[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ROBERT F. NOLAN

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                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 9, 2008

  Mr. SERRANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert F. Nolan, a 
man who has made service to our community his pride and his life's 
work. In his capacity as an advisor to three Bronx Borough presidents 
during some of the most turbulent times our city has ever witnessed, 
time and again Bob was confronted with singular challenges that would 
have reduced a lesser figure to despair and resignation. Instead Bob 
rose to the occasion, time and time again. He took part in some of the 
most momentous decisions that could confront a public official, and he 
did so with poise, clarity of purpose, and unusual dedication. Bob has 
been one of the truest and finest examples of a public servant who 
never gave up on the Bronx, but instead continued to serve through the 
hardest of times. He committed himself at a young age to improving his 
beloved community, and has had the endurance and strength of character 
to spend a lifetime in pursuit of this goal. While many have come and 
gone, Bob has never left the Bronx--and the Bronx cannot possibly 
forget that fact.
  Born in Westchester Square Hospital, Bob Nolan was educated at Our 
Lady of Solace School in Morris Park and then Fordham University. A 
community and political activist since the early 1970s, he began his 
career as an instructor at Borough of Manhattan Community College. 
Later, he moved on to the mayor's office of economic development, where 
he was in charge of the business action center. In January 1979, Bob 
joined the office of the Bronx Borough president as director of 
economic development. He quickly set in motion the plan which led to 
the creation of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation in 
1980.
  The 1980s were a critical period for the Bronx. The previous two 
decades saw the quality of life in the Bronx dramatically diminish. A 
widespread deterioration was underway, as the city suffered the 
aftermath of a painful fiscal collapse. Some neighborhoods felt the 
hurt more than others, but few felt it worse than the South Bronx. This 
was the climate in which Bob began his journey to restore our borough's 
greatness.
  This was no easy task. At the time, private and public disinvestment 
had taken a huge toll on many Bronx neighborhoods. But these 
circumstances neither deterred nor discouraged Bob. Perhaps his work is 
best judged by the vitality we have witnessed in our borough in recent 
years. Across the board, the Bronx has undergone a remarkable 
transformation--and credit should rightly be given to the sound fiscal 
and public investment policies first championed by Bob and his 
colleagues at the very dawn of our borough's resurgence. His thoughtful 
planning and careful stewardship helped pave the way for innumerable 
capital projects and a wholesale restoration of confidence in the 
borough on the part of the city's business community. Bob helped 
demonstrate that the Bronx was once again a fertile place for 
investment.
  In the 1990s, Bob was appointed budget director for the borough, a 
position he held until the day he retired--November 14, 2008. His role 
as budget director required Bob to recommend capital projects to the 
borough president and help shape budgets and establish spending 
priorities that furthered past efforts and blazed new paths toward 
economic revival. We will undoubtedly continue to see the fruits of 
Bob's labor for many years to come.
  Looking back at this extraordinary life of service, what is unique 
about Bob Nolan's story is the completeness of it. Three decades ago, 
Bob set out to make the Bronx a better place, working tirelessly from 
within the halls of government. These many years later, he retires with 
that goal now very much in his sights. He has had many different 
responsibilities over the years, but the same motivating factor: a love 
for his borough and its people. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride 
that I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Robert F. 
Nolan, a man who loves his hometown fiercely and whose whole life is a 
unique testament to civic duty.

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