TRIBUTE TO JIMMY RANE

On 2026-09-22, Senator Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO JIMMY RANE" in the Senate.

TRIBUTE TO JIMMY RANE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 150 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 150 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S4853] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO JIMMY RANE Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Jimmy Rane for his leadership in serving on the America250 Commission. As one of just 16 private citizens on this bipartisan commission, Jimmy's vision, patriotism, and direction helped ensure that our great Nation's semiquincentennial anniversary reflected both America's historic past and the promise of her future. At a time when our country can feel divided, the America250 celebrations gave us a chance to come together around our shared history founding principles. Jimmy was instrumental in reigniting that flame of allegiance as we look ahead to America's next 250 years. Jimmy understands the fulfillment of America's promises all too well. In 1907, his grandfather Giuseppe Reina journeyed to Ellis Island from his home of Cammarata, Sicily, in search of a better life for his young family. For years, he worked to build that life and instilled in his children, including Jimmy's father Tony, a deep sense of patriotism and pride in their adopted country. Jimmy's story--the grandson of an immigrant who arrived at Ellis Island now entrusted with the Nation's celebration of 250 years of independence--is the embodiment of the American Dream. Jimmy was born and raised in Abbeville, AL. His father, a World War II veteran, operated several hotels and restaurants and later served as the president of Abbeville's local chamber of commerce, teaching Jimmy the importance of hard work, drive, and giving back. Jimmy became a first-generation college graduate, earning his bachelor's degree in business administration from Auburn University, where he was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. He went on to earn his J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and began his career at a Birmingham law firm. Jimmy's path since then has been anything but conventional, but in every role he has poured in the same relentless drive to build the best possible product. After his wife's parents passed away, Jimmy returned to Abbeville to take over their lumber-treatment plant, turning the business from the brink of bankruptcy into Great Southern Wood, one of the largest companies in the industry, best known for its YellaWood brand. While running the company, Jimmy also opened his own law firm and served as a judge for Henry County. He later attended Harvard Business School's president management program, inspiring him to push Great Southern Wood to even greater heights. Instead of relocating Great Southern Wood to a larger market, Jimmy chose to keep the company's headquarters in Abbeville, bringing economic revitalization back to his hometown. He has since restored several of Abbeville's historical buildings, made a lasting impact on Auburn University through prodigious philanthropic efforts, and founded the Jimmy Rane Foundation, which has awarded over 600 scholarships over the past quarter century. Jimmy's greatest legacy is not simply his business success, but rather what he has chosen to do with it. His service and community pride are what made him an indispensable member of the America250 Commission. From an immigrant family's search for opportunity, to a young boy growing up in Abbeville, to an Auburn graduate, lawyer, entrepreneur, and now a leader in commemorating 250 years of American independence, Jimmy Rane's story is deeply and uniquely American. I am grateful for his service on the America250 Commission and for the time, energy, and patriotism he devoted to this historic undertaking. Alabama is honored to call him one of our own, and I am proud to recognize his indelible contributions to our State and to our Nation. ____________________