[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 3 (Thursday, January 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO JAMES R. TILLING

 Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and 
pay tribute to James R. Tilling, who is retiring after 33 years of 
service to the State of Ohio.
  Mr. Tilling came to Ohio in September, 1969 to begin a career as a 
political science professor at my alma mater, Ohio University in 
Athens. He spent 6 years at Ohio University where he taught courses in 
American national government, urban government and politics, and Soviet 
government and foreign policy. In academic year 1973-1974, he was named 
a ``University Professor,'' an honor given each year to the 10 best 
teaching professors at Ohio University.
  Following his tenure as a distinguished Ohio University professor in 
1977, Mr. Tilling joined public service, as director of communications 
and research of the Ohio Senate's Republican caucus. He served twice as 
minority chief of staff, in 1979 to 1980 and 1983 to 1984. He was 
elected clerk of the senate for 1981 to 1982.
  From January 1984 until April 1994, Mr. Tilling served as chief 
executive officer of the senate under then-senate presidents Paul 
Gillmor and Stanley J. Aronoff. In that capacity, he was responsible 
for the day-to-day operation of the senate's staff and also worked with 
senate Republican members to develop their legislative policy agenda.
  Through the years, Mr. Tilling made significant contributions which 
helped improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Ohio 
Legislature. For example, in 1981 and 1992, he was the principal 
coauthor of the bipartisan congressional redistricting plans which 
determined congressional district boundaries for the 1980s and 1990s. 
In 1991, he served as the secretary for to the Ohio Apportionment 
Board, where he helped craft the districting plan for the Ohio General 
Assembly in the last decade.
  In addition to creating the redistricting plans that have been in 
effect for 20 years, Mr. Tilling has been a key advisor in major policy 
debates in the Ohio Legislature, he has recruited candidates to run for 
the U.S. Congress and he has the regard of legislators and policymakers 
on both sides of the aisle.
  I worked with him and appreciated his contributions when I was 
Governor of Ohio during the 1990s. For the past 7 years Mr. Tilling has 
served as chief of staff and chief policy advisor to Ohio Attorney 
General Betty D. Montgomery. I recruited Betty Montgomery to run for 
attorney general and I know how valuable Mr. Tilling has been to her 
over the years.
  James R. Tilling has over three decades of dedicated and 
distinguished public service to the people of Ohio and our Nation. I 
commend his intellect and his passion for public service which have 
inspired colleagues and students alike. His contributions are 
longlasting and should be emulated for years to come.

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