[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 30, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1939]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1939]]



                         TRIBUTE TO GERI COOMBS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 30, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Mrs. Geri 
Coombs, who is retiring from the California Teachers Association (CTA) 
after 25 years of dedicated service. I had the distinct pleasure of 
hiring Geri when I was involved with the CTA. I knew then, that Geri's 
arrival would be a great benefit to the CTA, and that judgment has been 
confirmed.
  For the last twenty years Geri has been the Associate Executive 
Director and Controller of the California Teachers Association. During 
that time she has guided the Association from humble roots with an 
uncertain future to a strong and vibrant association that has become a 
model of financial stability for non-profits across the country. Under 
her direction the CTA Business Division was reorganized, resulting in 
both renewed financial success and a restored confidence in the future 
reliability of the Association. All who have had the privilege of 
working with this dedicated woman share my confidence in her 
extraordinary leadership and vision.
  Mr. Speaker, in addition to her outstanding financial insight, Geri's 
understanding to the goals of the CTA has given her a unique ability to 
allocate and direct resources to meet the many and diverse needs of the 
CTA. Among Geri's many successes at the CTA was the successful 
balancing of the demand for CTA services and resources from both large 
urban and small rural chapters. In addition it was Geri's important 
role as a management consultant to the CTA Board bargaining team that 
was instrumental to ensuring the trust and respect of both professional 
and associate staff unions, thereby solidifying the integrity of the 
process.
  Geri is respected by all who deal with her, as her colleagues stated 
in their glowing tribute of her: ``No CTA member has been called upon 
more often to solve seemingly insurmountable problems and no CTA staff 
member will be missed more as she moves onward and upward to a most 
deserved retirement.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to 
a tireless worker, a financial wizard, and an outstanding person on the 
conclusion of her extraordinary career with the California Teachers 
Association.

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