[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 25, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO DENNIS GRIFFIN

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Dennis Griffin, a resident of Bowling Green, KY, who is being 
recognized as one of the top local developers in the Nation. Mr. 
Griffin is 1 of 10 economic developers who received a leadership award 
from the American Economic Development Council.
  Mr. Griffin has been president of the Bowling Green-Warren County 
Chamber of Commerce since 1986, the same year he moved to Kentucky. 
Since taking over as president of the chamber of commerce the local 
economy has soared. Mr. Griffin is best described by Bowling Green 
Mayor Johnny Webb in a recent article in the Daily News. Mayor Webb 
said,

       Things were not going too well in Bowling Green. It had 
     been some time since we had recruited a new industry. It was 
     almost like a lightbulb coming on when (Griffin) came in and 
     got his feet on the ground. He is the catalyst to 
     development.

  Mr. President, during the last 9 years, Mr. Griffin has worked hard 
to develop the region. He is responsible for starting 56 new companies, 
and establishing 6,000 new jobs; an investment of more than $400 
million in the community. But that's not all, Mr. Griffin also worked 
hard to help 72 existing industries expand, which created an additional 
2,500 jobs, investing another $100 million in the community.
  Mr. Griffin, just like the Energizer Bunny, is still going strong 
even after 9 years of service. In the last year alone, 10 new plants 
have decided to call Bowling Green their home and 9 companies have 
expanded.
  Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to 
this outstanding Kentuckian. I think that all will agree that through 
his hard work and dedication for his community, Mr. Griffin proves that 
he truly deserves the honor of being one of the country's top local 
developers.


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