[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 163 (Friday, December 10, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8732-S8733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JACE JOHNSON

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I wish to take a moment to pay tribute to 
someone who is very special and very dear to me, my former Chief of 
Staff, Jace Johnson. Over this past recess, I learned that my Chief of 
Staff, Jace Johnson, would be leaving the Senate to pursue 
opportunities in the private sector.
  Change often catches us by surprise. As the Presiding Officer can 
imagine, I had come to rely on the talents and insight that Jace 
offered over many these past years. He was my strong right arm, someone 
in whom I had complete confidence, and still do. For 8 years, Jace 
worked on my staff and dedicated his efforts to serving Utah and 
improving our country. Undoubtedly, his work ethic and his 
straightforward approach to public service have greatly benefited us 
all. Jace is sorely missed by all of us on our staff and all of us in 
our office. He provided strong leadership at a time when it was 
absolutely crucial to us.
  To fully understand the void created by Jace's absence, one has to 
know a bit more about him. When you walked into Jace's office, you were 
greeted by proudly displayed Utah college and university pennants. 
Aside from making an interesting and welcoming environment, the banners 
proclaimed Jace's passion for sports. Like me, he spent his boyhood as 
an avid basketball player. I regret we never had the opportunity for a 
one-on-one game, but I am still convinced I would have kicked his tail 
and I would have won. Although when I think about it, he is in a lot 
better shape than I am.
  His love of hoops led Jace to play basketball at Snow College in 
central Utah. Soon thereafter, Jace served a 2-year mission for the 
Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints in the Philadelphia, PA 
area. Being from smalltown Idaho, I can only imagine the new 
experiences Philadelphia had to offer. It undoubtedly left quite an 
impression. His wife Cori credits her husband's time in Philadelphia 
for his willingness to venture back to the east coast after college.
  Jace and Cori met while they were attending college at Brigham Young 
University in Provo, UT. They have three wonderful children--Ashley, 
Benjamin, and Christian. Upon finishing school at BYU, Jace and Cori 
made the move to Washington, DC, so he could attend graduate school at 
George Washington University and earn his MBA.
  While Jace was still in school, he actually worked in my office as an 
intern. He didn't stay long, however, because as the saying goes, he 
had bigger fish to fry. By the time he returned to Capitol Hill to work 
on a more permanent basis, he had already achieved remarkable success 
in the business world. After working for a few years at Visa 
International, he became the director of finance at the Corvis 
Corporation, a cutting-edge network and media solutions company. Jace 
was the third employee to be hired at Corvis when it was still a 
startup, and while he was there he helped secure financing for the 
company as it prepared to go public in the year 2000. Jace's 
contribution to Corvis allowed the company to grow from a small startup 
employing a handful of people into an international company with more 
than 3,000 employees and a value of $40 billion.
  Jace joined my staff in 2002, coming on as a legislative assistant, 
working mostly on telecommunications issues. In that position, he 
demonstrated the keen understanding and strategic thinking that had 
made him such a success in the business world. After 3 years, I 
appointed him to be my legislative director, and in that position he 
continued to excel and became a vital and integral part of my efforts 
here in the Senate. I grew to depend on him more and more, and in 
January of 2008, Jace took over as my Chief of Staff.
  I used to joke with him that working for me was only a hobby, because 
he didn't need the money. Of course, anyone who knew and worked with 
Jace can attest that is simply not true. He put his heart and soul into 
his work in the Senate. For Jace, failure wasn't permissible, so he 
spent early mornings and late nights ensuring the work was done and 
done right. His commitment to me personally and to my work here in the 
Senate was rooted in his belief--a belief he reiterated at every 
opportunity--that what we were doing was in the best interests of our 
country and for the people of Utah.
  I think what I appreciated most about Jace is his unwavering honesty. 
In a town filled with people who only want to tell you what they want 
you to hear, Jace was refreshingly direct and straightforward. I have 
always attributed this to the fact that he is, to put it bluntly, just 
a little bit smarter--maybe not just a bit smarter, a whole lot 
smarter--than most people. People who don't see the big picture and who 
can't predict what might happen down the line have the need to hedge 
bets, cover bases, and speak without committing. Jace Johnson has never 
had that problem. When a goal is identified and a plan set in motion, 
he is usually a few steps ahead of everyone else and he can see where 
problems might arise. Chances are he has already come up with solutions 
to those problems. An individual with that kind of rare insight and 
understanding has the license to speak directly where others would hem 
and haw. I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of Jace's ability to 
speak frankly and honestly, and on more than one occasion that meant I 
was on the receiving end. I think I can speak for every Member of the 
Senate when I say that that kind of support from staff is a treasured 
commodity.
  It is very clear I will miss Jace Johnson on my staff. However, I 
think it would be even more telling to hear from some of the people of 
Utah who have high praise for Jace and the service he has rendered.
  Utah Governor Gary Herbert had this to say:

