J.D. Mullican responsible for many local industries

To the Editor:

This letter is written in memory of Mr. J.D. Mullican, who passed away June 22, 2007.

Mr. Mullican did as much or more for industrial development in Warren County as anyone ever has. I am grateful for all his efforts and accomplishments. I would like to share with you some examples which were taken from a letter to the editor, written in the 1980s by P.D. Grissom, a longtime friend and co-worker of Mr. Mullican.

In the 1950s, Mr. Mullican traveled to St. Louis, Mo., and negotiated with Century Electric who built a plant here. When John Oster Manufacturing Company opened bids to build a plant in McMinnville, the bids were rejected because they were over budget. Judge Eldridge Youngblood called J.D. and asked for his help because Oster was returning to Milwaukee.

Mr. Mullican called Roger Wallace, the Oster representative, at the Nashville airport. Mr. Wallace told Mr. Mullican that Oster officials had told him to return to Milwaukee, that they could not build here. Mr. Mullican informed Mr. Wallace that Oster would owe 75 percent of the architect’s fee anyway but that McMinnville and Warren County really wanted them to locate here. Mr. Mullican told Mr. Wallace he would meet with the architect and make suggestions as to how the project could be built within budget.

Mr. Mullican met the next day with the architect. After one week of meetings, Mayor Ulus Davenport, Oster representatives, Mr. Mullican and the architect met in Nashville and signed contracts for Oster to build its plant in McMinnville.

Dave DeZurik, president of DeZurik Corporation was passing through McMinnville on his way to East Tennessee to look at an expansion site for his company. As he passed the J.D. Mullican Construction Company office on New Smithville Highway, he was impressed and stopped to see Mr. Mullican. After learning of his intentions to go to the East Tennessee site, Mr. Mullican told him of the advantages of locating in McMinnville, good hard-working people, good officials, available sites, etc. A short time later, DeZurik located here.

Although Mr. Mullican did not build the Carrier plant, he worked with state officials and William Bailey, president of the Carrier Corporation, to locate it here. When adverse soil borings were encountered, engineers decided to leave and recommended another site. When officials notified Mr. Mullican, he went to Morrison to meet with them. After discussing the problems with the engineers, Mr. Mullican contacted state industrial officials for their support, located good soil nearby for fill material and persuaded them to stay.

In addition to these, Mr. Mullican constructed expansions for many local plants, all of which resulted in thousands of new jobs created here in Warren County.

Although faced with adversity in his final years, including the death of his wife, his own health problems, etc., Mr. Mullican never lost his upbeat positive attitude. It was always a joy to visit. Not only would he be uplifted but I would find myself also uplifted by his attitude.

I’ve always considered J.D. Mullican to be one of the most remarkable men I have ever met. It was truly an honor to have known him.

Jerry W. Roberts
Hickory Ct.
McMinnville