[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 21, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TRIBUTE TO JOHN M. ELLIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 1999

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
outstanding citizen, Mr. John M. Ellis, of Sacramento, CA.
  John began his career March 3, 1966 with the U.S. Army at the 
Sacramento Army Depot and in 1969 transferred to the U.S. Air Force at 
McCellan AFB, CA. After 33 years of dedicated Federal service he is 
retiring on April 30, 1999.
  John is among the most successful and tireless advocates of Federal 
managers and his success is widely acknowledged. He has a widespread 
and richly deserved reputation as a passionately involved caretaker of 
federal employees. Through his personal efforts, Federal workers in the 
Sacramento area knew that someone was fighting for their cause. His 
colleagues recognized his strong leadership and vision and chose him to 
serve in a long list of distinguished elected positions.
  Few people have given to their community with the vision and 
commitment that John offered to us. He founded the McClellan Defense 
Task Force (MDTF) in early 1992. The task force organized local 
community letter writing campaigns and produced almost 400,000 letters 
supporting McClellan AFB. He personally delivered 127,000 letters to 
Department of Defense Secretary Les Aspin and 270,000 letters to the 
BRAC commission during their hearings on Capitol Hill in 1995.
  During his career, John became known as an expert on base closures 
and Federal employees' issues by many local Sacramento radio and 
television stations. He was a highly sought after panelist for 
interviews and logged many hours on live and taped, local and national 
television and even international radio. John always shared his time 
and knowledge, and made many appearances as a guest speaker at local 
schools, societies, and government agencies.
  He founded the Alliance of Government Managers (AGM) at the beginning 
of 1987 to protest Federal managers pay, entitlements and benefits. 
John's organization also included an emphasis on participation and 
worked to support beneficial legislation and programs, avert 
destructive administration issues, and promote Federal managers' 
prosperity and public harmony.
  John served as president of Chapter 77, Federal Managers Association 
for 5 years. During his tenure, he implemented many innovative programs 
and provided members with an unprecedented level of support. He never 
hesitated to go to any means necessary when his members needed help. 
John received a Gold Card (lifetime) membership from the Federal 
Managers Association for his extraordinary leadership in their 
organization. The extremely selective nature of this award may not be 
immediately apparent, but some of us know how few in the history of FMA 
have earned this level of gratitude.
  In 1983, John cofounded the Nor-Cal Federal Coalition (NCFC) and 
became their first President. The NCFC offered Federal labor unions and 
management groups an outlet for common interest matters. Through his 
efforts with the many organizations he founded and presided over, John 
consistently championed the rights of Federal employees to make a 
stronger more united Federal community.
  John never settled for anything less than his best. He is a friend, a 
successful Federal manager, a political activist, a husband, a father, 
a grandfather, and an inspiration to thousands of people in and around 
Sacramento, CA.
  I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to John on his 
very distinguished career and I wish him and his family my best. 
Although we will sorely miss his presence, we wish him great success in 
his future endeavors.

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