[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8597-S8598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO JIM SMITH

 Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, today I wish to honor a great South 
Dakotan on his notable accomplishments and his career, starting as an 
elevator operator in the Senate. His career spanned seven decades, 10 
Presidents, and 32 Congresses. To say Jim Smith is an institution in 
Washington, DC, would be an understatement.
  Jim Smith was born in Aberdeen, SD, but spent the majority of his 
childhood

[[Page S8598]]

in my hometown of Pierre, SD. After graduating from Pierre High School 
in 1948, Jim attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 
where he was the quarterback for the Miners when they won a 
championship in 1951.
  After graduating from SDM&T in 1952, Jim decided law school was the 
best route for him, and this South Dakota boy moved to the big city to 
attend George Washington School of Law in Washington, DC. Like many 
hard-working South Dakotans, Jim worked his way through law school, 
starting his career operating the very same Senate elevators we take 
today in the U.S. Capitol.
  Jim's work ethic caught the eye of many, and he eventually moved on 
to work for his home State Senator, Karl Mundt. Jim worked as a 
legislative assistant for Senator Mundt and went on to become minority 
counsel on the Senate Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Intergovernmental 
Relations.
  After his time working on Capitol Hill, Jim began a successful career 
in the banking sector until he was called back to government service, 
this time with the U.S. Treasury where he served as Deputy 
Undersecretary. In 1973, Jim became the first South Dakotan appointed 
as Comptroller of the Currency, an office created by President Abraham 
Lincoln in 1863.
  Jim Smith served as Comptroller of the Currency under two Presidents 
and eventually left to rejoin the private sector in 1976. He went on to 
have a successful career partnering with another government relations 
professional to establish their own firm, which will continue to bear 
his name even after his retirement.
  Jim Smith embodies the work ethic and attitude we are known for in 
our State. He has earned his place on the pages of South Dakota history 
books.
  To Jim Smith and his wife of 37 years, Karen, I wish you the best on 
your retirement, and I thank you for your years of dedicated public 
service. Thank you for making South Dakota proud.

                          ____________________