[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING OLIVER BIRCKHEAD AS A GREAT LIVING CINCINNATIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 20, 2004

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Oliver Birckhead, 
a dear friend and constituent, who will be formally honored on February 
26, 2003 by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce as a Great 
Living Cincinnatian, one of our region's highest honors. The recipients 
of this prestigious award are selected on the basis of special 
professional achievement; an awareness of the needs of others; civic 
service; leadership; and distinctive accomplishments.
  A native of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Birckhead graduated from Trinity-
Pawling School in Pawling, New York; Nichols College in Dudley, 
Massachusetts; and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers 
University. Mr. Birckhead says the banking business was really in his 
blood: his father was the first Supervisor of National Banks in 
President Taft's administration. In 1937, Mr. Birckhead began his 
career in the banking business with the Peoples National Bank and Trust 
Company in White Plains, New York.
  After a stint in the U.S. Air Corps, Mr. Birckhead was appointed 
assistant national bank examiner in the Second District of New York. 
From 1948 to 1951, he worked for Chemical Bank, then joined Central 
Trust Company (now PNC Bank) in Cincinnati. At Central Trust, he was 
elected an officer in 1951 and became executive vice president and 
director in 1967. In 1968, Mr. Birckhead was involved in the founding 
of Central Bancorporation and became CEO of its lead bank, The Central 
Trust Company, a position he held for 17 years. When he became 
president and later CEO of Central Bancorporation, the company's assets 
were approximately $500 million; when he retired in 1988, the company's 
assets were $5.2 billion. When Central Bancorporation merged into PNC 
the result was a $43 billion regional banking company, and Mr. 
Birckhead served as vice chairman and director of PNC Bank until he 
retired in 1989.
  Mr. Birckhead's civic accomplishments have touched nearly every facet 
of Greater Cincinnati. He was a trustee, vice president and executive 
committee member of the Cincinnati Art Museum, and advisory board 
member and vice chairman of the Salvation Army. He also served on the 
boards of the Boy's Club of Cincinnati; the Cincinnati Association for 
the Blind; and the Cincinnati Council on World Affairs. He has been a 
leader for Xavier University's Capital Fund Drive; the University of 
Cincinnati's Annual Business Campaign; the National Conference of 
Christians and Jews (now the National Conference for Community 
Justice); the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce; the Cincinnati 
Business Committee; and the Statue of Liberty Centennial Commission. 
With several others, he led the original financing that formed the 
Cincinnati Bengals.
  The recipient of many awards for his community service, Mr. Birckhead 
was honored by Ohio Governor John Gilligan with the Governor's Award 
for Community Action and by the Urban League. In 1986, he was presented 
with the Israel Peace Award by the State of Israel.
  He is also devoted to his family, and his wife, Jane, is an active 
and effective volunteer in Greater Cincinnati. All of us in Greater 
Cincinnati thank Mr. Birckhead for his service to our community and 
congratulate him on being named a Great Living Cincinnatian.

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