[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 135 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


A TRIBUTE TO PAYNE & DOLAN, INC., WINNER OF A 1999 EXEMPLARY VOLUNTEER 
            EFFORTS AWARD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GERALD D. KLECZKA

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 7, 1999

  Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to an 
exemplary act of community spirit and corporate citizenship. A company 
located in Wisconsin's Fourth Congressional District, Payne & Dolan, 
Incorporated, a Waukesha, Wisconsin-based highway construction company, 
has been named a 1999 recipient of the prestigious Exemplary Volunteer 
Efforts (EVE) Award from the U.S. Department of Labor.
  The Department of Labor has recognized Payne & Dolan for an 
innovative minority hiring, training and development program that has 
provided outstanding opportunities for more than 160 minorities and 
women and invested more than $3 million into Milwaukee's central city.
  Payne & Dolan is the first highway construction company ever to 
receive this award. The company's comprehensive equal opportunity 
program includes proactive hiring efforts in Milwaukee's central city, 
community involvement and partnerships, scholarships, employee training 
and development, minority business mentoring and more.
  The company has worked with the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee, the 
Wisconsin Department of Transportation and other community partners to 
develop a pilot program called Transportation Alliance for New 
Solutions, or TrANS. This program recruits and raises awareness of 
industry opportunities among minorities and women.
  In addition, Payne & Dolan helped spearhead development of the 
Central City Workers' Center (CCWC), a centralized ``one-stop shop'' to 
link highway contractors with potential employees. This one-of-a-kind 
collaboration among unions, government, industry and community-based 
organizations seeks to provide family-sustaining incomes to a minimum 
of 150 central city residents over the next two years.
  Payne & Dolan's success stories are the life stories of people like 
Sean McDowell, who began working for Payne & Dolan in 1993 and today, 
with the company's guidance and support, owns his own asphalt company. 
People like Roger Carson, who was hired as a laborer in 1991 and has 
been a foreman for two years. And people like Wendy Young, who was 
hired as an unskilled laborer in 1994 and is now an apprentice 
operating engineer.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the contributions and 
commitment of Payne & Dolan and its CEO, Ned Bechthold, as well as 
salute the employees who have worked hard to make this equal 
opportunity program succeed and to make the EVE award possible. It is 
clear that Payne & Dolan is building much more than highways--it is 
also building a direct path to opportunity. I commend Payne & Dolan, 
and I commend the United States Department of Labor for its recognition 
of this outstanding corporate citizen.

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