[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 48 (Tuesday, April 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E546-E547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THOMAS R. BROME ENDOWMENT FUND

                                 ______


                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 16, 1996

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Thomas R. Brome on 
the formation of the Thomas R. Brome Endowment Fund by his friends and 
colleagues at the Ridgewood, NJ, Public Education Foundation. The fund, 
with an initial endowment of $25,000, is being formed to honor Tom for 
his many contributions to the community. The fund will be used 
exclusively to support programs in education in Tom's name.
  Tom's contributions have been enormous. He is a gentleman, scholar, 
corporate giant, community leader, philanthropist and an extraordinary 
friend. Even beyond his myriad accomplishments, his exemplary character 
establishes him as a role model for future leaders in America. He has 
three passions: his family--wife Mimi and their three children, Clint, 
Bethan, and Heather; his love of the law, and his commitment to 
volunteerism.
  In both the public and private sector, Tom embodies the highest 
ethical and moral standards, affirms the dignity of every individual 
and creates compromise and consensus in environments often rife with 
discord. As a conciliator, Tom is the embodiment of ``win-win'' 
negotiations. His intellect allows him to do that, but it is his 
personal warmth, genuine willingness to listen and his ability to find 
a resolution greater than the sum of the parts that really speak to his 
special abilities.
  Tom has led a life filled with distinctions. The 1960 graduate of 
Ridgewood High School graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University 
in 1964. At New York University Law School, he was a Root-Tilden 
Scholar. After graduation, he clerked for Warren Burger at the U.S. 
Court of Appeals in Washington before the jurist was elevated to the 
U.S. Supreme Court. Tom joined the firm of Cravath,

[[Page E547]]

Swaine & Moore in 1968, was elected partner in 1975 and is presently 
head of the Corporate Law Department.
  Despite a challenging career and a rigorous workload, Tom has always 
managed to find time to give service to the community of Ridgewood and 
other causes.
  Tom is in his third year as president of the Ridgewood Public 
Education Foundation, with the mission of broadening our children's 
education experience and helping our school system deliver a world-
class competitive education. He has helped establish a successful 
partnership with the Paterson Education Foundation and a number of 
districts have looked to Ridgewood as a prototype.
  In November 1994, Tom became president of the New York Legal Aid 
Society Board of Directors, an agency with which he has served since 
law school. As president, Tom had the task of negotiating contracts and 
restructuring Legal Aid's staff following an attorneys' strike and New 
York City's termination of Legal Aid contracts.
  He is also co-chair of Weinfeld Associates, a fund-raising arm of NYU 
Law School, a former president and trustee of the Ridgewood Board of 
Education, and a former vestryman and warden at St. Elizabeth's Church 
in Ridgewood.
  Tom and I go way back--back further than either of us would care to 
admit. He was my student at George Washington Junior High School in 
Ridgewood. From those days a long time ago, I could see Tom was 
destined for great things. He was sharp, disciplined, handled himself 
very well, displayed great character and his classmates turned to him 
for answers. In short, he was a leader among leaders even then.
  It is Tom's propensity for hard work, his facile mind and his 
wonderful ability to deal with people that have allowed him to balance 
a truly Herculean schedule. Everything he does, he does with full 
effort and with grace and sensitivity. Perhaps it is the dignity with 
which Tom treats every individual that truly inspires people to do 
their best. Ridgewood is truly blessed to have Tom as a resident and I 
am truly blessed to be able to call him my friend.

                          ____________________