[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 185 (Monday, November 13, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING ELAINE ROBERT ON HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOYCE BEATTY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 13, 2017

  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary 
public service of Elaine Roberts on the occasion of her retirement. 
Elaine has spent the last 17 years in Columbus and Central Ohio, 
serving as the Executive Director of the Columbus Airport Authority 
beginning in 2000 and then as President and CEO of the Columbus 
Regional Airport Authority when it was created in 2003.
  Our regional airport authority oversees three air facilities: John 
Glenn Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International 
Airport, and the general aviation airport, Bolton Field. Those three 
airports, and the businesses associated with them, have flourished 
under Elaine's leadership and now collectively support 54,000 jobs and 
$6.6 billion in total annual economic output. I greatly appreciate the 
work she has done to encourage entrepreneurship in the airports, 
particularly for African-American businesses.
  During her tenure, Elaine oversaw $1 billion of investment in airport 
improvements, including the terminal modernization at John Glenn 
International and a new control tower at Rickenbacker. I am also 
thankful for Elaine's contribution in honoring Jerrie Mock--a fellow-
Ohioan and the first woman to fly solo around the world in her plane, 
the Spirit of Columbus--with a life-size statue in the main passenger 
concourse.
  From the very beginning, Central Ohio has played a leading role to 
advances in aviation, and we are particularly proud of Elaine who stood 
out as one of the leading women in her field. She was recognized as a 
``Champion of Change'' by the White House in 2015 and won the 2016 
Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Airport 
Executives. Earlier this year, the YWCA honored her with its Women of 
Achievement Award, and the Women for Economic and Leadership 
Development presented her with their Riveter Award. Elaine also serves 
on the board of the Columbus Partnership and Experience Columbus.
  Elaine has been a steadfast leader over the years, and I am happy to 
call her a friend. On behalf of the people of Columbus, I thank her and 
wish her the best.
  After 35 years in the aviation industry, Elaine plans to retire to 
South Carolina by the end of the year. I sincerely hope that she and 
her wife, Dale, will travel back to Columbus from time to time to visit 
and to see her lasting, positive impact on our community.

                          ____________________