[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 132 (Tuesday, October 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO ROY FRIEDERSDORF

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE PENCE

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2005

  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask that the members of the 
House of Representatives allow me to bring to their attention the good 
works of a man who has long been active in the rural electrification 
program in Indiana, and who is now approaching his well-deserved 
opportunity to step down from the pinnacle of his field. The end of his 
term will leave a void for rural electrics in Indiana that will not be 
easy to replace. Today's comments are meant to remind us all of the 
many people around our Nation whose unceasing efforts contribute to the 
betterment of our quality of life.
  Indiana's rural electric cooperatives have been enhanced over the 
past two years by the leadership and commitment of Mr. Roy 
Friedersdorf. In December, Mr. Friedersdorf will complete his term as 
president of Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric 
Cooperatives, Inc., the service association for 37 of the State's 
electric cooperatives.
  His dedication to the betterment of rural Indiana, and his efforts to 
make a difference in the lives of those in his community and throughout 
the State, make him an example of the American virtues that we should 
extol in this august body.
  Mr. Friedersdorf, a Westport, Indiana native, is a second-generation 
electric cooperative leader. His father, Robert, was a member of the 
Decatur County REMC board of directors for 35 years, and he also served 
as board chairman from 1975 to 1981 and as the REMC's representative on 
the Hoosier Energy REC board.
  In 1994, Mr. Friedersdorf was elected by REMC members in a six-county 
area to join the Decatur County REMC board. Just a few years later, his 
fellow REMC board members elected him to the Indiana Statewide REC 
board. From 2002 to 2004, he served as vice president of Indiana 
Statewide. Mr. Friedersdorf juggles his administrative duties on the 
statewide level with his responsibilities as president of the Decatur 
County REMC board.
  Not only has Mr. Friedersdorf made his mark in the electric 
cooperative industry with his integrity and sense of purpose, he has 
been a leader in his community as well. A corn, soybean and wheat 
farmer and Pioneer sales representative, Mr. Friedersdorf is a former 
president of the county grain growers association. He supports the 
Westport Kiwanis and previously was a county fair board member.

  As active as he is in setting policies that impact thousands in rural 
and suburban Indiana, Mr. Friedersdorf maintains a down-to-earth and 
altruistic attitude. ``I don't have a desire just to build up my 
resume,'' he has said. ``I'm here to do the job . . . I like giving 
back and helping others.''
  Mr. Friedersdorf keeps his perspective on the values that are 
important, as he devotes much of his time to his family roles. He and 
his wife Denise have been married for 24 years, and they keep busy 
actively raising their 3 sons, Anthony, Wyatt, and Jared, who are in 
college, middle school, and elementary school.
  Roy Friedersdorf is the type of person who works hard every day at 
improving the basic foundations of American life: family, business, and 
civic. His term of office as president of Indiana Statewide has been 
evidence of that, and for his devotion, I salute him today.

                          ____________________