Editor’s Note: The following is a proclamation approved by Tryon Town Council on Dec. 17 honoring James Payne upon his retirement at the end of this year from Payne’s Airport Transportation Service. Payne took over the business from his father, Alfred Payne Sr., who started the business more than 80 years ago. Payne is turning his business over to Shawn Miller in January. See Friday’s edition of Life in Our Foothills for a full length feature on Payne.
Whereas, James Payne’s great, great grandmother came to the Tryon area in 1896 from Columbia, South Carolina; and
Whereas, James Payne was born to an industrious and productive family and raised in Tryon and has been very actively involved with Garrison Chapel Baptist Church; and
Whereas, James Payne has been a leading citizen, successful businessman and entrepreneur in Tryon for many years, running the Payne’s Airport Transportation Service, a business started by his father, Alfred Payne Sr., more than 80 years ago and serving as a goodwill ambassador with extraordinary attention to hospitality amenities as he transported visitors to our area from regional airports; and
Whereas, James Payne worked for Carter Brown at Pine Crest Inn in Tryon and at Castle Park in Michigan in the late 1920s and early 1930s and through this work and through his business has travelled to many parts of the eastern United States and has seen and experienced many things; and
Whereas, James Payne grew up experiencing the inequalities of segregation and the resentment and struggles to have equal opportunities and better education for his children; and
Whereas, James Payne’s hero is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who advocated and unswervingly practiced non-violent activism for change and justice for all mankind, and James Payne has worked to rectify racial disparities in his community; and
Whereas, James Payne’s philosophy of business is to work hard, even long hours, seven days per week and no time off, if necessary, with dependability, dedication, resourcefulness and industriousness, to be successful; and
Whereas, James Payne’s philosophy of life is gratitude for the community and its people and respect for others, living like he would like others to do, helping others, doing the right thing, practicing patience and kindness and loving people; and
Whereas, James Payne has set an example of volunteerism working with a small group of volunteers, John Vining, Dennis Durham, Tom Foster, Frank Ortiz, Ross Fox, Steve Gardner and Tom Williamson, to clean up a vacant lot near Tryon Town Hall and obtaining the land and funding to transform that parcel into the Rogers Park and Gibbs Amphitheater facility that hosts Tryon’s annual Summer Tracks concerts, children’s entertainment events and many other public and private festivities, providing a wonderful asset to the community; and
Whereas, James Payne has served on local volunteer committees including the Public Housing Authority Board, the Rogers Park Committee and the Tryon Parks Committee; and
Whereas, James Payne has announced his intent to retire from his business at the end of 2013; and
Now, therefore be it resolved:
That, I, J. Alan Peoples, Mayor of the Town of Tryon, North Carolina, take great pride in proclaiming that the Town of Tryon honors James Payne for his outstanding contributions to the quality of life for all people in the Town of Tryon and Polk County and for his shining example to others of the rewards of hard work, entrepreneurial dedication and community spirit.