Joseph Lanier Jr. (February 9, 1932 — August 11, 2021) was an American heir and businessman.[1][2][3][4]

His great–grandfather, LaFayette Lanier, founded the Alabama and Georgia Manufacturing Company in 1866.[4][5] By 1882, it became known as the West Point Manufacturing Company.[4] It specialized in sails for clipper ships and cotton covers for the Conestoga wagons that crossed the prairies.[4] In the 1980s, Joseph Lamar Lanier Jr. took over, focusing on brand-name product lines such as Lady Pepperell sheets and towels and Cabin Crafts carpets.[6] In 1989, he reluctantly sold it to William F. Farley, Chairman of Farley, Inc., and received US$4 million in golden parachute.[4][5][7][6]

From November 1989 to August 2006, he served as Chairman of the Board of Dan River, Inc., a textile company headquartered in Danville, Virginia.[2][3][8] From 1980 to April 29, 2010, he also served on the boards of the Torchmark Corporation.[2][3] He served on the board of Alliance One International (formerly known as DIMON), a leaf tobacco merchant, from 1995 to 2006.[2][3] He has served on the Boards of Waddell & Reed and SunTrust Banks.[1]

He is a member of the Augusta National Golf Club.[9]

He died on August 11, 2021.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ a b Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Joseph Lanier, Jr.
  2. ^ a b c d Forbes
  3. ^ a b c d Alliance One International Board of Directors Archived 2013-01-31 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c d e Robert J. Cole, Pepperell Agrees to Farley Offer, The New York Times, February 24, 1989
  5. ^ a b Kenneth L. Gilpin, West Point-Pepperell Buyer Steps Down as Its Chairman, The New York Times, October 24, 1992
  6. ^ a b Patton, Randall L. (2002). Shaw Industries: A History. University of Georgia Press. pp. 125–129. ISBN 978-0-8203-2364-0.
  7. ^ Cindy Skrzycki, A Major Deal Maker of the '80s Is Drowning in Debt in the '90s : Finance: William F. Farley's hot streak has cooled along with junk bonds. And his plans for West Point-Pepperell have stalled., The Los Angeles Times, May 13, 1990
  8. ^ Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Dan River, Inc.
  9. ^ Augusta National Golf Club members list, USA Today
  10. ^ "Joseph L. Lanier, Jr". Alabama Academy of Honor.
  11. ^ "Joe Lanier Jr., a pillar of U.S. textiles manufacturing, 89". Home Textiles Today. 8 September 2021.