[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 89 (Friday, May 26, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1147-E1148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           BOMA INTERNATIONAL'S PRESIDENT THOMAS B. McCHESNEY

                                 ______


                         HON. WILLIAM J. COYNE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 1995
  Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, the Nation's largest organization 
representing the office building industry has been actively guided 
during the past 2 years by a native son of Pittsburgh, Thomas B. 
McChesney, executive vice president, Grubb & Ellis Co./Axiom Real 
Estate Management, Inc. Now that he is ending his term as president of 
the Building Owners and Managers Association International, I wanted to 
take this opportunity to review his many accomplishments.
  Tom was elected to BOMA International's presidency in 1993 and was 
installed during their annual convention in Baltimore. For the next 2 
years, he helped his 17,000 members through the real estate recession 
and worked tirelessly to see that the current recovery takes hold.
  Tom's leadership of BOMA came at a critical time for the industry, 
and he actively involved himself in a number of issues of direct 
concern to owners and managers of commercial real estate. He sat before 
my Committee on Ways and Means to testify on the modification of 
passive loss rules and on the issue of depreciation for leasehold 
improvements. In 1993, Congress modified passive loss, and there is 
discussion underway to adjust the depreciation of leasehold 
improvements. Tom should know that BOMA's concerns were heard, as they 
were on many issues.
  For one such issue, Tom stood side by side with Representative Henry 
Waxman and Senator Frank Lautenberg to advance a ban on smoking in the 
workplace. BOMA has long been involved in promoting good indoor air 
quality, and Tom has sought to ensure that the issue is addressed 
appropriately, cost effectively, and immediately. One crucial step, 
according to BOMA, is to attack the problem at the source. To that end, 
a ban on workplace smoking has been an important part of BOMA's indoor 
air quality agenda.
  During Tom's 2-year term, BOMA also faced the $8.1 billion indoor air 
regulatory proposal at OSHA. Tom has overseen the advocacy efforts, 
directed the fundraising for defense, and has met with numerous 
organizations and individuals in seeking to bring reason to OSHA's 
approach. While we do not know the results yet, you can be sure that 
Tom's involvement brought credibility to BOMA's side--for he is a 
practitioner in the field of commercial real estate, he is a 
professional in the field of commercial real estate; he is a leader in 
the field of commercial real estate.
  Tom has also overseen the implementation of BOMA's strategic long-
range plan, bringing the membership from 7,000 to almost 17,000 real 
estate professionals. He has hosted a year of meetings to coordinate 
the efforts of the National Real Estate Organizations and has 
demonstrated his commitment to reaching out within the industry and 
engaging in strategic alliances with related trade and professional 
associations to focus the industry's limited sources on critical 
issues.
  Highlighting Tom's term has been his success at assisting the efforts 
of the 100 local BOMA associations throughout the United States in 
identifying problems as they surface so that they may be tackled 
together. Tome has seen those efforts multiply as BOMA addressed issues 
of concern ranging from telecommunications reform to the Federal 
Government construction of new office space. He has spent the past 2 
years traveling to many local BOMA associations, seeking to actively 
involve them in all facets of BOMA's mission. As one result of that 
effort, he instituted a legislative conference program to engage BOMA 
members in the grassroots approach to lobbying. Majority whip, Tom 
DeLay, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Orrin Hatch, and 
[[Page E1148]] Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, joined Tom in launching 
a successful event.
  Tom has seen to it that BOMA maintains their position as the 
commercial real estate industry's primary source for selected 
legislative, regulatory, and research information. As he passes the 
mantle of leadership to G.A. ``Chip'' Julin III, RPA, he has left the 
organization in strong financial shape, more effective at advocating 
and educating than ever before.
  I am pleased to note his long-time residency in Pittsburgh, PA where 
Tom is quite active in the community. He has done much to promote 
Pittsburgh and he has done much to advance BOMA. My best wishes go to 
Tom and BOMA's first lady, Lisa, along with their children, Marni and 
Toby, as Tom concludes his elected role as President of the oldest and 
largest organization representing the interests of the office building 
industry. He has done much to enhance the professionalism of his 
colleagues.
  As BOMA closes in on it's 90th year of service to the office building 
industry, Tom can look back with pride on the many accomplishments 
achieved by the organization, and know that his 2-year leadership role 
has extended the tradition set forth by the founders of the National 
Association of Building Owners and Managers in 1907.


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