[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 82 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DANKE SCHOEN, HERR KRAFFT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 1997

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, in our lifetimes we have the privilege to 
meet some wonderfully unique and outstanding people. My wife, Vicki, 
and I have had that special pleasure in getting to know a fine 
gentleman who is an entrepreneur, a community leader, and an exemplary 
family man. Mr. Richard Krafft, Jr., of Frankenmuth, MI, is being 
honored next Tuesday for his 50 years of effort at Star of the West 
Milling Co., one of the finest operations in our great State. Forty-
four of the years have been as the general manager or president.
  During this time, Dick Krafft has seen great developments in the 
agricultural industry of our State. He has been a member and past 
president of the Michigan Bean Shippers Association, the Michigan 
Miller's Association, and the Michigan Feed and Grain Dealers 
Association. He has also been a member and past chairman of the Millers 
National Federation.
  His business experiences have been tremendously varied as he has 
served on the boards of Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Co., Monitor 
Sugar Co., St. Luke's Hospital Foundation, Saginaw Valley State 
University, and First of America Bank. If anyone has ever done business 
in Frankenmuth, they have without doubt dealt with Dick Krafft.
  And his concern for his community led him to service on the city 
council for 28 years, plus 8 years as mayor pro-tem and 6 years as the 
mayor of Frankenmuth, a wonderful community known for its proud German 
heritage and its spirit of ``Gemuetlichkeit''--welcome and happiness. 
He has also been a member and past president of the Frankenmuth Lions 
Club, the Frankenmuth Civic Events Council, and the Frankenmuth Chamber 
of Commerce.
  While bringing Star of the West from a small mill to the 20th largest 
in the Nation today, he has held on to a strong sense of family. He and 
his wife Mary Ann have been married for a little over 46 years, and are 
the proud parents of three sons, Mike, Chuck, and John, and the 
grandparents of five grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, if we want to see someone who represents an ideal 
American, an individual who has a devotion to family, community, and 
commerce, we need look no further than Richard Krafft, Jr. I urge you 
and all of our colleagues to join me in wishing him the happiest of 
retirements, and many fruitful challenges in the years to come.

                          ____________________