[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 26 (Friday, February 12, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H649-H650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO CHAMPION ENTERPRISES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
this body and to the American people one of the greatest examples of 
responsible corporate citizenship that I have ever come across in my 17 
years serving in this great body.
  Champion Enterprises, a builder of manufactured homes with production 
operations in my district in Sangerfield, New York, lost its factory 
last month after a devastating fire destroyed the entire facility. 
Nothing but ruin and ashes. Two hundred plus workers and their families 
were left wondering about their future, agonizing over what tomorrow 
would bring.
  But in the ultimate act of loyalty to its employees, Champion 
Enterprises decided not only to rebuild the factory, something that was 
going to take four or five months, but to continue to pay its employees 
their full pay plus their benefits until that new facility is built. 
That means over 200 families do not have to worry about not having 
enough money to pay their mortgage or make their car payments or feed 
their children as a result of that devastating fire.
  This responsible corporate decision is good for the workers, it is 
good for their families, it is good for the local economy, and it is 
good for the company as well. It is an act of compassion and, frankly, 
it represents good business.
  When I called the chief executive officer, Mr. Walter Young, Jr., to 
tell him how proud all of us were of that responsible action, he said 
to me something that was very revealing. He said, ``Disasters test the 
character of individuals and organizations.'' He told me that he was 
pleased with the character of his organization and he thanked me for 
noticing, and I told him all of us are pleased and proud of the 
character of that organization.
  The Governor, George Pataki, the Governor of the Empire State, wrote 
to Jack Ireton-Hewitt, who is the general manager of the Titan Homes 
Division of Champion, whose plant was destroyed. He said,

       Like so many New Yorkers, I have followed the news accounts 
     detailing the situation of the employees of your Sangerfield 
     plant which was recently destroyed by a devastating fire.
       Your admirable actions of the past few weeks not only 
     define the true meanings of corporate citizenship; it refines 
     it, deepens it and amplifies it. Titan Homes' loyalty to its 
     employees in the face of the total destruction of this plant 
     has transformed a tragedy into a reason for celebration.
       We realize that your parent company, Champion Enterprises--

the Governor went on to say,

     could have moved this manufacturing operation to any number 
     of its 66 North American plants.

  But it did not. And let me add parenthetically here, so often we hear 
tales about corporate citizenship that does not pass the responsible 
test. When something like this happens, on occasion corporations have 
been known to try to bid one community against another, threatening to 
move out unless they are given more, threatening

[[Page H650]]

to take the jobs elsewhere to the highest bidder, but not this company. 
This company said we have dedicated, committed employees, they have an 
outstanding work ethic, they produce a fine product, and we are going 
to be loyal to them. It is refreshing to see that loyalty is a two-way 
street.
  Let me return to the Governor's letter:

       Titan Homes' swift action to rebuild and modernize an 
     expanded Sangerfield facility is an encouraging vote of 
     confidence in the Mohawk Valley economy, and will no doubt 
     have positive ramifications on the Waterville-area economy in 
     the coming months and years.
       Titan Homes' actions reflect more than loyalty to its 
     employees--it's a sound investment in the future and has 
     already been returned in the enduring gratitude of the 
     residents of the Mohawk Valley and the utmost respect from 
     the national business community. We are proud that Titan 
     Homes has been a member of New York's corporate family for 
     more than 25 years.

Signed by Governor George Pataki.
  Let me say once again to one and all, Champion Enterprises has set an 
example for others to follow. It is a corporation that is concerned 
with profits, as it should be. That is why people go into business, to 
make money. But it is also a corporation that demonstrates, day in and 
day out, that the most important ingredient in any business enterprise 
is the dedicated men and women who, day in and day out, work to make a 
success of that business.
  Congratulations to Champion Enterprise. We salute you.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the letter from Governor George 
Pataki to Mr. Ireton-Hewitt.

                                            State of New York,

                                                February 11, 1999.
     Mr. Jack Ireton-Hewitt,
     General Manager, Titan Homes Division,
     Sangerfield, NY.
       Dear Mr. Ireton-Hewitt: Like so many New Yorkers, I have 
     followed the news accounts detailing the situation of the 
     employees of your Sangerfield plant which was recently 
     destroyed by a devastating fire.
       Your admirable actions of the past few weeks not only 
     define the true meaning of corporate citizenship; it refines 
     it, deepens it and amplifies it. Titan Homes' loyalty to its 
     employees in the face of the total destruction of this plant 
     has transformed a tragedy into a reason for celebration.
       We realize that your parent company, Champion Enterprises, 
     could have moved this manufacturing operation to any number 
     of its 66 North American plants. Titan Homes' swift action to 
     rebuild and modernize an expanded Sangerfield facility is an 
     encouraging vote of confidence in the Mohawk Valley economy, 
     and will no doubt have positive ramifications on the 
     Waterville-area economy in the coming months and years.
       Titan Homes' actions reflect more than loyalty to its 
     employees--it's a sound investment in the future and has 
     already been returned in the enduring gratitude of the 
     residents of the Mohawk Valley and the utmost respect from 
     the national business community. We are proud that Titan 
     Homes has been a member of New York's corporate family for 
     more than 25 years.
       I thank you for your outstanding commitment to your 
     workforce and wish you every success in your future in the 
     Empire State.
           Sincerely,
                                                 George E. Pataki,
     Governor.

                          ____________________