       Jace is a man of great insight and understanding. He is 
     able to think strategically and anticipate potential 
     roadblocks, which has, and will continue, to serve him well. 
     I wish him the best of luck and success in his new position.

  Jason Perry, Governor Herbert's Chief of Staff, said:

       I have had the opportunity to work with Jace for many 
     years. His uncanny ability to

[[Page S8733]]

     diffuse potentially difficult situations, coupled with his 
     pleasant and approachable nature, has proven invaluable on 
     several occasions.

  Utah Senator-elect Mike Lee said:

       I have looked to Jace Johnson on many occasions for his 
     keen insight, depth of wisdom, and wise counsel. He has 
     proven to be a tremendous resource and has truly made a 
     difference for me, Senator Hatch, the people of the great 
     State of Utah, and for our country. His legacy of service 
     will stand as a benchmark of excellence for years to come.

  Former Utah Republican Party Chairman Stan Lockhart said this:

       Jace Johnson is a class act. In positions of responsibility 
     and authority, he is approachable and down to earth. In an 
     environment of hardball politics, he maintains integrity. 
     With many issues to deal with on a daily basis, he 
     understands the big picture and small nuances of good policy. 
     I always liked the fact that he understands the private 
     sector, with a successful background in the technology 
     industry before he came to Washington, D.C. I'll miss Jace.

  A prominent Salt Lake City lawyer and a political leader, Doug 
Foxley, in the State said about Jace:

       Behind that I-am-just-a-boy-from-Blackfoot-Idaho, was a 
     keen, astute political mind who always had Orrin's interest 
     at heart and had a quality of making everyone feel that he 
     was their best friend. Not diminishing any other person who 
     has worked for Orrin, but Jace was a delight and any trip to 
     D.C. without seeing Jace was not a trip. A true committed 
     conservative who was not an obnoxious ideologue, but one who 
     truly believed what he espoused: hard work, honor, 
     commitment, dedication to family, Church, and country and 
     imbued with a belief in limited government and in the private 
     sector were guiding principles. This, coupled with compassion 
     for those less fortunate, is the Jace Johnson legacy.

  Mr. President, that is high praise, and we have lots of others who 
feel the same way. I will leave it at that.
  During my time here in the Senate, I have been extremely fortunate 
when it comes to my staff. I have had the privilege of serving with 
some of the most gifted and devoted individuals our Nation has to 
offer. Each of them has brought something unique and important to the 
table. But I have to say that, even among the select fraternity of 
talented Senate staffers, Jace Johnson belongs in the hall of honor, an 
elite class that very few have been or will be able to attain.
  I have no doubt that Jace will succeed in the new position. Success 
has been the defining characteristic of every endeavor he has 
undertaken. While the selfish part of me wishes he would have stayed in 
the Senate just a little bit longer, I want to wish Jace, his wife 
Cori, and his whole family the very best going forward.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Rhode Island is 
recognized.

                          ____________________