[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 7 (Monday, January 31, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S646-S647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING THE FISHBACK FAMILY

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am proud to rise today to 
commend the Fishback family of Brookings, SD for its outstanding 
support of the arts. Van Fishback, who serves as president of the 
recently renamed First Bank and Trust in Brookings, and Robert 
Fishback, who serves as bank chairman of the board, have demonstrated 
their leadership in this area by helping to cultivate music and the 
performing arts in Brookings and the South Dakota State University 
community.
  First Bank and Trust and the Fishback family were recently recognized 
by the State of South Dakota for their contributions when they were 
selected as recipients of the 2005 Governor's Award for Outstanding 
Support of the Arts by an Organization or Business. This award 
recognizes the outstanding commitment to the arts demonstrated by the 
Fishback family, without whom the Performing Arts Center on the SDSU 
campus, the State University Theatre at SDSU and the Brookings Area 
Community Band might not exist.
  The personal contributions of Van and his wife Barbara, as well as 
Robert and his wife Pat, are notable for their longstanding personal 
involvement in numerous organizations that promote theater, music and 
historic preservation in Brookings. Particularly in a university town 
such as Brookings, the Fishback family's generosity and vision serve as 
an inspiration for many of South Dakota's promising young students, as 
well as patrons of the arts. The quality of life in all of South Dakota 
has been greatly enhanced by the Fishback family's commitment to 
excellence in the arts, and I thank them and their colleagues at the 
First Bank and Trust for their extraordinary leadership.

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