[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 75 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    TRIBUTE TO DR. HARRY COURNIOTES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2011

  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend and 
fellow educator, Dr. Harry Courniotes. Dr. Courniotes served as a 
visionary in the advancement of my alma mater, American International 
College, throughout his unprecedented fifty-eight years in academia and 
thirty-five years as AIC's President.
  Attached is a copy of the eulogy of Dr. Courniotes delivered by 
Richard Sprinthall at a memorial service on March 15, 2011:

       First, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your 
     busy schedules to be here with us today to honor President 
     Courniotes, and I know right now Harry is thanking you too. 
     Over the years I have had the honor of introducing Harry 
     Courniotes many times, but today we are not here to introduce 
     Harry but bid him a farewell.
       Harry was a member of what Tom Brokaw called the ``Greatest 
     Generation'' who fought their way through the Great 
     Depression and World War II. Harry served his country in WWII 
     and for those of you who were at the cemetery, you know that 
     he was buried with full military honors.
       Several years ago, Sherriff Ashe introduced me to ex-
     Governor Michael Dukakis and when I told him I was from AIC 
     he lit up and said ``my father graduated from AIC'' Then he 
     told me had he been elected President, Harry Courniotes might 
     have become Secretary of Education.
       Harry was a superb teacher and academic administrator, he 
     embodied that formula for success: a high IQ and a strong 
     work ethic. Harry was a relentless worker, and totally 
     dedicated to the college. He was there morning, noon, and 
     night. Let me illustrate with a tad of hyperbole. Joe Ramah 
     story.
       Many of us have the ability to think critically, but very 
     few of us have his astonishing memory and his ability to stay 
     focused. And I know I speak for many of you when I tell you 
     that he both encouraged me with support, and sometimes 
     intimidated me with his unwavering sense of ethical 
     certainty. And once committed to a goal, Harry could stay on 
     task like no one I've ever known. He could hold a strategy in 
     his memory, but then be flexible enough to revise it when he 
     got new input. He told me what he was going to do, and 
     equally important, he told me what he wouldn't do, clearly 
     and with finality. Ask Harry a question and he gave you a 
     straight answer . . . no bluntly, not without support . . . 
     but honestly and directly. Not only did he ever tell me an 
     untruth, he never misled me by omission. Unlike some leaders, 
     Harry Courniotes never poured ambiguity over his intentions.
       I have never been more flattered than to have Harry 
     Courniotes asked me to assist him on some project, such as 
     the athletic control board or to help him prepare for an 
     accreditation visit.
       And as you all know, he didn't hand out complements as part 
     of some facile social pleasantry. When you received a 
     complement from Harry, he meant it and you could luxuriate in 
     it.
       Ted Byrne, former Professor of economics here at AIC and 
     now the editor of a major financial newspaper in 
     Pennsylvania, wrote to me last week and said, ``Harry 
     Courniotes saved AIC. I watched him do it up close and 
     personal.'' And those words have been echoed by many of you 
     sitting with us today--Congressman Richard Neal, former board 
     member William A. Collins, and former board member Peter 
     Novak to name a few.
       Harry was a great man. Too often those words are banded 
     about and are not really earned. in Harry's case they were 
     earned. He was a great family man, husband, father, 
     grandfather, and great grandfather. And to us at college he 
     was a great leader and to me a great friend.
       For me life has suddenly become less full, knowing that his 
     wise counsel is no longer possible.

                          ____________________