A crowd of onlookers holding champagne flutes toasted, and the final beam was hoisted to top off the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center in a ceremony last Friday, a milestone in the construction of a center that is expected to make a large impact on Auburn University, the Auburn community, the state of Alabama and the hospitality industry, in general.
Accompanied by many in his extended family, the lead donor and Board of Trustees member Jimmy Rane said he was inspired to make his $12 million donation for the project, in part, because of his father, Tony, the son of an immigrant from Sicily who was in the restaurant and hospitality business.Â