[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 75 (Thursday, June 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO DOUGLAS C. HOLBROOK

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 11, 1998

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute 
to one of our nation's outstanding postal employees, Mr. Douglas C. 
Holbrook, on the occasion of his retirement. As the former chairman of 
the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee, I came to know 
Douglas Holbrook and to witness his deep commitment and tireless 
service to all who work for the United States Postal Service.
  In 1981, Douglas Holbrook was appointed to service as Secretary-
Treasurer of the American Postal Workers Union which represents 330,000 
postal workers in every city in the United States. He was elected to 
that office in 1983 and has been reelected in every subsequent national 
APWU election. Holbrook's fifth term of office will conclude this Fall.
  Holbrook began his career with the U.S. Postal Service in 1956 as a 
part-time clerk. He later founded SOAR--Save Our Annuity Retirement--a 
coalition of 40,000 active and retired federal and postal employees in 
Michigan. He was also elected Chairman of the APWU Local Presidents' 
Conference in 1980-81, and went on to serve on numerous national union 
committees.
  Before he arrived in Washington, Holbrook was President of the 
Detroit District Area Local of the American Postal Workers Union and 
its predecessor, the Detroit Local of the National Postal Union.
  Douglas Holbrook has also served as a member of the Board of the 
Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO. He was elected to the Fitzgerald Board of 
Education in Warren, Michigan from 1971 to 1980, serving three years as 
President and two years as Vice President. In 1990 he was appointed by 
Governor Wilder of Virginia to serve the Department of Children, State 
of Virginia. He also served on the Board of Directors, Security Bank of 
Maryland. In March 1997 he was elected to serve as the Vice President 
for the Union Lable & Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO. This month 
Holbrook will begin his term of office on the Board of Directors for 
the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
  In addition to his work in behalf of postal employees, Douglas 
Holbrook is a champion in the crusade to find a cure for diabetes. He 
has worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for many years and 
served as its Labor Chairman in 1995. Since 1996, under Holbrook's 
guidance, APWU has been actively involved with the American Diabetes 
Association (ADA). Holbrook is currently the Labor Chairperson for 
ADA's Walktoberfest. He also serves on the National Joint Task Force 
for Child Care and Dependent Care and APWU's Safety and Violence 
Committee.
  Douglas Holbrook has demonstrated the deepest dedication to his work 
and to his community. He is a distinguished citizen who has earned the 
highest respect of his peers. It is my privilege to offer Douglas 
Holbrook my sincerest congratulations as he retires from the American 
Postal Workers Union. I wish him and his family many years of health, 
happiness and prosperity.

                          ____________________