[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 167 (Thursday, November 21, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1726-E1727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING DALE O. KNEE FOR DEDICATED SERVICE TO NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND 
                           THIS GREAT NATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 21, 2013

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dale O. Knee, 
PhD, upon his retirement as CEO of Covenant Hospice for his dedicated 
service not only to the Northwest Florida community, but also to this 
great Nation. For over forty-five years, Dale served his country and 
local community in various capacities that share at least one common 
thread--his passion for helping his fellow man. A retired Navy 
Commander, business and community leader, and loving husband and father 
to three, Dale has much to be proud of, and I am privileged to honor 
his lifetime of achievements.
   Dale Knee began his career in service to this great Nation when he 
answered the call during the Vietnam War and served with honor and 
distinction. His service in the United States Navy spanned twenty 
years, and included service as a helicopter search and rescue corpsman 
during the Vietnam War, a Naval Intelligence Officer/NIS Special Agent, 
and a Medical Service Corps Officer. Before retiring as a Navy 
Commander, Dale served as Director of Health Affairs for the Secretary 
of the Navy, Medical Counter-Intelligence Advisor to the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency, and Administrator of the 
White House Medical Services under the Reagan Administration.
   A leader in the health care community and former hospital executive 
and owner of a health care consulting and development company, Consulta 
Network LLC, Dale has served as President and CEO of Covenant Hospice 
since 1993. Under his leadership, Covenant has grown to be one of the 
premier hospice facilities in the country, and I know firsthand how 
Dale's leadership at Covenant has touched the lives of countless 
patients and helped their families during the most difficult times. In 
addition to his leadership at Covenant, Dale is the chief executive for 
Alzheimer's Family Services, Inc., CEO of the Covenant Foundation, and 
co-founder of the Studer Covenant Alliance, LLC. Dale also serves as 
the National Director for the Board of Directors of the National 
Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), is a member of the 
Board for Florida Hospices and Palliative Care Association, the Alabama 
Hospice Organization, the National Hospice Work Group, and the national 
post-acute care think tank, Innovations Group. He also serves on the 
Board for Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida and is an Optimist 
and Rotarian.
   Dale completed his graduate studies at The George Washington 
University and has earned a doctoral degree in Health Care 
Administration. Dale has taught at the university

[[Page E1727]]

level for twenty-five years, including twenty years as an Associate 
Professor of Healthcare Administration at the University of West 
Florida and as a visiting lecturer at The George Washington University 
and the University Of Texas College Of Health Sciences.
   Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am 
privileged to recognize Dale Knee for his decades of service to our 
Nation and the Northwest Florida community. There are some in the world 
the Lord blesses with an ability to serve and a gift of leadership, and 
there is no question that Dale Knee is one of those people. My wife 
Vicki and I wish Dale; his wife Teri; and their three sons, Jeff, Matt, 
and Ryan, all the best.

                          ____________________