[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 129 (Thursday, October 6, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2021-E2023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO WALT HIERSTEINER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 6, 2005

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to bring to 
the attention of the House of Representatives a profile and interview 
of one of my leading constituents in Kansas' Third Congressional 
District, Walter Hiersteiner of Prairie Village, Kansas. Walt recently 
was the subject of an article in ``The Best Times: a newspaper for 
Johnson County's 60-and-older citizens'', which I am including with 
this statement.
  Walt Hiersteiner has a long history of service to his family, friends 
and community. Since 1946, he has been involved with the management and 
administration of the Tension Envelope Corporation of Kansas City, 
Missouri, where he has been responsible for numerous innovations in 
that field, including 25 United States patents. Just as important, if 
not more so, has been his dedication to the Kansas City community, 
including: service on the Shawnee Mission Board of Education; 
establishment of the Committee for Excellence, which supported several 
school bond issues; service on the Kansas State Board of Regents, to 
which he was appointed by Governor Robert Docking; chairing the 
Legislative Committee for the Johnson County Community College 
Foundation; and fundraising and direct financial support for numerous 
worthy community causes, including the Children's Center at Johnson 
County Community College and the Truman Medical Center.
  I am pleased to have this opportunity to place this profile from the 
Best Times in the Record, but I am more pleased to have this 
opportunity to publicly recognize Walt Hiersteiner as a vitally 
important community leader and activist in the Third Congressional 
District, and as my personal friend for many years.

                   [From The Best Times, Sept. 2005]

        Walt Hiersteiner: Community Involvement Over a Lifetime

                           (By Lynn Anderson)

       A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Walter Hiersteiner graduated 
     from the University of Iowa in Iowa City (a member of the Phi 
     Beta Kappa society in 1939) and then Harvard Law School in 
     1942, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. While 
     a student at the University of Iowa, he met Jean Newburger, 
     whom he married in 1944. After World War II, the couple moved 
     to Kansas City.
       Following his graduation from Harvard Law School, he 
     practiced briefly with the Kansas City law firm of Ryland, 
     Stinson, Mag & Thomson. In 1942 he was called in as a 
     commissioned Naval officer, serving until 1946, principally 
     as a naval gunnery officer stationed in Cincinnati, Ohio, and 
     then Long Island, New York.
       Following his discharge in 1946, he practiced briefly with 
     the law firm of Margolin & Reinhardt in Kansas City. Then, in 
     1946, he joined the Tension Envelope Corp., which at that 
     time had four manufacturing facilities. Years later, when 
     Bert Berkowitz and Walter Berkowitz died within three weeks 
     of one another, Bert Berkley, the son of Bert Berkowitz, 
     became president, and Walter became executive vice president, 
     sharing principal management responsibilities with Bert 
     Berkley.
       Bert Berkley's son, Bill, has taken over the sole 
     management of the Tension Envelope

