[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S3241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               FRANCESCO (GHEIB) GHEBRESILLASSIE RETIRES

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, Francesco Ghebresillassie plans to retire 
after 32 years of service to the Senate. That is quite a record, and it 
deserves notices from those of us who depend so heavily upon--and are 
never disappointed by--Gheib and the men and women who work with him.
  Since 1987, he has been Manager of the Production Services Branch of 
Central Operations under the Sergeant at Arms. In that role, he has 
supervised all the activities of the Micrographics and Production 
Services sections. He came to that post step by step, working his way 
from machine operator to computer operator to shift supervisor. By 
1975, he was responsible for two work shifts and for the operations in 
two buildings.
  Thereafter, as Hardware Manager, he was responsible for keeping the 
Senate current with technological changes in the computer arena, 
refining our procedures, and working with vendors. Later on, as User 
Support Manager and Production Services Manager, he emphasized quality 
service to the staff who sit at the thousands of computers within our 
Senate offices. He has been responsible for interaction with them, and 
has improved the tech support they have needed to deal with the rapid 
pace of change in the cyber world. Gheib has also supervised the staff 
who maintain our microfilm documents for posterity.
  Needless to say, today's Senate is quite a different institution from 
the one to which Gheib came in 1967. One of the ways it has changed for 
the better has been the technological modernization of which Gheib has 
been a part. Because of his labors, and the diligence of those who have 
worked with him over the years, we have been able to better serve the 
folks back home in ways that were not possible three decades ago.
  As we congratulate Gheib on his retirement, I want to also 
acknowledge his wife, Theresa, who works for our colleague from 
Wisconsin, Senator Kohl. We wish for them and for their daughters, Lisa 
and Ayesha, all the good things the future can bring.

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