MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2004 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jordan, Thomas, Jackson (11th), Mettetal, Butler, Frazier, Dearing, Gordon, King, Chaney, Chamberlin, Carmichael, Harvey, Pickering, Little, Burton, Huggins, Jackson (15th), White
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE CAREER AND CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF FRED CARL, JR., OF GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF VIKING RANGE CORPORATION.
WHEREAS, when the leaders of industry and economic development in the Mississippi Delta are mentioned, the name Fred Carl, Jr., is first on the list; and
WHEREAS, Fred Carl, Jr., is a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, and attended Mississippi State University. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, and also attended graduate school in City Planning at the University of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Carl is the founder and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viking Range Corporation, an industry leading manufacturer of upscale kitchen appliances for the home, which serves the North American market, as well as over 70 other countries throughout the world. Prior to founding Viking, Mr. Carl was a fourth generation building contractor, having been a design/build general contractor throughout his entire adult career. Mr. Carl is a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association Hall of Fame and was selected as the Mid-South Entrepreneur of the Year in 1996. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of Trustmark National Bank of Greenwood, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, in the late 1970s Mr. Carl noticed that more and more upscale consumers, and especially celebrities and serious gourmets, were installing commercial restaurant ranges in the kitchens of their homes. When Mr. Carl and his wife, Margaret, wanted one of these for their own kitchen, Carl quickly realized that true restaurant ranges were not suitable for home use due to many factors such as high heat output and poor insulation, so Carl designed a range that solved these problems yet retained the heavy-duty cooking power of its commercial counterpart. He founded Viking Range Corporation in 1984 to manufacture and distribute the product, and Carl shipped his first Viking range in January 1987. Seventeen years later, Viking continues to be the leader in this segment of the United States major appliance industry as the only manufacturer of a complete line of ultra-premium, commercial-style appliances for the home. Carl's company sells to every state in the United States through an extensive distributor network, and Viking products have been sold in over 70 international countries; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Carl's civic contributions are a matter of record: He serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi State University Foundation, the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development, the Board of Directors of the Greenwood-Leflore County Economic Development Foundation, and is a member of the Governor's State Summit on Higher Education. Mr. Carl also serves on the Advisory Board of the School of Architecture, the Small Town Center Board and the Advisory Board of the College of Business and Industry at Mississippi State University. Mr. Carl served as the Chairman of the first Mississippi Blues Commission, appointed by Governor Musgrove in December 2003. The Alluvian, formerly the historic Hotel Irving in Greenwood, was one of Mississippi's most endangered buildings until Fred Carl, Jr., decided to preserve the building and revitalize the property. In the Greenwood/Leflore County Community, Fred is a member of Greenwood/Leflore Industrial Board, a member of the Trustmark Board of Directors, Past-President of the Greenwood Country Club and a member of the Vestry of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. He was recently named to the Leflore County Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame. Mr. Carl and his wife, Margaret, have one son, Chris, age 24, who is employed by one of the Viking subsidiaries; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the entrepreneurial successes and civic dedication of this home-grown Mississippi businessman, whose contributions have brought honor to his community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the career and civic contributions of Mr. Fred Carl, Jr., of Greenwood, Mississippi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viking Range Corporation, and extend to him and his family the best wishes of the Legislature.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Mr. Carl and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.