[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E74-E75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING SAM GLEESE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 15, 2014

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable public servant, Mr. Sam Gleese. Mr. Gleese is a lifelong 
resident of Jackson, Mississippi.
  Mr. Gleese graduated from high school in 1966 and enrolled that fall 
at Jackson State College, (which is now Jackson State University) where 
he majored in business administration. After graduation on 1970, Mr. 
Gleese joined a management training program conducted by K-Mart.
  In January of 1985 Mr. Gleese was assigned the worst vending in the 
state of Mississippi. Because of his degree in business

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administration, his phenomenal record in personal rehabilitation, and 
his work history in the grocery business, officials decided that he 
needed no more training, but could learn the program in his own 
location. He spent two years in that facility, mastering the business 
and improving his techniques. Then during the next several years he 
moved to better locations.
  In 1992 Mr. Gleese bid on an excellent facility for his business and 
was denied the bid, then he appealed the decision, which eventually 
came down, but did not give him personal redress. The incident did 
correct unfair practices that had plagued many vendors in Mississippi 
for years. In April of 1994 Mr. Gleese, with the help of his wife, Mrs. 
Vanessa Gleese, became the manager of one of the largest food service 
operations in the state-vending program.
  Mr. Gleese has always been active in the Missionary Baptist Church. 
From 1973 to 1990 he taught the adult Sunday school class in his own 
church, and in 1980 he became a deacon. He was ordained to the ministry 
in November of 1992 and is now senior associate minister at the College 
Hill Baptist Church.
  In 1992 Mr. Gleese was first elected to the board of directors of the 
National Federation of the Blind, where he continues to serve with 
distinction. He has dedicated his life to educating the public, blind 
and sighted alike, about the abilities of blind people.
  In August of 2001 Mr. Gleese accepted a position as an Independent 
Living Specialist with LIFE (Living Independence for Everyone) of 
central Mississippi. This position provided opportunities to work with 
adolescents with special health care needs in Mississippi between the 
ages of fourteen and twenty-one. In January of 2002 Mr. Gleese became 
the statewide project director for the Healthy Futures grants. This 
position enhances Mr. Gleese's opportunity to serve all adolescents 
with special health care needs, including blind people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Sam 
Gleese for his dedication to serving others and giving back to the 
community he grew up in.

                          ____________________