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     Corp., which has manufacturing plants in Malaysia, China, and 
     Taiwan, and eight domestic manufacturing plants, with 30 
     sales and service offices in major markets. The company 
     manufactures more than 12 billion envelopes a year.
       Walt champions multiple civic causes with energy and 
     conviction, particularly in the areas of public education and 
     health care. He was named Johnson Countian of the Year in 
     2003. Eighty-six years old, he lives in Prairie Village with 
     his wife, Jean. They have four children, all of whom 
     graduated from the Shawnee Mission district public schools, 
     and nine grandchildren. His oldest son, Richard, is a lawyer 
     with the firm of Palmer and Dodge in Boston, Mass.; Mary is a 
     teacher in special education and also a partner in a tutoring 
     business; Joseph practices law in Kansas City with the firm 
     of Seigfried, Bingham; and Dorothy is an art therapist in 
     Boulder, Colo., who exhibits her watercolor paintings.
       Lynn Anderson was treated to a warm, stimulating 
     conversation with Hiersteiner in his third-floor office at 
     819 E. 19th St. in Kansas City, Mo.
       Q: Let's begin with a little about your background. You 
     grew up in Iowa, went to the University of Iowa and Harvard 
     Law School, served in the Navy, and finally settled in Kansas 
     City. You've now been in Kansas City for almost 60 years. Why 
     have you wanted to continue making Kansas City your home?
       A: Jean and I are both strong Midwesterners and we prefer 
     the Midwest unquestionably. I had many opportunities to 
     practice law in the East, but we chose to stay in the 
     Midwest, primarily because we thought it afforded the very 
     best environment in which to raise children.
       We enjoy everything about living in Kansas City, not the 
     least being its people, the educational facilities of Johnson 
     County for our youngsters, and the wonderful company for 
     which I have worked nearly 60 years. We really have had no 
     desire or inkling to go elsewhere!
       Q: You have been with the Tension Envelope Corp. since 
     1947. You started in sales, later became sales manager and 
     subsequently executive vice president, and now are vice 
     chairman of the board. In what ways has the life of a 
     businessman and lawyer suited you?
       A: A law school education really amounts to learning how to 
     think, and I was able to use thinking skills in the business 
     world. Initially I was involved in labor relations, but I 
     became actively interested in the envelope business. That 
     interest was acquired quite naturally because I was always 
     interested in riddles, which led to my being fascinated by 
     the complicated envelope equipment, leading to my developing 
     25 envelope designs that have been patented.
       The company employs a cadre of sales representatives. Often 
     they sought me out, expressing a particular interest of a 
     sales prospect, and together we developed a special envelope 
     to fit the customer's needs. Our company's reputation has 
     been founded not only on regular envelopes of all 
     descriptions but on specialty envelopes.
       You asked how I would come up with a new design. It's a 
     process of constant and penetrating thought--pensive 
     thoughtfulness--about how to get a better result. I would 
     think about solutions for envelope puzzles at all hours!
       Q: Hanging on your office wall are 25 framed patents of 
     envelope designs you created, including an airline ticket 
     envelope and specialty packaging envelopes for Hallmark, 
     among a large number of other customers. Were you always 
     inventive?
       A: Twenty-four of the patents are envelopes, but one is of 
     particular interest. In summer vacations at Cape Cod, our 
     kids would have dry cereal for breakfast--but without closing 
     the boxes satisfactorily, the cereals became moist. I 
     developed a special closure on a box of cereal, and indicated 
     I was going to apply for a patent, to which my youngsters 
     felt ``not surprised!'' I communicated with the Kellogg 
     Company and General Foods after securing a patent, but the 
     Kellogg Company was inspired to go in a different direction 
     by my concept, and that particular patent never materialized 
     into the acceptance I had hoped.
       Our company is still imbued With the philosophy of coming 
     up with something different and better for customers with 
     specialty needs. Today, in most instances, others in our 
     company handle these specialty problems. But if a designer 
     has an interesting challenge and comes to me seeking advice, 
     I'm happy to provide it!
       Q: Tension Envelope has a foundation providing grants for 
     worthy nonprofit activities. Do you believe that businesses 
     have a responsibility to contribute profits in ways that 
     benefit the community?
       A: Absolutely! Tension Envelope was founded in 1888 by the 
     father of Bert Berkowitz and Walter Berkowitz, and Bert and 
     Walter were always involved in community activities, 
     principally public education and hospitals. Our company 
     continues to push for community involvement because it is so 
     rewarding!
       Tension contributes to the community by being a family-
     focused company. Over the years, we have had two or three 
     generations of the same family working in our company--in 
     part, I think, because our management maintains a genuine 
     interest in its employees. We have a fine retirement program, 
     so many of our former employees are now enjoying the 
     retirement they richly deserve.
       And I very definitely believe that community involvement is 
