[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 13, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO JOHN W. KLUGE

 Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, if I had to choose one thing about 
America which makes our country great, it is the ability of a single 
individual to use his or her God-given talents to the maximum and 
succeed beyond anyone's wildest expectations. This individual success, 
of course, is the basis for the overall success of the country.
  Far too little attention is paid to the role that individual 
investors and entrepreneurs play in America's success. We often fail to 
fully appreciate that these individual investors and entrepreneurs 
create most of the jobs in this country; they are also frequently on 
the cutting edge of new technologies and innovation. The genius of the 
American free enterprise system is that it allows, and even provides 
the incentives, for an individual to take business risks which reward 
the individual, at the same time creating opportunities for a better 
life for all citizens.
  Having said this, I would like to salute today perhaps the best 
living example of the American entrepreneurial spirit. The individual 
to whom I refer is John W. Kluge, who on September 21 will celebrate 
his 80th birthday.
  No novelist could have created a better example of the American dream 
come true. John Kluge immigrated to this country with his mother at the 
age of 8 from Germany. He worked three jobs to pay for his college 
education.
  Mr. Kluge began his remarkable career in communications by acquiring 
his first radio station in 1946. He eventually purchased 13 radio 
stations and 7 UHF television stations, and in 1959 he acquired an 
interest in Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp.--formerly Dumont 
Broadcasting Corp. Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp., of course, became 
Metromedia.
  Mr. Kluge's interests did not stop with broadcasting; he later became 
a giant in the cellular and outdoor advertising businesses. His 
privately held company has been active in the motion picture, 
hospitality and restaurant businesses, automotive equipment, medical 
equipment, as well as in computer software and information technology, 
such as interactive multimedia networks.
  The breadth of his undertakings and accomplishments over the years is 
truly a marvel to behold. How many people have been so successful in so 
many different fields for so long a period of time? Not very many. And 
how many people have created as many good jobs for his fellow 
countrymen? Very, very few.
  What is just as remarkable are the simple, basic principles which 
have guided him. These are captured in his own words:

       If I have any advice it would be don't go into 
     something just for the sake of going into it. Go into 
     something because you really like it, and then do it with 
     a drive and enthusiasm so that it isn't work.
       My philosophy all my life has been the pursuit of 
     excellence.
       Young entrepreneurs should spend an awful lot of time 
     thinking about what they want to get into. The last thing you 
     want to do, unless it's a very unusual situation, is to 
     invest money. You should have a fund of knowledge of 
     something and out of that you make up your mind. Money is not 
     a fund of knowledge.
       Work isn't really work for me. I don't think I have ever 
     ``worked'' in my life, because ``work'' to me means that you 
     are really doing something that you don't like.
       If we have had any success, it's because we are people-
     oriented. Assets are cold. What brings them to life are the 
     people who operate those assets. So we have a commitment to 
     the business and to its people.

  There is a simplicity and clarity to those quotes that represent the 
essence of John Kluge. Despite his success, his wealth, and all the 
honors, he remains unimpressed with himself. ``I wouldn't write a 
book,'' he once said in an interview, ``because saying the word `I' 
over and over again would nauseate me.''
  But Mr. Kluge is more than an incredible successful businessman; he 
also takes seriously his responsibility to the larger community. Over 
the years, he has given generously to many good causes, in particular 
education by endowing many millions of dollars to scholarship funds for 
minority students.
  In short, Mr. President, John Kluge represents the very best of the 
American dream--hard work, dedication, the willingness to take 
calculated risks, humility, generosity, and devotion and allegiance to 
friends and employees who have made possible his success.
  So it is with great pleasure that I salute John W. Kluge on his 
upcoming 80th birthday.

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