[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR E. ``GENE'' GOLDMAN ACTING DIRECTOR, NASA'S MARSHALL 
                          SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT B. ADERHOLT

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 3, 2012

  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Arthur E. 
``Gene'' Goldman, Acting Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight 
Center, on the occasion of his retirement from NASA and his 28 years of 
distinguished federal service. Mr. Goldman provided superb leadership 
to over 5,000 personnel across a wide variety of disciplines, and 
provided sound fiscal management of a $2.5 billion budget. With those 
resources, he achieved cutting edge advancements in launch systems, 
spaceflight vehicles, and the supporting research and development 
efforts. All of these will shape our great nation's space program for 
years into the future.
  Mr. Goldman was born and raised in Russell, Mississippi, where he was 
introduced and attracted to the awe of space when his father took him 
out one night and showed him the Echo satellite passing overhead. With 
that inspiration and desire to learn, he graduated from Mississippi 
State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering 
and thereafter earned his Registered Professional Engineer-Civil 
certification, with the intention of building bridges. Although he 
never physically built a bridge, he certainly built, mended and 
maintained a multitude of bridges among NASA components, stakeholders 
and customers.
  While at NASA, Mr. Goldman also held the positions of Deputy Director 
of Marshall Space Flight Center; Director and Deputy Director of 
Stennis Space Flight Center; Manager and Deputy Manager of the Space 
Shuttle Main Engine Project; and project engineer on the Marshall 
Shuttle Project Integration Office. He was assigned to the Senior 
Executive Service in 2004. Prior to joining NASA in 1990, he worked for 
the Tennessee Valley Authority for 6 years and in the nuclear power 
industry.
  During his tenure, Mr. Goldman was awarded the prestigious 
Presidential Rank Award in 2010, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal 
in 2007, the Exceptional Achievement Medal in 2002, the NASA 
Certificate of Appreciation in 1997, and the Marshall Space Flight 
Center Director's Commendation in 1992. He also completed the Senior 
Executive Fellows Program at Harvard University.
  Mr. Goldman is widely known and appreciated throughout NASA for 
treating every single person he encounters with utmost respect and 
value, regardless of their function. His strategic guidance, sage 
advice and leadership have brought him unqualified success and 
significant positive impact on NASA's mission. With extraordinary and 
sincere gratitude, I thank Mr. Goldman for his dedicated service and 
outstanding contributions to our country. I wish Mr. Goldman all the 
best as he retires from NASA, and may God bless him, his wife Nancy, 
his daughter Jennifer, and his entire family in the days ahead.

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