     a responsibility for all corporations. We all take advantage 
     of the good fortune of living in the United States, and 
     specifically in Johnson County, so we should share that good 
     fortune.
       Q: Five mornings a week, you are still at your desk at 
     Tension. Do you have opportunities to interact with younger 
     employees and managers? And why don't you simply go home and 
     find recreational and retirement activities?
       A: Simply explained, I'm having too much fun to quit. I'm 
     able to have the better of both worlds: semi-retirement and 
     continuing involvement. I am an observer and a consultant, 
     and I try to stay out of the way of the people, many or most 
     of whom I have trained! I engage in some mentoring. I'm 
     finding, though, that it's not so easy to be graceful when 
     you see that those whom you've trained are sometimes doing a 
     better job than you did!
       Q: In 1979, you and Jean established an Outstanding Service 
     Award at the University of Kansas School of Law for the 
     graduating student whose service to his or her fellow 
     students was considered by the faculty as demonstrating 
     foremost promise for the legal profession and society. You 
     seem to be encouraging young men and women to think about 
     social service.
       A: It's significant to us that many of the Outstanding 
     Service Award winners say they became involved in social 
     service to ``pay back'' the community. I recognize what they 
     mean by that, but Jean and I don't think of it exactly that 
     way. We just deeply enjoy the pleasure we get from working 
     with the splendid people with whom we collaborate, along with 
     the satisfaction of seeing what we can accomplish together.
       Q: You are a member of the New Reform Temple. What makes 
     this synagogue and its people special to you?
       A: We all need to have pride in our own faith, whatever it 
     may be, and opportunities to express our faith with others. 
     In fact, Jean helped in the establishment of the New Reform 
     Temple, which now has a new rabbi, Jacques Cukierkorn, very 
     active in the city's Interfaith Alliance and off to a great 
     start.
       Q: People of a range of economic levels often want to 
     contribute to their community. What are your thoughts on how 
     we can all do that?
       A: Many of the people with whom we associate have a passion 
     for being helpful. There's no ``admission fee'' for 
     volunteering! Early volunteering of one's energy and support 
     can be equal in importance to larger dollars that could be 
     contributed.
       It's a good idea to apply the energy and support even 
     without funds early on, and grow into perhaps more 
     contribution of both energy and support with funds later on.
       Q: In 1957, you and Jean moved your four children from 
     Kansas City to Fairway. Did your move to Johnson County have 
     anything to do with the school systems?
       A: It had everything to do with the schools! In Kansas City 
     in those days, even in the secondary grades, the schools had 
     sororities and fraternities, which in our judgment interfered 
     with general relationships and activities and subordinated, 
     in many instances, the concentration on academics. I sought 
     out the superintendent of schools to persuade him that their 
     existence was undesirable and at odds with what should be 
     gleaned from public education--but nothing appeared on the 
     horizon, so we moved to Kansas, where the fraternities and 
     sororities then and now have been prohibited by state law 
     except in higher education.
       Many of our friends have sent their children to private 
     schools, which we never considered. Our personal view was 
     that our children would receive better preparation for public 
     life--for the mixture of people they would encounter and for 
     how they would need to communicate--through a public school 
     education. I think public schools tend to be more 
     competitive, inspiring youngsters to do well. Public school 
     is a strong preparation for life after school.
       Q: In 1968, you were elected to the Board of Education for 
     the Shawnee Mission School District. You became board vice 
     president, then president in 1972. What drew you to that form 
     of public service, and what were some of the most contentious 
     issues and most rewarding moments?
       A: One day long ago, I read in the paper that the Shawnee 
     Mission Board of Education had refused to accept government 
     funds to supplement its special education programs, in the 
     fear that those monies might be dominated by their funding 
     source. That didn't appeal to me and I decided that, rather 
     than just complaining, I'd run for the school board. The more 
     I got involved after a successful campaign, the more 
     justified I felt in that investment of time.
       Of course, I found some things that I felt were not 
     pleasing, including the fact that girls were denied any 
     athletic competition and confined to participating on drill 
     teams or as cheerleaders. We were able to change that, with 
     the help of the other members of the board, to the point that 
     the principal of Shawnee Mission North once introduced me to 
     his students as ``the father of girls' athletics'' in the 
     district! That's something of which I still remain very 
     proud.
       Another thing I found displeasing was the concentration by 
     the school district and its administrators in the length of 
     students' hair and the length of skirts, about which they had 
     rules that they monitored rather carefully. During that 
     period of time my older son, who was in law school, came home 
     sporting a mustache. I didn't happen to prefer it, and I 
     thought I was being diplomatic

