[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 31, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S664-S665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING PETER CRISTIANO ON HIS DECADES OF SERVICE TO SOUTHFIELD, 
                                   MI

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and 
pay tribute to Peter Cristiano on his long and successful service to 
the city of Southfield, MI. Mr. Cristiano began his public service in 
Southfield in 1960, when 

[[Page S665]]
he was chosen superintendent of parks and recreation. By 1964, he had 
been appointed deputy city administrator. From 1968 to 1980, he served 
as Southfield's city administrator, moving on to the city council in 
1981 and serving as council president from 1986 to 1988.
  Peter won numerous awards during his tenure in Southfield, including 
the Governor's Distinguished Public Employee Award, the Jaycees' ``Man 
of the Year,'' and the International City Managers Association's 
Management Innovation Award. He won these awards the hard way: By 
making substantial improvements in his city's structure and way of 
life. Capital improvements, park land acquisition, and development, 
addition of a sports arena, municipal golf arena, and an animal control 
facility, all were part of his program to improve Southfield, as were 
new police-court facilities, a senior adult housing complex, and a new 
headquarters fire station and training center. As important, Peter 
initiated and implemented a nationally renowned life support unit 
emergency medical service--one of the first of its kind in the Nation. 
And Peter restored the city's lovely historical site, ``The Burgh,'' 
for all of us to enjoy.
  Peter will be missed as a fixture of Southfield city government. His 
long, dedicated service helped his community in many concrete ways. And 
his example should serve as an inspiration to all of us concerning what 
we can accomplish for our neighbors. Thankfully, Peter will not be 
leaving us altogether; instead he is merely giving up his government 
position to concentrate on his duties as president and CEO of his own 
telecommunications company. I would like to wish Peter all the best in 
his new endeavors and thank him for all the hard work and good service 
he has done for his community.

                          ____________________