[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 119 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5196-S5197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 249--HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF E. THOM RUMBERGER

  Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself and Mr. Rubio) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 249

       Whereas E. Thom Rumberger served in the United States 
     Marine Corps;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger earned a bachelor's degree, with 
     honors, and a J.D. from the University of Florida;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger is a founding partner of the law 
     firm Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, which has represented 
     multinational corporations such as American Airlines, Inc., 
     Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Toyota Motor Corporation;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger has been listed in Florida Super 
     Lawyers every year from 2007 to 2010;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger was appointed Circuit Judge in the 
     18th Judicial Circuit of Florida in 1969;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger has committed himself to numerous 
     acts of public service, including serving on the Federal 
     Judicial Advisory Commission of Florida and the Board of 
     Supervisors of the Spaceport Florida Authority;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger has been one of the most steadfast 
     champions of the Everglades in Florida;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger has served as lead counsel for the 
     Everglades Foundation since 1999;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger was instrumental in the passage of 
     two amendments to the Florida Constitution and of section 601 
     of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 
     106-541; 114 Stat. 2680), known as the Comprehensive 
     Everglades Restoration Plan;
       Whereas Thom Rumberger was instrumental in obtaining 
     several billion dollars in funding for Everglades 
     restoration; and
       Whereas Thom Rumberger served on the Florida Governor's 
     2001 Select Task Force on Elections and the 2002 Select Task 
     Force on Election Procedures, Standards and Technology, and 
     was Chairman of the Legislature's Study Committee on Public 
     Records in 2002: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and honors the professional success of E. 
     Thom Rumberger; and
       (2) recognizes and honors the lifelong dedication of Thom 
     Rumberger to the protection of the Florida Everglades.

  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
important contributions of a very special Floridian for his unrelenting 
determination to protect one of our nation's most unique natural 
resources--America's Everglades. A prestigious attorney and commanding 
litigator, Thom Rumberger has dedicated much of his personal and 
professional life to advancing the restoration and protection of the 
River of Grass. His brilliance, creativity and fearlessness combined to 
make Thom one of Florida's most influential Everglades leaders.
  A man proud to serve his country and his community, Thom interrupted 
his college career to volunteer for the Marine Corps and serve in the 
Korean War. Over the course of his life he has continued his service as 
a dedicated public servant, a respected judge and prosecutor. Thom is a 
dedicated father and grandfather who has always found great happiness 
and comfort in his ever-expanding family. The relentless efforts Thom 
undertakes to preserve Florida's natural heritage will be a legacy gift 
to his family, his colleagues, and to the American public.
  After serving two years in the United States Marine Corps, Thom 
earned his bachelor's degree, with honors, and his law degree from the 
University of Florida, where he was Associate Editor of the University 
of Florida Law Review in 1960. Before becoming Florida's youngest 
Circuit Court Judge in 1969, serving in the Eighteenth Judicial 
Circuit, he was the Brevard County Solicitor and Special Assistant 
State Attorney in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit. From 1971 through 
1974 he was the County Attorney for Seminole County, Assistant to 
Florida's Governor Claude Kirk, and served as a member of the Florida 
Land Sales Board.
  Thom has been a long-time friend of George and Mary Barley, both of 
whom dedicated their lives to restoration of the Everglades. George and 
Mary established the Everglades Trust and the Everglades Foundation. 
Upon George's untimely death in 1995, Thom joined with Mary to make 
sure George's dream of a restored Everglades became a reality. An 
active leader in the Republican Party, Thom was able to elevate 
Everglades restoration to a bi-partisan issue at both the state and 
federal level.
  Thom's success extends to his career in private practice, as he is 
one of the founding partners of the Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell law 
firm. Under his leadership, his firm's modest beginnings were quickly 
surpassed as it moved to the forefront of business litigation, 
representing such multi-national corporations as American Airlines, 
Sears, Roebuck and Co., General Motors Corporation, Honda Motor 
Company, Ford Motor Company, and Toyota Motor Corporation. Today, his 
firm includes 75 trial attorneys in five offices across Florida and 
Alabama. Thom has been listed in Florida Super Lawyers every year from 
2007 to 2010.
  Legend has it that Thom once convinced a Federal judge to allow a 
real automobile in the courtroom as evidence. Yes, Thom convinced the 
judge to have a window enlarged in a historic courthouse to accommodate 
a crane that lifted the car right into the courtroom.
  Thom has been known throughout his life for his infectious sense of 
humor as well as the breath of his various careers. Often referred to 
as a ``career chameleon'', Thom worked his way through college as a 
snake handler at the Ross Allen Reptile Institute at Florida's Silver 
Springs performing shows with lethal snakes to the thousands of 
visitors who came to watch the dangerous performance. Thom promises 
that it was there that he learned the skills of public speaking and 
working with the public which would become such a critical component of 
his future success. Thom also enjoyed a brief acting career as the 
stunt man for the Creature of the Black Lagoon before beginning his 
legal career.

  In addition to building an impressive legal career, Thom has 
generously committed himself to public service. He was appointed to 
Florida's Federal Judicial Advisory Commission and the Board of 
Supervisors of the Spaceport Florida Authority. Currently, Thom is 
Chairman of The Everglades Trust, and has served as Chairman of the 
Collins Center for Public Policy, and as a member of the Board of 
Visitors of Florida State College of Law and Board of Trustees for the 
Law Center Association of the University of Florida.
  He has represented environmental organizations including Save the 
Manatee, The Everglades Trust, and Save Our Everglades. Thom has also 
served as lead counsel for The Everglades Foundation since 1999.
  Notably, Thom was instrumental in the passage of two Everglades 
related Florida constitutional amendments, the Federal Comprehensive 
Everglades Restoration Plan, and in obtaining several billion dollars 
in funding for Everglades restoration. Thom also was primarily 
responsible for Florida's acquisition of the 75,000-acre Babcock Ranch 
which provides new and necessary corridors for the endangered Florida 
panther. And, in the late 1980's, Thom worked to implement some of the 
first manatee protection laws.
  Throughout his four decades in public service, Thom Rumberger has 
demonstrated the importance of looking out for the common good. Thanks 
to the selfless commitment of folks like Thom, America's Everglades 
will be restored for the benefit of future generations. America owes 
Thom a great debt of gratitude.
  Grace joins me in thanking Thom and his lovely wife, Debbie, for 
their

[[Page S5197]]

contributions to Florida's treasured landscapes.

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