[[Page E2023]]

     about expressing my objections. However, six months later, 
     when I saw him at law school, he had removed his mustache. 
     When I inquired as to the reason, his explanation really 
     awakened me. He said he simply got tired of it and that if it 
     hadn't been for me, he would have been tired of it three 
     months earlier! When I reported that to the school board and 
     campaigned for a total concentration on comportment in 
     academics, and not on these extraneous things, the board 
     finally agreed to do away with any dress codes. The 
     administrators, to their dismay at the outset, found that 
     students' appearance did not deteriorate as they had 
     anticipated.
       One of the things I remember with satisfaction is that I 
     had an intern working with me for awhile when I was on the 
     school board, doing leg work and research, helping me 
     considerably and helping in his own development. I have 
     recommended that a few times since.
       Q: In the 1980s, concerned about funding for the school 
     district, you helped organize the Committee for Excellence. 
     You worked with Larry Winn III and Fred Logan. (Since that 
     time, Winn has been elected to the school board and Logan has 
     become a co-sponsor of the Committee for Excellence.) 
     Initially you were very much involved in gaining the support 
     of a levy election and then two bond issues, the last of 
     which was for $140 million in the Shawnee Mission district.
       A: Through the work of the Committee for Excellence, which 
     had hundreds of supporting activists or more, we were able to 
     get three school bond elections passed with 60 to 70 percent 
     of the vote in favor. Recognizing that about 30 percent of 
     those voters did not have children in the schools, I think 
     that is conclusive proof of the commitment to quality 
     education that permeates Johnson County.
       The Committee for Excellence has also been active recently 
     in funding for public schools, which has decreased ever since 
     1992, when the legislators took funding responsibilities away 
     from the districts and returned those responsibilities to 
     Topeka. We shared concern with all Kansas districts about the 
     inadequacy of the funding, and lobbied extensively to 
     represent the youngsters. We feared that many legislators 
     were more interested in getting reelected than in meeting 
     this educational priority. The committee remains very active 
     now, because it is clear that the foundation plan for 
     supporting public schools in the state of Kansas requires 
     major reform.
       Q: Tell us briefly about your experience as a member and 
     president of the Kansas Board of Regents.
       A: I was appointed in the mid-1970s to the Board of Regents 
     by outgoing Gov. Robert Docking, at the request of the 
     incoming governor, Robert Bennett. This was a practice that 
     indicates the cooperation and civility existing in those days 
     that has largely disappeared in state and national politics.
       My experience on the Board of Regents was wonderful and one 
     of the most enjoyable activities in which I have participated 
     in the public arena, largely because of the other members of 
     the board, with whom I had the pleasure to associate in the 
     governance of public-supported colleges and universities in 
     Kansas.
       I would not like to have this statement misunderstood, but 
     I have considered Bob Bennett--quite apart from any 
     appreciation for his appointing me to the Board of Regents--
     to have been the best governor Kansas has had in my 
     experience, and maybe ever. I couldn't be more sincere in 
     saying that, because in my opinion, Gov. Bennett made 
     decisions in the interest of the whole state quite apart from 
     partisan motivation. I learned a good deal from him in that 
     regard.
       Q: You chaired the Legislative Committee for the Johnson 
     County Community College Foundation. What was that 
     committee's mission?
       A: There was concern about losing local control over 
     community college funding at the time of the reorganization 
     of the Kansas Board of Regents. There is now a predominant 
     feeling at that college that the situation is stable. 
     However, the committee is ready and willing to reactivate if 
     needed.
       Q: In December 2003, the Children's Center at Johnson 
     County Community College was renamed the Hiersteiner Child 
     Development Center in honor of you and Jean. Your financial 
