[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 152 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ALBERT CASEY

 Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, one of my longtime friends, 
Patricia Patterson, and I were recently discussing the life and service 
of a great American, and I wanted to take a moment and bring to the 
attention of my colleagues this American success story.
  Al Casey passed away on July 10, 2004, after a lifetime of 
contributing strong leadership and a gregarious disposition to numerous 
companies, communities, and organizations from across the country.
  After putting himself through Harvard, Al enlisted in the Army during 
World War II. Following his military service, he returned to Harvard 
business school, earning a graduate degree in finance. Al loved 
Harvard, and his friendships there opened doors and enriched his life 
throughout his long career.
  Al's first job was in New York for Railway Express. He and Ellie, his 
wife of more than 40 years, then moved to San Francisco with the 
Southern Pacific Railroad. Al later worked as President of the Times 
Mirror Company and the Los Angeles Times for 8 years, before moving to 
possibly his most visible corporate assignment--CEO of American 
Airlines. His philosophy, ``you don't have to be mean to be tough,'' 
carried him to success in most of his professional endeavors, 
especially with American, where Al provided aggressive leadership. When 
he came to American Airlines, he had already established a reputation 
of high ethical behavior. This, combined with his ability to laugh at 
himself, secured for him the cooperation and loyalty of his employees.
  Following his retirement from American Airlines, Al began a 
relationship with SMU's Cox Business School as a faculty member. His 
teaching career was interrupted to rescue First International 
Bankshares as it emerged from bankruptcy. Later, he served as 
Postmaster General of the United States under President Reagan. Al 
enjoyed this tour immensely, even signing letters to close friends as 
``Big Stamp.'' He returned to teaching, only to be tapped in 1991 by 
President George H.W. Bush and Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal 
Reserve Bank, to pilot the Resolution Trust Corporation--which was 
charged with disposing of financial and real estate assets left behind 
in the wake of failed savings and loan companies in the 1980s. It was a 
massive undertaking that no one thought could be done. Al worked for 18 
months and was able to lead the RTC in disposing of almost all of the 
assets by the time the Clinton administration took office.
  Al had a positive outlook on life and genuinely desired to know about 
the triumphs and tribulations in the lives of friends and coworkers. He 
supported countless community and civic organizations and was committed 
to improving the cities and neighborhoods where he lived and worked.
  The effects of his steady guidance and endless enthusiasm for life 
have been felt in major corporations, in professional associations, in 
government organizations, and in the personal lives of many Americans. 
Albert Casey coined ``Casey's Law,'' which holds that ``if anything 
could go right, it should.'' I was honored to know Al, and I thank you, 
Mr. President, for the opportunity to commemorate such a fine man. He 
is certainly missed and fondly remembered.

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