[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6161-6162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          HONORING O.D. McKEE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ZACH WAMP

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2001

  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, Many folks would have turned a little faint at 
the thought of trying to start a business during the depths of the 
Great Depression in the 1930s.
  But not O.D. McKee.
  ``O.D.,'' as he was known to his many friends and admirers, believed 
that he could be successful in the baking business. And he and his 
wife, Ruth, were not afraid to work hard.
  Together they built a small bakery into a giant business with 5,000 
employees and

[[Page 6162]]

plants in three states. I am proud that O.D. and Ruth McKee, who died 
in 1995 and 1989, were citizens of the 3 rd District of Tennessee. And 
I am very thankful that their company, McKee Foods Corporation, 
headquartered in Collegedale, TN, near Chattanooga, continues to be an 
important and vibrant corporate citizen of the 3rd District.
  It is entirely fitting that the company has dedicated the O.D. McKee 
Conference Room at the company's plant in Collegedale.
  The McKees and their family typify the values of people who are 
successful as business leaders--and human beings--in America. They had 
dreams, drive and determination as they built McKee Foods and its 
``Little Debbie'' Snack cakes and other products into internationally 
recognized symbols of quality.
  In the early years, the company operated out of a plant on Main 
Street in Chattanooga. But later, the McKees sold out and moved to 
Charlotte, N.C., and began another operation there. ``O.D.'' personally 
designed that plant, which contained many innovations that put it well 
ahead of its time. In the 1950s, the McKees repurchased the Chattanooga 
business from Ruth's brother. In 1960, they introduced the ``Little 
Debbie'' brand.
  Their operations were--and are--a model for what a good company 
should be. O.D. and Ruth were true partners in the business. He 
supplied the vision and sales skills that helped to build the company. 
She contributed down-to-earth, practical business sense, managing many 
aspects of the bakery's operations, particularly in the early years. At 
a time when this kind of arrangement was not very common in American 
business, they drew equal salaries. Today, their company continues to 
be based on trust and mutual respect among all employees. It is a major 
part of the economy in Southeast Tennessee. In addition to the facility 
in Collegedale, it has plants in Apison, Tenn.; Gentry, Ark., and 
Stuarts Draft, Va., and markets its products in all 50 states, Canada, 
Puerto Rico and U.S. military bases worldwide.
  Truly, it is fitting that we pause to honor O.D. McKee and the 
wonderful legacy he and his wife, Ruth, built.

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