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A highly successful businessman, founder and chairman of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc., one of Auburn’s most cherished benefactors and trustees and a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Jimmy Rane (’68) is also a lifelong student of American history who began his career as a lawyer, even briefly serving as a judge.
With reverence for both national history and the American-style rule of law, Rane accepted a congressional appointment to serve on the America250 Commission, becoming one of 16 private citizens on a bipartisan committee tasked with coordinating nationwide celebrations and engagement events for America’s 250th birthday.
“I was very humbled and honored that they would ask me to serve, and I’ve tried to take it very seriously,” said Rane. “We all want to do the best we can to celebrate our country and celebrate the fact that we’re here 250 years later and still thriving.”
“The greatest emotion I feel is a great responsibility to do all that I can to pass this on to the next generation, to reject the voices of division and embrace the voices of unity, and demonstrate why we live in the greatest country in the world.”
Read the full story about Jimmy Rane and America250 published by the Auburn Alumni Association
