[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 64 (Thursday, May 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E767-E768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A TRIBUTE TO BILL GEORGE UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 
                              OF MEDTRONIC

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM RAMSTAD

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2001

  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bill George, 
who recently retired as the Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic, Inc.
  Medtronic is one of the leading medical technology companies in the 
world. This is due in large part to the leadership of Bill George, its 
COO since 1989 and CEO since 1991. During his tenure, Bill George built 
Medtronic into a company that employs 25,000 people in 120 countries, 
with revenues of more than $5 billion.
  But Bill is more than a successful businessman. He is a policy 
visionary who believes in patient centered care, which is enabled by 
medical technology. I want to single out the Patient Summit he hosted 
in Washington, D.C. last year, which encouraged a dialogue between 
patients, policymakers and advocacy groups about the role patients can 
play in directing their own health care.
  Under his leadership, the Medtronic Foundation has reached out to 
patient groups in unprecedented ways, giving $12 million last year 
alone to non-profit organizations in communities worldwide.
  As a fellow Minnesotan, I've watched Bill's personal efforts in the 
community with much admiration. His efforts as chair of the board of 
the United Way of Minneapolis and vice chair of the board of the 
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, as well as his work on the boards of the 
American Red Cross and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 
are just a few of the highlights.
  Mr. Speaker, I highly commend Bill George for his visionary and 
innovative leadership. He has taken a great company and made it better 
with his strong commitment to bettering the lives of patients. Bill's 
integrity and leadership

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qualities have made him a great role model for many aspiring leaders, 
and he is a true inspiration to many.
  Bill George will be sorely missed by Medtronic, but the Twin Cities 
community will continue to benefit from all that he does for so many. I 
applaud Bill for a stellar career at Medtronic, and I wish him and his 
wonderful wife, Penny, and their family continued success and happiness 
in future years.

                          ____________________