[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 161 (Tuesday, November 27, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO JOHN D. GROENDYKE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVE LARGENT

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 27, 2001

  Mr. LARGENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John D. 
Groendyke on the 25th anniversary of his appointment to the Oklahoma 
Wildlife Commission by then Governor David Boren.
  Let me tell you a little about this man. John Groendyke graduated 
from Wentworth Military Academy where as Cadet Lt. Col., he served as 
the first brigade commander when the corps was organized as a ``battle 
group'' with seven subordinate companies. He now serves as President of 
the Wentworth Board of Trustees. John went on to receive his Bachelor 
of Science in Business from Oklahoma State University and his law 
degree from the University of Oklahoma. He served as a Captain in the 
U.S. Army, and after a two-year tour of duty he returned to Enid, 
Oklahoma to join the family trucking operation. He is a lifelong 
resident of Oklahoma whose vocation is serving as owner, Chairman and 
CEO of Groendyke Transport Company, founded by his father, Harold C. 
Groendyke in 1932 and today, one of the nation's largest motor carriers 
of bulk commodities serving the continental United States, Canada and 
Mexico. He and his wife, Virginia have two daughters, two sons, and 
four grandsons and live in Enid, Oklahoma where they are actively 
involved in many community activities. He serves as Chairman of the 
Board of the National Tank Truck Carriers and is a member of the Board 
of Directors of Central National Bank in Enid. He is a Trustee of the 
Oklahoma chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and is a member of the 
Board of Directors of the Grand National Quail Foundation and Grand 
National Quail Club, having served as a past President and Chairman of 
the Board. Obviously, John stays pretty busy since he also owns and 
operates several cattle ranches in Oklahoma and also enjoys antique 
automobiles!
  But John's avocation and service to Oklahoma has been in the area of 
wildlife conservation efforts. As the Commissioner of District 8 for 
the past 25 years, John has guided our Oklahoma Wildlife Department 
through a period of acquiring the Sandy Sanders, Cooper, Packsaddle, 
James Collins, Hackberry Flat and Deep Fork Wildlife Management Areas. 
He helped develop the biodiversity program with the Weyerhaeuser 
Company and assisted in creating oil and gas development policies for 
wildlife lands and reasonable oil and gas environmental regulations. 
During his 25 years of service, John also helped develop a cash leasing 
agricultural and grazing revenue program on wildlife lands and 
participated in the development of deer depredation and management 
policies.
  Abraham Lincoln said, ``And in the end, it's not the years in your 
life that count. It's the life in your years.'' Mr. Speaker, please 
join me in saluting John D. Groendyke, for his tireless service not 
only to Oklahoma but to the nation as well in his wildlife conservation 
efforts. He has made his years count! May he enjoy many more!

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