[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 102 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1094]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CONFERENCE OF MINORITY TRANSPORTATION 
                      OFFICIALS, JULIE CUNNINGHAM

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 30, 2014

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing 
of the President and CEO of Conference of Minority Transportation 
Officials (COMTO), Julie Cunningham.
  Ms. Cunningham served on President-Elect Barack Obama's Transition 
Team at the U.S. Department of Transportation and provided expert 
testimony before the U.S. Congress, including the House Transportation 
& Infrastructure Committee, the Congressional Black Caucus and the 
Senate Democratic Caucus.
  I have been working with COMTO and Julie Cunningham for many years, 
and was so pleased to host the COMTO conference in my home town of 
Jacksonville last year. She was a powerful force in the transportation 
industry and brought together all the minority voices in transportation 
to speak as one to ensure that people of color were working in and 
receiving contracts in the field of transportation.
  Ms. Cunningham was nationally known for her talent in building 
healthy, effective partnerships across diverse government and corporate 
cultures as well as for her strong advocacy for a level playing field 
and maximum employment and contract participation for minorities, 
women, and economically disadvantaged persons. Under her direction, 
COMTO became a recognized resource as a result of the organization's 
advocacy relative to workforce diversity and inclusion, and 
participation by Historically Underutilized Businesses (minority, women 
and veteran owned businesses) in the transportation industry. COMTO was 
awarded the 2005 Disadvantaged Business Advocate of the Year by the 
U.S. Department of Transportation.
  Prior to joining COMTO, she held positions in the energy and 
construction industries. She was previously employed as a Senior 
Consultant at a Nuclear Power Plant and was credited for developing 
critical strategic and internal communication plans for a struggling 
power plant. She led the plant's senior management team in implementing 
programs to improve employee morale and to win the stakeholder 
community as ambassadors of nuclear power. She is also known for her 
ability to implement grassroots programs, and facilitate work process 
improvements for nuclear power plants.
  A veteran of the U.S. Army, Ms. Cunningham was a member of many 
boards of directors, including the Mineta Transportation Institute, the 
Eno Foundation and the National Transit Institute Advisory Council. She 
was also a member of the American Society of Association Executives, 
and the Association for Conflict Resolution.
  A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Ms. Cunningham graduated from Hiram 
College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management. She 
leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Karissa Cunningham of 
Clarksville, TN; parents, James and Louise Smith of Painesville, OH; 
siblings, Cathy (Safdar) Hussain of Jacksonville, FL, Elisa (Paul) 
Sanchez of Painesville, OH, and Jeffery Smith of Painesville, OH; 
grandmother, Minnie Banks of Painesville, OH; niece Tiffany Smith of 
Cleveland, OH; nephew, Blake Smith of Coshocton, OH; great nephew, 
James Gadomski of Painesville, OH, as well as many aunts, uncles, 
cousins, and lifelong friends throughout the nation.
  My prayers go to Julie's daughter and her family, and to the many 
members of COMTO. I am thankful for her life and many accomplishments.

                          ____________________