[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 131 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2013-E2014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF MR. BILL BOWEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 1, 1999

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
exceptional manager and good friend, Mr. Bill Bowen, on the occasion of 
his retirement from the General Motors Powertrain Plant, located in my 
hometown of Bay City, Michigan. Bill Bowen's distinguished career spans 
39 years, and I believe it is not an understatement to say that many of 
our families in the Fifth Congressional District owe in part their 
secure, well-paying jobs to Bill's wise stewardship of the plant.
  Those who know Bill say that his strong sense of integrity 
underscores all their interactions with him. I certainly am well-
acquainted with his unflagging commitment to honesty and hard work, for 
these two qualities have always been associated with his name. Bill 
began his career with General Motors in 1956, shortly after graduating 
from Alma College. While still working, he managed to continue his 
education and received a master's degree from the University of Detroit 
in 1966.
  Bill held a variety of positions at General Motors Corporation before 
moving to Bay City in 1977, when he accepted a position as quality 
manager, and, in 1979, he became a production manager in Brighton, 
Michigan. In 1990, he was offered, and accepted, the top position of 
plant manager. This was widely considered unusual, as GM usually slated 
outside executives for these positions, but it shows the extent of 
Bill's reputation, and the vast confidence that others had in him.
  Over the next decade, Bill and GM-Powertrain continued to shift 
toward strategic product lines and maintaining a technological edge. GM 
invested nearly $1 billion in equipment and tooling for the Bay City 
plant, and Bill and the Powertrain community delivered. Today, they 
produce about 40,000 connecting rods daily--although three years ago 
they produced none. And in 1986, they did not produce camshafts, but 
now, thanks to Bill's leadership and the Powertrain team, they produce 
25,000 daily.
  I have great admiration for Bill, as does everyone who has worked 
with him over the years. Under his leadership, GM-Powertrain has been 
at the forefront of management/labor relations. The plant has one of 
the few ``living agreement'' contracts in the country, which means that 
the contract never expires; rather, disputes are addressed, and 
resolved, as they arise. Bill's expertise is not limited to management 
relations, however, I've worked closely with him on such issues as air 
quality control standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy [CAFE] 
regulations. I hope to continue seeking his excellent advise and 
expertise during his retirement.
  Although Bill would never hint to his extensive civic involvement and 
community volunteer activities, everyone in Bay City has benefited at 
one time or another from Bill's kindness. For instance, he has led the 
campaign for the Bay County Women's Center, in the process raising 
almost two million for the three million dollar facility, all in less 
than a year. He has been very involved in the United Way of Bay County, 
where he served as General Campaign Chairman in 1994 and on the Board 
of Directors for six years. The list of his civic activities is too 
long to speak about today, but to name a few: Bay Area Chamber of 
Commerce, BaySail, Bay Health and Junior Achievement of Northeastern 
Michigan, and of course, the local Little League. Despite these many 
community activities, despite his commitment to his work, Bill's 
greatest pride is in his family. Anyone who meets Bill, knows shortly 
thereafter of his great dedication to his wife Sally, and their two 
sons, Robert and David.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill is indeed a great leader, a kind person, and 
devoted husband and father. I have no doubt that he will continue to 
inspire others with his selfless contributions to our community. Today, 
I urge you and our colleagues to join with me in congratulating Bill 
Bowen on his retirement from GM-Powertrain in Bay City, Michigan.

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