Spindale company to name new building after Tom Pack

SPINDALE — Former Polk County Commissioner Tom Pack, who died in 2016, is being honored next week for his work on a building at his family company, White Oak Custom Carpet.

White Oak Carpet in Spindale is dedicating its new 245,000-square-foot building, which is being named the Thomas E. Pack Plant.

The dedication is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday at 1553 Old Ball Park Road, Spindale.

Pack was Polk County commissioner chair when he died after suffering injuries from a fall while working in the building. Pack died on March 7, 2016, at 51 years old.

Project manager for the building and former Polk County Commissioner Michael Gage said Pack was the driving force behind the building.

White Oak Carpet, which specializes in wool carpet for the private aviation industry and high-end residential, was started by Pack’s late father, Frank. Tom was the president of White Oak when he died.

“Tom was burning the midnight oil to get this place going,” Gage said. “Tom was really a hands-on guy. Whenever he had free time, he’d come to the building and do demolition, and unfortunately, that’s when he had the accident.”

“Tom was the driving force. He had the vision on how this could work. He could see this place way ahead of everyone else.”

The new plant has been in operation since last November, with Gage saying Friday’s dedication will be both about naming the building after Pack and celebrating the revitalization of an old manufacturing building.

Pack was first elected as a Polk County commissioner in 2004, when he was the high-vote getter, and served as chair during his first term. He served until 2008 and lost re-election, but was elected again in 2010 for a two-year term and won a four-year term in 2012.

He was up for re-election in 2016, but chose not to seek office again.

Following his death, county commissioners approved a proclamation in Pack’s honor, and declared Dec. 3, 2016, as Tom Pack Day.

Friday’s dedication will include a ribbon cutting, tours of the renovated building and light refreshments.