Bama Week End Part two

All was not lost last week in the great state of Alabama as once more I got to spend some time with the son of a man that I respect. A year ago I met this man at a Florida football game in Gainesville and got to see him again in Alabama. His father ran for President of the United States years ago. As a young fellow I went downtown Bradenton to hear him speak. While I did not agree with some of his political positions I did admire him for standing up for his beliefs. ( Just as John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin L King and Bobby Kennedy did.) The one position that he stood tall for was he did not believe in the Federal Government running your life. One only needs to look and see where we are today, how right was he?!





As you read a portion of his Bio you will see that he has some family ties in Bradenton. He is married to the sister of Caleb Grimes whom is my daughter Darenda's boss. This man has a book that will be out soon and I can't wait until I can read it. Now, you are asking......who is this guy. Well he is the son of Governor George Wallace of Alabama, and I am proud to know him.

George C. Wallace, Jr. was born in Eufaula, Alabama on October 17, 1951. Growing up in a well known Alabama political family, he graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama in 1970. Following that, he obtained a BA Degree in History from Huntingdon College in 1976. He continued his education with graduate work in Political Science and Public Administration at Auburn University at Montgomery.
From 1978 through 1982, he was Director of Financial Aid and Alumni Affairs at Troy State University at Montgomery. In 1983 he was promoted to Vice President of Development and Alumni Affairs and served in that capacity until 1986.
In 1986, he was elected and served two four year terms as State Treasurer of Alabama.
Some of his achievements while serving as State Treasurer include:
Establishing a program of cash management refinement procedures which resulted in an increase of $5 million of new revenue per year for Alabama’s General Fund and shortly thereafter, proposed additional refinements in the Treasury’s policy which continue to generate several million additional dollars for the General Fund.
Developing the Linked Deposit Program, a low interest loan program to assist farmers and small business owners, designed to help stimulate economic growth and provide real assistance for the family farmer of Alabama.
Creating the Prepaid College Tuition Program (PACT) – a plan which allows parents, grandparents or other sponsors to make a one-time lump sum payment, or periodic payments anytime after the birth of a child through the eighth grade, to guarantee the payment of a child’s tuition and mandatory fees at today’s fixed prices.
Implementing Alabama’s Future Card – a visa-type card with earnings from the program to support the Children’s Trust Fund, the Foster Care Trust fund, the Penny Trust Fund and the Prepaid Affordable Tuition Program.
Implementing the Wallace Housing Plan – a procedure that assisted young families in purchasing their first home. This plan served as a savings plan, as well as down payment assistance for qualifying first-time home buyers.
Fighting Government corruption by exposing a bogus organization called “Technology Plus” that had been set up to funnel money to politicians and their friends. Because of his persistence and working with the Alabama State Employees Association, politicians and their friends were convicted of stealing tax payer money.
Upon completion of his two terms as State Treasurer he worked at the Center for Government and Public Affairs at Auburn University at Montgomery.
In 1998 he was elected as a member of the Alabama Public Service Commission and was re-elected in 2002. He has participated, and does participate in numerous civic endeavors.
In addition to his long record of public service, he has a full array of activities that embrace his creative interests in writing and music, his sports interests, his community life, and his family life. In the areas of music and writing, he enjoys writing and recording music and has authored two books, The Wallaces of Alabama and George Wallace, The Myth and the Man. Relevant to his sports interests; he enjoys bow hunting and is an accomplished 2nd degree Taekwondo Black Belt. In regard to community service, he has participated in and continues to participate in numerous civic endeavors. He is the recipient of numerous awards relating to the programs he initiated and implemented while serving in public office, and among those are the John H. Buchanan Education Distinguished Service Award, and the NAACP Freedom Award. He is married to the former Elizabeth Grimes of Palmetto, Florida and they reside in Shelby, County. Elizabeth is an accomplished artist who does portrait work and landscapes. When Elizabeth and George do get away, she will take her paint and easels and he will take his guitar.
An interesting historical note concerning the relationship of the Wallace and Grimes families can be found by going back to the year 1940. Elizabeth’s father Bill Grimes debated my father in Atlanta in 1940. The University of Alabama debate team of which my father was a member, debated the University of Florida debate team of which Elizabeth’s father was a member. Because of that youthful experience, they became friends. In addition, Elizabeth’s father served two terms in the Florida legislature, and sponsored the legislation to create the two year college system in Florida. Given that my father is known as the father of the two year college system in Alabama, I believe that as members of the Greatest Generation and veterans, they understood the need to take education to the people across their respective states, and their shared vision was a manifestation of the times in which they lived, and because of that they both understood that the road to progress was an educated people.

You have a Blessed day and be a Blessing to some one.
“[For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.] My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” (Psalm 62:1)