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> ***Success Story***

**PRESS OFFICE**                                               

![](media/image2.png){width="6.427083333333333in"
height="3.125e-2in"}**Release Date:**  September 11, 2006 C**ontact:**
Susan Baxter (205) 290-7101 ext 228

**Release Number:** PR AL 06-26 **Internet Address:**
[[http://www.sba.gov/al/]{.underline}](http://www.sba.gov/al/)

**Completely Washed Away by Katrina**

**"Customer Motivation Helps Company Revive"**

*Cedar Point Fishing Pier, Inc.*

*Roland C. McRae*

*Cedar Point Fishing Pier, Inc., which is over one-half mile long, is
owned by Roland C. McRae. It is located at the foot of the high-rise
bridge leading to Dauphin Island. Being surrounded by water, Cedar Point
has experienced many hurricanes, but, Katrina was the worst. This area
was the hardest hit area in Alabama.*

*He owns the business with his three sons. He says that the Pier has
always been a family owned business and he and his family are continuing
the tradition. There's been a pier there since the 1940s. The McRae
family has owned this pier for a little over 20 years. He says that five
generations of families have fished on the pier. Some people have even
come to spread out the ashes of cremated loved ones. He says the only
thing he asks is that they "check which way the wind is blowing."*

All of the company's employees evacuated the area because of Hurricane
Katrina, but Mr. McRae decided to stay in his mobile home which is
across the road from the pier. He says he guess he was "just tired of
running" and had "hurricane fatigue." During previous hurricanes, the
employees had moved inventory, and evacuated; but then the hurricane
would either move in another direction or it would not be as devastating
as predicted.

In the midst of Hurricane Katrina, Mr. McRae called one of his sons and
told him that he and his dog had their life jackets on. "The water was
up ten feet and the trailer was only 13 feet above sea level." The force
of the storm tore the porch off the mobile home. His sons say that Mr.
McRae survived Katrina, but they will never let him ride out another
hurricane, "even if they have to drag him out." No one anticipated the
strength of Katrina. "This time was different and will never be
forgotten."

PRAL06-26

Page 2

*The Fishing Pier had sustained damage in the past, but Katrina "ripped
everything away and washed away the pier." There was a storage building
on the pier which continued to stand through every hurricane, except
Katrina.*

Hurricane Katrina was the third major hurricane to hit this business.
"Hurricane Ivan was really bad, but even (Hurricane) Ivan left part of
the pier. I had a huge bait house over the water (on the pier). That
bait house made it through every other Hurricane, except Katrina." The
employees had put all of the perishables (including bait) in storage;
but, "the power was out for so long, we lost everything."

*Mr. McRae mourned the loss of his business for months and he thought
that he was not going to be able to rebuild his pier. This business was
his livelihood, his dream; but above all, it was an opportunity for his
customers to come there and be happy.* When residents returned to the
area, they came to the location of his former business and cried.
*"People get to come out here and spend a few dollars and enjoy a nice
evening to take their mind off their troubles. It's an inexpensive
outlet."* "This loss affected a lot of people. Not just the employees,
but people that would not have otherwise been able to have the peace of
mind while fishing at the pier." The business was closed from August 29
until March 1.

*He said people would come by just to see if he was going to rebuild. He
finally decided that* he just needed the opportunity. *Mr. McRae said
that the turning point to rebuild was when an individual came by and
gave him a \$1,000 toward his rebuilding efforts.*

*His business has increased so much since he has rebuilt that he has
hired security personnel to "walk the lot and make sure that a family
environment is maintained." They have people that come by and tell them
how glad they are to see the pier rebuilt. One customer told them that
he had been bringing his son to the pier for the last seven years and
was afraid that they were not going to get to come back this year.*

Mr. McRae now has modular trailers that can be moved as needed. Mr.
McRae plans on keeping these modular buildings because he will be able
to remove them when they are warned about another hurricane hitting the
area.

"If it had not been for SBA, there would be no fishing pier. Hurricane
Ivan had damaged the pier last year, and now Katrina wiped it out. SBA
is to be commended."

PRAL06-26

Page 2

He is happy because he enjoys seeing the smiles on his customers' faces
when they come to the pier to fish and relax. *After the pier was
rebuilt, he hired two part-time employees because his business is better
than last year.*

*\# \# \#*

*For more information about all of the SBA's programs for small
businesses, visit the SBA's extensive Web site at
[[www.sba.gov]{.underline}](http://www.sba.gov/).*