     gift allowed the college to enlarge and renovate its center, 
     making it possible for more students pursuing the curriculum 
     in early-childhood education to move from the waiting list 
     into the program. Has child development had a special place 
     in your heart?
       A: We have four children, and when we first moved to Kansas 
     City, my wife, with some others, organized a coop nursery in 
     association with the then University of Kansas City. Science 
     has recently revealed that the brain commences to develop 
     even prior to birth, and that was assurance to my wife and me 
     that children needed the benefit of trained professionals, 
     not just those offering custodial care.
       Jean has always had a passion about teaching child 
     development specialists. At the center's dedication, she told 
     the audience that she had always thought the name 
     ``Hiersteiner'' was a bit long and difficult every time she 
     had to fill out forms or write a check--but her pride in 
     seeing the name on the building was changing her view about 
     the awkwardness of our name!
       Q: You co-chaired Truman Medical Center's first major fund-
     raising effort, which was a $20 million capital campaign. For 
     many years you have been on Truman's Charitable Foundation 
     board, while Jean has been active in the medical center 
     auxiliary and gift shop, which she co-managed for about 15 
     years. Additionally, you and Jean have endowed scholarships 
     for nurses. What fuels your passion for health care activism?
       A: Everyone recognizes the requirement of adequate health 
     care, but unfortunately, there are any number of individuals 
     without health insurance and without the means of paying for 
     care.
       The Menorah Hospital experience that I had for more than 40 
     years was rewarding, but my involvement at Truman Medical 
     Center for about 20 years is in my judgment absolutely 
     imperative because the mission of Truman is to take care of 
     clients irrespective of their ability to pay. Truman is a 
     wonderful community institution under the expert presidency 
     of John Bluford, meeting a need for those who cannot afford 
     to pay. But it also has an excellent faculty that is good 
     enough to be desired by any number of paying patients. Its 
     equipment is first rate and its faculty is outstanding.
       Interestingly enough, I became involved at Truman while 
     still a member of the board at Menorah, because I received a 
     mailing from Truman that had too much postage on the 
     envelope. I called to explain to them that they could save 
     money by being up to date on postal regulations. About 15 
     minutes after that call, Jim Mongan, who was at that time the 
     president of Truman Medical Center, was in my office inviting 
     me for a tour of the facility, after which he was able to 
     secure my appointment to the board. That has been a very 
     satisfying experience over the years. Without the assistance 
     of this outstanding institution, most of the private 
     hospitals, if not all of them, would have red ink on their 
     bottom line. No one in the community should be satisfied 
     witnessing people in our community not having any access to 
     health care at all.
       Q: You are on the advisory board of the Mainstream 
     Coalition. What parts of that group's mission are most 
     important to you?
       A: I believe our goal is education for the community about 
     domestic, national, and foreign issues for which the public 
     needs as much information as possible. The coalition is quite 
     diverse and nonpartisan, with Republican, Democrat, and 
     Independent members.
       Q: Countless community leaders have praised the fact that 
     your stand on issues or candidates is never based on ideology 
     or party affiliation, but rather on what you believe is best 
     for the people of Kansas City. What are the keys to 
     maintaining an independent frame of reference?
       A: Well, I persist in my personal points of view, and I 
     believe that people involved in their communities do a better 
     job of it if they act in as nonpartisan a way as they can. 
     Organized politics has never been appealing to me, so I try 
     to make my mark outside the realm of parties.
       Q: How do you keep your optimism going?
       A: Quite often, I don't! But the main tools I use are hope 
     and paying attention to what is going on in my community and 
     what I con do about it.

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