[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF JAMES H. ADAMS

 Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, on February 29, 2008, James H. Adams 
of Pittsfield, NH, retired as manager of the New Hampshire/Vermont 
District of the U.S. Postal Service after 35 years of service. I wish 
to thank Jim for all he has done for the people of New Hampshire over 
that time and for his efforts which have resulted in New Hampshire's 
outstanding reputation for mail operations, customer service, and 
worker safety.
  Starting as a letter carrier in Manchester in 1973, Jim's career 
began when the price of a stamp cost a whopping 3 cents for a first 
class letter. His determination and drive for self-improvement soon led 
to night school classes and a degree in business management, and his 
talents were recognized with promotion to delivery supervisor, then 
superintendent of postal operations, in Concord, NH. He left our State 
for a time, tackling the duties of director of marketing for the Post 
Office in Syracuse, NY, then in a number of positions of increasing 
responsibility with the Postmaster General's Office in Washington, DC.
  During his time in Washington, Jim worked with five U.S. Presidents 
and helped to develop several commemorative stamps, including those 
honoring our troops of Desert Storm, POW/MIAs, and even Elvis. He 
unveiled five World War II commemorative stamps to President George H. 
W. Bush in the Oval Office and was relied upon in Washington for his 
professional and personal knowledge of all facets of postal operations, 
his competent advice, and for the personal integrity with which he 
always conducted himself.
  His return to New Hampshire to head the district in 1997 led to 
dramatic improvements in its operations. Overseeing a $500 million 
budget and 7,000 employees, Jim turned the district into one of the top 
10 safest in the Nation. Similarly, with 6 million pieces of mail 
delivered each day in New Hampshire and Vermont, Jim's efforts led to a 
96-percent on-time mail delivery record and the establishment of 
customer service that has been recognized as Best in the Nation for 
each of the past 6 years.
  Beyond his professional accomplishments, which are many, Jim has 
remained true to his small-town roots and the honesty and decency of 
his upbringing. Pittsfield and all of New Hampshire can be proud of him 
and his success, and I am especially glad to have had the opportunity 
to work with Jim to serve the people of New Hampshire. Whether helping 
obtain a sought-after ZIP Code number to serve an entire community or 
making a personal commitment to ensuring an elderly or disabled 
customer off the beaten track received their mail at home, Jim 
dedicated himself to meeting the needs of those who counted on the U.S. 
mail coming through.
  He can take great pride in his record of service. I want to take this 
opportunity to thank him, to recognize his contributions, and to wish 
him well in all his future endeavors.

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