[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 102 (Thursday, July 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1706-E1707]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRATULATING RALPH F. KORTE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2009

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ralph F. 
Korte for his 2008 induction in the Southern Illinois University of 
Edwardsville Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
  Ralph Korte is the founder and chairman emeritus of the board of 
Korte Company. The company was established by Mr. Korte in 1958 after 
he returned from Korea, serving in the U.S. Army. He was asked to build 
a milking parlor by his neighbor and a few weeks later he created an 
innovative, state-of-the-art business structure that is still used 
today.
  In 1959 Korte decided to go to college and utilized the financial aid 
of the G.I. Bill. He took two night classes a week for 5 years until 
his G.I. benefits ran out. Korte realized his business courses were 
helping him manage his company, so he stayed in college. After 4 more 
years of schooling, he graduated from SIUE School of Business. Korte 
attributes his success in business to the quality of education he 
received at SIUE.
  By 2005 the Korte Company was operating in 37 states and by 2008 it 
celebrated its 50th anniversary. The company is a nationally recognized 
industry leader with more than 1,800 jobs completed across the country. 
``I'm proud to say that more than 80 percent of our business comes from 
returning customers,'' Korte

[[Page E1707]]

said. ``We work smart, and we know how to get things done.''
  In addition to his work with the Korte Company, Ralph Korte has been 
involved with the creation and implementation of several initiatives on 
the SIUE campus. These initiatives include: the addition of the 
Construction Program in the fall of 1979; the construction of the Ralph 
Korte Stadium in 1993; the donation of the Ralph and Donna Korte 
Classroom, the creation of the Ralph and Donna Korte Fund for 
Leadership and Innovation in Business Education in 1999; and the launch 
of the SIUE Construction Leadership Institute in 2004.
  I would like to congratulate Mr. Korte for his achievements in 
business and receiving this honor from Southern Illinois University of 
Edwardsville.

                          ____________________