[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2526-H2527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING ATHENS, TEXAS, MAYOR JERRY KING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
exceptional leadership, character, and outstanding achievements of my 
dear friend, Mayor Jerry King of Athens, Texas. After an unprecedented 
five terms in office and 10 years of exceptional service, Mayor King 
has decided to step down as mayor. His decision is truly a loss to the 
citizens of Athens, Texas.
  A responsive and fiscally responsible leader, Jerry King has always 
brought Athens together to achieve many worthy goals, including the 
opening of a new city hall that is modern and meeting the needs of the 
citizens of that community and the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center, 
which is truly a wonderful showplace facility for Athens and east Texas 
that helps educate numerous tourists and school children on the wonders 
of nature and the environment and our freshwater fish.
  He has helped revitalize downtown Athens, Texas. Mr. Speaker, at a 
time when many small towns in rural America and rural Texas have seen a 
decline, they have seen their glory days pass them up, downtown Athens 
is vibrant, it is alive, it is well, thanks to the leadership of Jerry 
King. It shows that Athens' glory days are in the present and in the 
future, not in the past.
  Mayor King has also worked to improve Athens' transportation 
infrastructure through the new loop that is just vital to economic 
development in that part of east Texas. Mayor King has led and won the 
support on so many different programs and projects that are important 
to the people of Athens. This is truly a record of accomplishment.
  Undoubtedly because of it, Mayor King is recognized as a strong and 
visionary leader throughout all of east Texas; and elected officials 
throughout East Texas, including myself, have sought his advice, his 
counsel, his wisdom.
  Mr. Speaker, he is upbeat, he is optimistic, he is forward thinking 
and he is a good listener; and through his efforts he has made Athens, 
Texas, a better place to live, to learn, to work, and to raise a 
family.
  Mr. Speaker, Jerry King has not only demonstrated his dedication to 
public service through his tenure as mayor but through his volunteer 
service and enthusiastic involvement in community organizations as 
well. Jerry has always led by example. He served as the president of 
the Henderson County YMCA, the president of the Athens Noon Kiwanis 
Club, the president of the Athens Teenage Baseball Association, the 
vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Athens 
Industrial Foundation, and the list goes on and on and on.
  In his professional career, Jerry King has undertaken a noble life, 
that of educator. His life is one about improving education and 
strengthening our institutions of higher learning.
  After graduating from Commerce High School, Jerry King attended Texas 
A&M University at Commerce, where he received a bachelor's degree in 
economics, a master's degree in business administration, and a 
doctorate in education.

[[Page H2527]]

  He has put his education to work for the citizens of east Texas as a 
professor of management, business and economics at his beloved Trinity 
Valley Community College. Today he serves there as Dean of Occupational 
Instruction; and thanks to his work, young people from all over east 
Texas have been enlightened about business and economics, and thusly 
they have been empowered. They have been empowered by a great teacher 
that they respect and admire to go out and create the next generation 
of inventory software, to help found the next community bank next door.
  As the Congressman for the Fifth Congressional District of Texas, I 
am pleased today to recognize my good friend Jerry King for his many 
years of public service as mayor and for the outstanding contributions 
he has made to the city of Athens. I also want to thank his wonderful 
and patient wife, Dosha, for the sacrifice she too has made on behalf 
of the people of Athens.
  Although he is stepping down as mayor, Jerry King has truly made his 
community and country a better place. I know he will continue to do so, 
be it as public servant, leader, volunteer, or educator.
  Mr. Speaker, the greatest compliment I can pay my friend Jerry King 
tonight is that when I think about my 19-month-old son, Travis, I can 
be proud if one day he would grow up to be just like Mayor Jerry King 
of Athens, Texas.

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