[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 63 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E964-E965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          A TRIBUTE TO MR. JOSEPH B. BLAKE OF DENVER, COLORADO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 2005

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
Joseph B. Blake of Denver, Colorado, for his commitment to 
entrepreneurship, economic development, education and improving the 
quality of life in one of America's fastest growing communities--
Denver, Colorado.
  Modern achievement in the West involves two credos: hard work and 
public service. The ethic of hard work has driven our economy since the 
early discovery of gold, and the ethic of public service--helping 
neighbors build a barn or establish a hospital--is what has made our 
communities thrive. In Colorado, there are few individuals who embody 
the values of hard work and public service as does Joe Blake.
  Since 1999, Joe Blake has held the position of President and CEO of 
the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber represents over 3,000 
businesses and over 300,000 employees in the Denver metropolitan area. 
This position gives Joe a vital leadership role in the economic 
direction of the State of Colorado. When he first arrived as head of 
the Chamber, Joe brought new and innovative ideas with him. He 
spearheaded a program to educate corporate leaders from around the 
country about the favorable business atmosphere of the Denver region. 
Joe Blake's work helped create an economic expansion in Colorado that 
defined the ``Tech Boom'' of the late

[[Page E965]]

1990s and early 2000s. The Chamber continues to promote economic 
vitality in the Denver region by encouraging personal networking 
opportunities and entrepreneurial training.
  Joe has been a particularly strong voice in bringing needed vision to 
the Denver metro area's enormous transportation needs. Just as civic 
leaders in the past brought stagecoach lines and railroads to connect 
the people of the West, Joe has brought his considerable talents to the 
task of improving our highways and transportation systems in the Rocky 
Mountain region. Joe has not been a prisoner of old ways of thinking 
about transportation, but has embraced 21st century visions of better 
ways to move people and goods in our communities.
  His desire to serve Colorado and its people has not only manifested 
itself in his professional life. Joe serves on the board of the Denver 
Foundation, an organization dedicated to charity and civic improvement. 
Joe also serves on the boards of the Denver Zoological Foundation and 
the Denver Public Schools Foundation. And if his plate was not full 
enough, he also volunteers for the Hospice of St. John Foundation.
  Among the qualities I admire most in Joe Blake, however, is his 
ability to get things done in ways that bring people together instead 
of dividing on ideological or partisan lines. Although Joe has a long 
history of involvement with the Republican Party, he has never allowed 
partisanship to inhibit good public works. In large part, I believe 
Joe's success with people is a direct reflection of his reputation for 
decency, genuineness and personal warmth. In short, he is a uniter and 
not a divider and that is why I enjoy working with him and learning 
from him.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Mr. Joe 
Blake for the positive impact he has had on the West and in Colorado, 
through his leadership at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and in 
so many other ways. Joe Blake is a pioneer in the best tradition of our 
history.

                          ____________________