A native of Lebanon in Wilson County TN, Laine is a graduate of David Lipscomb High School and Vanderbilt/Peabody University in Nashville. He began his Bell System career in Memphis as a lineman in 1950 and held assignments of increasing responsibility across the state in customer services, marketing and community affairs.
He served as a District Manager of Business Office operations from 1971 from 1980 in Nashville, Oak Ridge, and Columbia. In this capacity he supervised business office managers who were responsible for the operation of area business offices and for attaining established objectives in service, sales and collections in their multi-county area of operation.
In 1980, he was named District Manager-Corporate & Community Affairs for Suburban Middle Tennessee. In October, 1983, he was given the additional responsibility of the Jackson district and his office was moved to Brentwood.
Laine was appointed Middle TN District Manager in 1985. In this assignment, he was responsible for South Central Bell's operations in 26 counties in the mid-state area. He was the South Central Bell media contact and spokesperson for the greater Nashville area and supervised the planning and activities of the Corporate & Community Affairs managers in Clarksville, Columbia and Murfreesboro.
Laine has been active in Rotary in several locations: past president in Springfield; first president of the Brentwood Rotary which he helped organize, vice-president at Oak Ridge, and an international Rotary representative.
He has also been active in Chamber of Commerce work serving as president and director in several locations. He has served as president of Toastmaster Clubs and has won several state and regional awards. He has been active in United Way as co-chairman of the loaned executives and drive chairman. He served as chairman of the board of Columbia Academy and is active in the Cumberland Valley Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and other civic and community functions.
Laine retired from South Central Bell to devote full-time to farming and professional speaking.
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