[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 180 (Thursday, December 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H6374-H6375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING UNITED INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, before I got into the political arena, I was 
in the family construction and development business. It was seldom that 
I ever heard of or witnessed a company that stayed in business for 20, 
50, or 70 years, and especially not 100 years.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate United Infrastructure Group, a 
South Carolina company that has done just that. It has been a 
successful business

[[Page H6375]]

for 100 years, performing outstanding work in engineering, 
construction, alternative project delivery, and service.
  United Infrastructure Group, or UIG, was founded in 1924 by Frederick 
Triplett as a partnership named Small and Triplett Construction 
Company. The company began construction of its first bridge in 
Morristown, Tennessee, then continued in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and 
the two Carolinas.
  The company completed its first major bridge project in 1926 in 
Chester County, South Carolina, carrying SC-9 over the Catawba River to 
replace the existing ferry. For the next 20 years before his death, 
Frederick served as a pioneer in the bridge construction industry. His 
legacy continues in his two sons, Fred and Tom.
  An innovator and inventor, Fred graduated from Clemson College in 
1948 with a civil engineering degree and began working in his father's 
business. He was known for designing and building overhead gantry 
cranes used on bridge projects during the 1950s and the 1960s.
  In 1976, he was named Employer of the Year for South Carolina for 
modifying a crane with hand controls to assist a disabled veteran and a 
former crane operator.
  His other son, Tom, like his father, was respected by his 
contemporaries for his contributions to the construction industry and 
local, State, and Federal organizations, but one of his most memorable 
characteristics was being an avid American patriot. His legacy lives on 
with his son, Jim Triplett, who is an American patriot in his own right 
and is the current chief executive officer of the United Infrastructure 
Group, Inc.
  Many in the industry regard Jim as a top professional in his field 
and one who has had a major impact on the highway industry in the 
Carolinas as a leader in bridge construction and design-build delivery 
for over 30 years. He began working for his father at age 9 in 1974. He 
received his bachelor of science in computer engineering from Clemson 
University in 1986. He practiced structural engineering with Ralph 
Whitehead & Associates until 1992, when he returned to work at United 
Contractors. In 1995, Jim acquired the majority interest of the company 
and later acquired several other former Triplett companies to unify the 
companies into a single entity.

  The United Infrastructure Group prides itself on fostering growth and 
diversity in resources and disciplines by developing and motivating 
exceptional leaders in a Christian environment to achieve excellence by 
every standard of measure. Their commitment to not only producing 
excellent work but excellent people has left a lasting impact on South 
Carolina. The growth of their family business represents the heartbeat 
of the American Dream.
  On behalf of the Fifth District of South Carolina, it is my most 
sincere pleasure to recognize the United Infrastructure Group for 100 
years of outstanding service. The United Infrastructure Group and the 
Triplett family have set the gold standard, a century of dedicated 
service and commitment for which they will long be remembered. For 
that, I hope you will all join me in celebrating this momentous 
occasion.

                          ____________________