[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                 RECOGNIZING THOS. MOSER CABINETMAKERS

 Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, in his famous essay titled 
``Courage,'' Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that he most admired those ``who 
can organize their wishes and thoughts in stone and wood and steel and 
brass.'' In our time, when so much is mass produced and temporary, we 
have a special regard for the craftsmen and women who turn the 
materials provided by nature into objects of beautiful form and lasting 
function.
  I rise today to congratulate the craftsmen and women of Thos. Moser 
Cabinetmakers of Auburn, ME, as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of 
this remarkable company. With skill and creativity, they transform 
black cherry, maple, ash, and walnut into fine furniture that is 
recognized worldwide as the pinnacle of the woodworkers' art.
  This story of success driven by the pursuit of excellence began in 
1972, when Tom Moser left the secure life of a college professor to 
follow his dream to revive the craftsmanship of woodworkers of the 
past. With his wife Mary, they set up shop in an old Grange Hall in New 
Gloucester, ME.
  They met the challenges faced by all entrepreneurs with 
determination. Soon, their sons joined them in the growing business. 
Today, 70 skilled men and women work in their modern woodshop in Auburn 
and another 50 in other aspects of the operation, including showrooms 
in major American cities, from New York and Washington, DC, to Los 
Angeles and San Francisco.
  When Tom and Mary Moser founded this company, they did more than 
revive quality woodworking--they were pioneers in Maine's thriving 
creative economy. From cutting-edge technology to the arts, these 
visionaries are moving our State forward, building new industries and 
new opportunities.
  This segment of the creative economy truly defines Maine. The 
resurgence of furniture making, cabinetry, pottery, and textiles bring 
the past alive and remind us of the special quality of something made 
by hand in Maine. The talented designers and woodworkers of Thos. Moser 
Cabinetmakers create objects that bring pleasure today and will be 
treasured heirlooms for generations to come. I congratulate the Moser 
family and all their employees for 40 years of success.

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