[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 25, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1639-E1640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO GEORGE A. SCHAEFER, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 2002

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to George A. 
Schaefer, Jr., a distinguished constituent, a friend and an 
accomplished business leader who will be inducted into the Greater 
Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Business Hall of Fame on September 26, 
2002. George is being honored for his many successes at the helm of 
Fifth Third Bancorp and for his leadership in our community.
  George was born in Cincinnati in 1945. He attended Elder High School, 
and went on to

[[Page E1640]]

earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U.S. Military 
Academy, West Point, in 1967. In 1974, he graduated with an M.B.A. from 
Xavier University.
  Following West Point, George proudly served our country in the U.S. 
Army. From 1967 to 1969, he was stationed in Europe, and, between 1969 
and 1970, he served in Vietnam, where he earned a Bronze Star.
  George will tell you that his experience at West Point and service in 
the Army prepared him well for the business world. He initially joined 
Fifth Third Bank as a management trainee in 1971, and, by 1990, he was 
the President and CEO of the bank. Since then, Fifth Third has 
routinely posted double digit growth rates. Under George's tenure, 
total revenues have grown from $393 million to $4.2 billion--an 
astonishing 1000 percent increase. Currently, Fifth Third is the 15th 
largest bank in the U.S., and among the top ten U.S. banks in market 
valuation. George is rightfully regarded as one of the top bankers in 
our nation.
  George's other activities and civic commitments include: Chairman of 
the Board of the University of Cincinnati; the Children's Hospital 
Center Medical Center Executive Committee; the Greater Cincinnati 
Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee; and the Health Alliance of 
Greater Cincinnati Executive Committee. He has given of his time and 
energy to a number of other worthy organizations including: the 
Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts; the Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund; 
the United Way; and the Taft Museum of Art.
  With all of his great accomplishments, he's particularly proud of his 
marriage of 35 years to his wife, Betty, and their three children and 
four grandchildren. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati area 
congratulate George on his induction into the Greater Cincinnati and 
Northern Kentucky Business Hall of Fame, and wish him the very best on 
his current and future endeavors.

                          ____________________