[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO MAYOR TOM ROWLAND OF CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ZACH WAMP

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. WAMP. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Mayor Tom Rowland of 
Cleveland, Tennessee, which is in my district. On Monday, September 8, 
2008, at 3:05 p.m. Tom Rowland made history. He became the longest-
serving mayor in the city of Cleveland's history with 17 years of 
service. He was elected Mayor of the City of Cleveland in 1991 and is 
currently serving his fifth term. His dedication and hard work have 
made Cleveland home to 11 Fortune 500 manufacturing companies as well 
as increasing the tourism economy tenfold.
  Tom has served the City of Cleveland in many capacities with 
integrity and distinction, including: past president of the Tennessee 
Municipal League; selected Mayor of the Year, 2004 by the Tennessee 
Municipal League; member of two standing committees of the United 
States Conference of Mayors; past president of the East Tennessee 
Mayors Association; vice chairman of the Tennessee Advisory Commission 
on Intergovernmental Relations, the highest position you can hold and 
not be on the state legislature; cochairman of the Tennessee-Virginia 
AmTrak initiative; executive committee member of Southeast Tennessee 
Development District; on the Cleveland Utility Board and Cleveland/
Bradley Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council; member of the 
Tennessee State Rail Advisory Commission; nd past Chairman of the 
Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation Board.
  Tom is a veteran of the United States Air Force, having retired 
recently as a Colonel from the Tennessee State Guard. He is the founder 
of Cleveland 100, an organization that assists surviving family members 
of officers, firemen and emergency personnel killed in the line of 
duty. He spearheaded a project to build Tennessee's first memorial to 
fallen police, fire and rescue personnel. The Emergency Services 
Memorial was dedicated in May of 2000. Tom is the only Mayor in 
Tennessee serving on the Homeland Security Council.
  And if that isn't enough, Tom and his wonderful wife, Sandra, founded 
the Empty Stocking Fund, an annual drive that provides Christmas gifts 
each year to foster children in this community. In 2006 they 
consolidated the fund in cooperation with the Creating Christmas 
Memories Foundation.
  Madam Speaker, Tom actually lived in many cities before settling in 
Cleveland in 1964. He was born in Florida, but his father worked for a 
hotel chain. The chain would buy new properties and it was his dad's 
job to move to those places and get the business up and going. The 
family moved about every 2 years. Tom came to Cleveland to work for 
WCLE radio station, of which he eventually became co-owner. In 1991, 
when a long-time member of the city commission retired, Tom was tapped 
to fIll out the unexpired term of 6 months. When the sitting mayor 
decided not to run for reelection, he encouraged Tom to seek the 
promotion. Madam Speaker, the rest, as they say, is history.
  The City of Cleveland is very fortunate to have a man of this caliber 
at its helm. So today, I congratulate my friend, Mayor Tom Rowland, for 
this historic accomplishment.

                          ____________________