For Immediate Release

Publishing Executive and Civic Leader
Pettus Randall Dead At 57

Tuscaloosa, Ala. (September 9, 2002) – H. Pettus Randall III, chairman of Randall Publishing Co., died late Saturday Sept. 7 in Tuscaloosa after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.

Founded in 1934, Randall Publishing is one of the nation's largest privately held trade magazine publishing enterprises. Holdings include more than 35 magazines, directories, periodicals and web sites and more than 500 employees. A native of Alabama, Pettus Randall became president upon his father's death in 1976, guiding the company during a 27-year period of exponential growth.

"Pettus Randall's entrepreneurial vision is the platform on which our company's success was built," said Randall Publishing Chief Executive Officer Michael Reilly. "He was our mentor and our friend. His mark on this world will continue to be measured by the accomplishments of his wife Catherine, his three outstanding children, Jaynie Rogers, Kate and Pettus IV, and by the future growth of our company. His legacy will guide us."

The cornerstone of Randall Publishing is a recognition program for scholars, Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Patriarch Henry Pettus Randall, Jr. created Who's Who in 1934 as a way to recognize achievements among deserving students who could not afford to join campus honorary societies.

The younger Randall worked with his father during his high school days, assuming positions of increasing responsibility while attending The University of Alabama. He earned his bachelor's degree in history and English in 1967 and his J.D. degree from the UA School of Law in 1971. He also attended the New York University Graduate School of Business.

Following in his father's entrepreneurial footsteps, Pettus Randall founded the Award Company of America, a national manufacturer of award and recognition items. In 1984 Randall became chairman of the board and chief executive officer. In 2000, Folio magazine ranked Randall Publishing as the sixth fastest growing and the 22nd largest publishing company in America.

The Randall family and the publishing company have long been involved in support of education. Products of Alabama's public schools, Pettus and Cathy Randall together earned seven academic degrees from The University of Alabama. Daughter Jaynie is a Princeton University graduate who attends Harvard Business School; Kate is a Vanderbilt graduate who recently completed a year as a Rotary International Scholar at the University of Cambridge, England; Pettus IV is a junior at Princeton University.


Rock & Dirt is published by TAP Publishing Company, formed in 1937 in Crossville, Tenn. The magazine began in 1950 and targets buyers and sellers of heavy equipment. Launched in 1997 with free access, www.rockanddirt.com features a searchable database of equipment and upcoming auctions. TAP also operates weatherTAP.com, a paid subscription service on the Internet with more than 6,000 weather images updated in real-time. Rock & Dirt is published three times a month and consists entirely of display and classified advertising.

About Randall-Reilly Publishing
Founded in 1934, Randall-Reilly Publishing is the premier business-to-business media company focused on the trucking and construction industries. Its properties include Equipment World, Overdrive, Truckers News, CCJ and Modern Woodworking magazines..

Randall-Reilly also owns and operates several online media entities, including www.eTrucker.com, www.equipmentworld.com and www.modernwoodworking.com. Also under the Randall-Reilly corporate umbrella are the Great American Trucking Show, radio programs, a billboard company, a company-sponsored publication division serving Fortune 500 companies, and a UCC-filing database and research group.

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