[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 11, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S5224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S5224]]
               MR. BASEBALL, RICHARD A. SAUGET, TURNS 60

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Richard A. 
Sauget, an outstanding citizen, community leader, business 
entrepreneur, husband, father, and grandfather. His distinguished 
contributions and accomplishments have improved the economic 
prosperity, social welfare, and individual lives of so many people in 
Southwestern Illinois and the St. Louis region.
  Richard A. Sauget was born on April 21, 1944. He was raised by his 
parents, Vincent and Estelle Sauget, in the Village of Sauget, which 
was founded by Rich's grandfather, Leo. Rich continues to reside in 
Sauget with his wife, Judee. The Sauget family was one of the first to 
settle in the area. Rich and Judee have five children, three 
grandchildren, and one grandchild on the way. His Catholic faith and 
family have always been his priorities.
  After graduating with a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a 
M.A. from St. Mary's University, Rich began a successful professional 
baseball career. He played baseball with the Atlanta Braves and San 
Francisco Giants. During his career, he served as a backup for Joe 
Torre and a catcher for the great Satchel Paige.
  Rich Sauget continues to be involved in baseball. Starting with the 
Sauget Wizards, a semi-professional team in the Mon-Clair Baseball 
League, Rich brought professional-level baseball to Southwestern 
Illinois. Today, his passion is the Gateway Grizzlies Baseball Team, a 
team he founded. Rich, a managing partner of the Grizzlies, was the 
driving force in designing and building the new Grizzlies GMC stadium 
in 2002. By the way, the Gateway Grizzlies won the Frontier League 
Championship in 2003.
  Rich serves on several prominent sports association boards, including 
the St. Louis Sports Commission, Southwestern Illinois Officials 
Organization, the St. Louis Professional Baseball Scouts Association, 
and is the current president of the Frontier Professional Baseball 
League.
  In addition to his sports accomplishments, Rich has been a highly-
successful business entrepreneur. He is the founder and president of 
East County Enterprises, Inc., a real estate management company that 
has been in business for more than 35 years. East County Enterprises 
manages various properties in several Southwestern Illinois 
communities. The company has provided job opportunities and generated 
business growth in the region.
  Rich Sauget is a dedicated community leader with a strong commitment 
to service. He has volunteered a great deal of time to the economic 
development of the St. Louis Metropolitan area by serving on many 
prominent boards, including the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth 
Association, the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois, the St. 
Louis Regional Business Council, the St. Louis Lambert Airport 
Commission, and the Missouri Historical Society Board. He is the 
Chairman of the St. Clair County Building Commission which oversees the 
development of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.
  For years, Rich has emphasized the importance of bringing together 
and developing the entire St. Louis region as one united community, 
including a highly-integrated airport transportation system. His vision 
includes the eventual formation of a Regional Airport Authority to 
provide the St. Louis region with more efficient passenger, cargo, and 
maintenance services.
  As chairman of the board of Touchette Regional Hospital and a member 
of the board of Kenneth Hall Hospital, Rich has been instrumental in 
the development and expansion of healthcare services to low income 
families, specifically underprivileged women and children, in the 
Southwestern Illinois region.
  To further serve the Southwestern Illinois/St. Louis region, Rich has 
been working to develop a strong business leadership group, Archview 
Communities Economic Development Corporation. Archview is designed to 
enhance economic, social, and business development opportunities by 
facilitating partnerships between government programs, local 
municipalities, the area's healthcare network, the local education 
system, and many regional business owners.
  It should also be noted that both Rich and Judee Sauget are involved 
in many charitable organizations in Illinois and Missouri.
  Richard A. Sauget leads by example and sets a very high standard for 
all of us to follow. I congratulate him for his impressive 
accomplishments and heartfelt service to his community and look forward 
to many more years of working with him.

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