[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 113 (Wednesday, July 13, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1104-E1105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PRESIDENT OF THE VERMONT RETAIL AND GROCERS ASSOCIATION TO RETIRE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2016

  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Jim Harrison 
for his tireless work over nearly three decades on behalf of Vermont's 
retailers and grocers. After 29 years, Jim will retire at the end of 
this year from his position as President of the Vermont Retail and 
Grocers Association and its predecessor organization, the Vermont 
Grocers Association.
  In Vermont, the local grocery or general store is the heart of our 
small communities. It's a place where locals gather for much more than 
milk, meat, and produce. Indeed, these small businesses are woven into 
the fabric of our communities. Each and every one of them has 
benefitted from Jim's passion and perseverance.
  As President Pro Tem of the Vermont Senate and now as a Member of 
Congress, I have worked closely with Jim over the years. He has been a 
respected leader in shaping public policy throughout his tenure. He is 
a tireless and tenacious advocate who, without fail, accomplished his 
goals in a bipartisan and cooperative manner. He commanded the respect 
of governors and legislators, and allies and opponents, because he has 
always been a man of high integrity who cares deeply about the issues 
that impact the retail industry.
  Jim's first job as a teenager was bagging groceries at Iandoli's 
Market in Westborough, Mass. The retail touch he learned in that job 
served him well over the years in Montpelier and is appreciated by the 
many businesses he has represented.
  He studied business at Nichols College before transferring to Cornell 
University to study food marketing. After graduating he landed a 
position in Hannaford Brothers' training program and went on to manage 
its stores in Rutland and South Burlington. After a stint in Boston, he 
returned to Vermont in 1987 to head the Vermont Grocers Association, 
which merged with the Vermont Retail Association in 2013.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Jim's leadership, advice, and friendship 
over the past three decades. He will be missed, but I have no doubt 
that his wise counsel will always be available as needed.
  I ask the United States House of Representatives to join me and all 
Vermonters in wishing Jim and his wife, Pat, the best in retirement.

[[Page E1105]]

  

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