, the three of them had the 
honor of ringing the bell at the NYSE, just a few miles away from where 
Frank and Rudy's ancestors immigrated into the country at Ellis Island. 
Frank remarked, ``Amidst the ringing of the bell and the applause, I 
couldn't help but feel a profound sense of gratitude, not only for 
myself and my partners, but also for our dedicated employees and our 
family that paved the way to this momentous occasion.''
  Today, Southland boasts nearly 3,000 employees across North America 
and the Bahamas. They have performed work in seven countries and 
thirty-eight states, generating approximately $1.2 billion in annual 
revenue. Frank expressed gratitude for the journey, emphasizing that it 
was only possible through hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and trust. 
The Southland family is building a construction legacy, carrying 
forward the values of the generations that came before them, and that 
is just the beginning of the Southland story.

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