[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MAYOR SUZETTE COOKE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ADAM SMITH

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 21, 2017

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and 
congratulate Suzette Cooke, the Mayor of the City of Kent, on her 
retirement. The citizens of Kent will miss her commitment, unstoppable 
work ethic, and passion.
  For many decades prior to serving as Mayor, Suzette Cooke was a 
devoted public servant. She was the Executive Director of the Renton 
and Kent Chambers of Commerce, the Economic Development Manager for the 
City of Burien, the Recreation Supervisor for Seattle Parks, and 
Director of the Kent Senior Center. She also served three terms in the 
Washington State House of Representatives, where she chaired the 
Committee on Children and Family Services.
  Under her leadership as Mayor, Kent has grown from a small, farming 
town, to a sizable city boasting a population of 125,000. Mayor Cooke 
has created a welcoming environment for people from a range of 
different backgrounds in a city that has become one of the most diverse 
in the country.
  In addition to Suzette Cooke's duties as Mayor, she has remained an 
active volunteer and has served with organizations that help better the 
community she loves. Impressively, she has chaired the Kent Firemen's 
Relief and Pension Fund Board, the King County Flood Control Zone 
District Advisory Committee, and the South County Area Transportation 
Board. She has also been a member of the King County's Regional Transit 
Task Force and the King County Board of Health.
  On top of her professional and civic engagements, Mayor Cooke has 
also found the time to remain an avid recreationist and has summited 
eight of Washington State's tallest mountains. It seems clear that, for 
her, no challenge is insurmountable.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize Mayor Suzette 
Cooke on her retirement. It has been a privilege to work with dedicated 
leaders like Mayor Cooke. I thank her for her service to her community 
and wish her all the best in retirement.

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