[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2929-2930]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING JAMES LAWRENCE ROSE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
individual who worked tirelessly to strengthen Kentucky's economy 
through his contributions to the coal and the banking industries. James 
Lawrence ``Jim'' Rose of Lexington, KY, passed away on December 19, 
2011. He was 73 years old. Although Mr. Rose may not be with us today, 
the legacy he has forged throughout his lifetime will carry on for many 
years to come.
  Jim Rose was born in Clay County, KY, but received his education in 
the small town of Berea, where he graduated from the Berea Foundation 
High School and Berea College before completing his education at the 
University of Kentucky in Lexington. Jim was passionate about education 
and made it a priority for himself, and he set out to make it one for 
the youth of the Commonwealth as well. He was in large part responsible 
for the project to construct Lexington Christian Academy's 75-acre 
``Rose Campus'' in Lexington, KY.
  Although Mr. Rose was involved in all sorts of different business 
aspects, his most noted business accomplishments were those in the 
banking and coal industries. Mr. Rose returned to Clay County and 
started a small coal company in 1959. Over the next three decades, his 
business would receive numerous national awards for conducting the best 
mining rescues and operating the safest mines in the United States, and 
the company would eventually grow to be one of the top three producers 
of coal in the State of Kentucky upon his retirement in 1993.
  Mr. Rose made tremendous strides in the world of banking as well. He 
formed a bank holding company in his hometown of Manchester, KY; the 
town served as the site where Jim would also open his first bank in 
1978. He went on to open seven more banks throughout central and 
southern Kentucky. Mr. Rose was an exceptional consultant

[[Page 2930]]

and manager, and under him the many banks he had acquired flourished.
  We are all undoubtedly aware that Mr. Rose made a permanent mark on 
the economy of Kentucky, but let us not forget today that Jim was first 
and foremost a devout man of God and a beloved family man. Mr. Rose was 
a husband and a father who is survived by his wife of 49 years, Judy 
Sizemore Rose, and by his son James F. Rose and by his daughter Sonya 
Rose Hiler. Jim also leaves behind eight grandchildren and three step-
grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Dwayne Scott Rose.
  The legacy left by Mr. Rose is one that will not be easily forgotten. 
He was able to give so much to the business world, working tirelessly 
for the people of Kentucky, and he was also able to pour his heart into 
building relationships with his employees and his family members.
  I would like to ask my colleagues in the United States Senate to join 
me in commemorating the life and works of Mr. James Lawrence Rose, an 
innovative, committed and truly genuine entrepreneur.
  There was an article recently printed in the Laurel County-area 
publication the Sentinel Echo on the accomplished life of Mr. James 
Lawrence ``Jim'' Rose. I ask unanimous consent that the article be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Sentinel Echo, Dec. 23, 2011]

                 Bank, Coal Company Founder Dies at 73

                            (By Carol Mills)

       James ``Jim'' Rose, 73, died Monday of complications from a 
     heart attack in Lexington.
       Rose, who moved to Lexington in 1988, was a former Laurel 
     Countian. He began his career by starting a small coal 
     company in 1959 in Clay County where he was born. He moved 
     his family to Laurel County in 1975.
       Over three decades he grew his coal business dramatically, 
     founding Interstate Coal Company, which had several 
     operations in eastern Kentucky, including one in Laurel 
     County on Ky. 192 where College Park is now. The coal stacks 
     are still on the property, which is owned by the city and the 
     county. Rose retired from the coal business in 1993.
       While Rose was still in the coal business, he entered the 
     banking business by buying a bank in his hometown of 
     Manchester in 1978. He formed a bank holding company, United 
     Bancorp of Kentucky, and acquired seven additional banks in 
     London (London Bank & Trust, now PNC), Danville, 
     Nicholasville, Richmond, Versailles, Corbin, and Harlan. 
     United Bancorp merged with National City in 1995.
       Lawrence Kuhl went to work for Rose at the London Bank & 
     Trust in 1983 as vice-president and two years later as 
     president.
       ``He was an outstanding person,'' Kuhl said. ``He was so 
     compassionate for humanity. He loved to help people in need. 
     He hired a number of people throughout southeastern Kentucky 
     to work in his coal mines as well as in his banks, and he was 
     a very, very caring person. He helped a lot of individuals. 
     His whole family is like that. He has given Cardinal Hill 
     millions of dollars to help recuperate people. He was a super 
     fellow, very intelligent, a good businessman.''
       Charles Elza worked for Rose as president of London Bank & 
     Trust for seven years from 1978 to 1985 before Kuhl took the 
     helm.
       ``He was a great guy, a hard worker,'' Elza said. ``He was 
     a great family man. He loved his kids. He and his wife really 
     had a heart for people who had a hard time. He worked hard. 
     Before he made a lot of money, I heard he would go to work in 
     the coal business Monday morning and wouldn't come home until 
     Friday. He would sleep on the job. He provided a lot of jobs 
     for people.''
       ``I was in the coal business, too, before working at the 
     bank,'' Elza recalled. ``My brother and I sold coal to 
     Interstate Coal Company, which he (Rose) owned.''
       Dr. Paul Smith and his wife, Ann, have been friends with 
     Rose ever since he moved his family to London from 
     Manchester.
       ``We got acquainted through our children,'' Ann Smith said. 
     ``They were all in the band, some played sports. We went to 
     what our children did and they went to what their children 
     did and we just got together. We had the same values in 
     rearing our family.''
       ``Mr. Rose was a wonderful man,'' she added. ``He was 
     absolutely a good man. He was a hard worker, he was always 
     helping someone out, and he walked the talk. He was nice, and 
     so is Judy (wife). They're both very talented musicians. Jim 
     was a classical pianist, just as well as playing boogie-
     woogie. They're just a wonderful family. Jim was a good 
     person to work for. He was very well liked by his workers. He 
     was very fair and just.''
       Rose was a graduate of Berea Foundation High School and 
     attended Berea College and the University of Kentucky. He 
     served in leadership positions in numerous coal and banking 
     organizations. He was also active in civic and charitable 
     organizations such as the Scott Rose Foundation, which was 
     formed in memory of his son, Dwayne Scott, who was killed in 
     an automobile crash in Richmond. The foundation helps 
     mentally and physically handicapped people. Rose also started 
     the Scott Rose Games in honor of his late son. The games, 
     which helped raise money for charity, ran its course after 
     several years and was discontinued.
       Rose had served on the boards of UK, Centre College, Lees 
     College, and the UK Medical Center, and was a founding member 
     of Kentucky Educational Television (KET).
       He leaves his wife Judy Sizemore Rose, a son James 
     ``Jamie'' Rose, a daughter Sonya Rose Hiler, eight 
     grandchildren, and three step-grandchildren.
       Services were Thursday at the Lexington Christian Academy 
     chapel and a private burial will follow at a later date at 
     A.R. Dyche Memorial Park in London.

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