[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 189 (Friday, November 30, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9749-H9751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF JOSEPH P. GAVAGHAN
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hill). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 3, 2017, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Holding) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority
leader.
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the
life of Joseph P. Gavaghan.
Joe Gavaghan was born on October 27, 1920, in Philadelphia, to
Gertrude and Joseph, Sr.
After graduating from LaSalle College High School in 1940, Joe went
to work for the Reading Railroad Company in his hometown.
A short time later, Joe's life and the lives of millions of Americans
was forever changed when a devastating and unprovoked attack on the
United States Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor thrust the United States
into the Second World War.
The very next day, as a stunned nation tried to come to grips with
what had just happened, Joe stepped forward and answered the call of
duty by enlisting in the United States Army.
Unaware of what the future held, Joe had just one more thing he
wanted to do before shipping off to war; and on August 1, 1942, Joe
married the love of his life, Mary Alvey, in their hometown of
Philadelphia.
Shortly thereafter, Joe deployed as a sergeant in the 65th Infantry,
leaving behind his new bride, his family, and everything he had ever
known.
Over the course of the next 3 years, Joe experienced the brunt of the
war in Europe. He landed in Normandy on D-day as part of the successful
allied invasion of France. From there, Joe went on to serve in several
major campaigns, taking him from the rolling hills of northern France
to the Battle of the Bulge, to the small towns of central Germany.
By May of 1945, with the war coming to a close, Joe and the 65th
division arrived in Linz, Austria, where they connected with the allied
Russian troops. He remained in Linz for the duration of the conflict.
Joe distinguished himself in the line of duty. In recognition of his
valor and bravery, he was awarded numerous medals, including Bronze
Stars and the Combat Infantry Badge.
With the war over, Joe returned home to his wife, Mary, and together,
they welcomed two children into the world: Patrick and Marita. Today is
Patrick's birthday, by the way.
He also went back to work for the Reading Railroad Company.
Joe's intelligence and strong work ethic, qualities that served him
well on the battlefield, set him apart in the civilian world. He
excelled in his work and rose through the ranks of the company, and
after working for 43 years for Reading Railroad, Joe retired as the
company's general manager.
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Outside of his professional career, Joe was a beloved and active
member of his community. He served as a member of the Union League of
Chicago, Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion, Polish-American
Club of Vero Beach, past president of the Coal Club of Philadelphia,
and many Chambers of Commerce.
Sadly, Joseph passed away peacefully on July 12 of this year.
Joe enriched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him.
In the face of unthinkable evil and tangible danger, Joe's resolve
never wavered. He leaves behind an endearing legacy of extraordinary
service, and his character and morality are an inspiration for us all.
His life personifies the very best of America's greatest generation--
remarkable young men and women who answered the call of duty, defeated
the forces of evil, and returned home to build the world's strongest
economy and most prosperous society.
While Joe will be dearly missed, he will not be forgotten.
On behalf of a grateful Nation, I offer my deepest condolences to the
entire Gavaghan family.
Honoring the Life of Tom Ellis
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the
life of Mr. Tom Ellis of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Over the past 50 years, few people have had as big of an influence on
Tar Heel politics as Mr. Ellis. The courtly, pipe-smoking Raleigh
attorney played a central role in shaping the careers of Jesse Helms
and Ronald Reagan, two of the most important conservative figures of
the 20th century.
Mr. Ellis was born on August 10, 1920, in Alameda, California. He
first fell in love with North Carolina while attending the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Mr. Ellis served in the Navy during the Second World War as an
officer,
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after which he earned his law degree from the University of Virginia.
His time in the military shaped his outlook on the world.
Though he led a successful career as an attorney in Raleigh, Mr.
Ellis' most profound impact was in the political arena.
Mr. Ellis entered politics in 1950 as a young staffer working on
Willis Smith's Senate campaign. It was during the campaign that Mr.
Ellis met a young Raleigh journalist named Jesse Helms. The two
idealistic young men hit it off, giving birth to a friendship and a
relationship that would eventually transform North Carolina politics,
play a major role in the American conservative movement, and help shape
American history.
During their regular Thursday night poker games, Mr. Ellis began
pushing Mr. Helms to run for political office. When Mr. Helms ran for
Senate in 1972, Mr. Ellis managed his campaign to victory against great
odds. Over the next 30 years, Mr. Ellis served as a key adviser and
close confidant for Senator Helms.
A short time after Mr. Helms' 1972 victory, Mr. Ellis put his
innovative and entrepreneurial mind to work creating the National
Congressional Club, which was a nationwide conservative fundraising
machine that built Senator Helms into one of the most well-known
Senators in the country. Mr. Ellis' revolutionary direct mail
fundraising practices raised an estimated $100 million for Mr. Helms,
as well as a host of conservative figures and causes.
Mr. Ellis' most significant contribution, however, to the course of
American history came in 1976 when he played a key role in rescuing
Ronald Reagan's political career. With the all-important North Carolina
primary around the corner, then-Governor Reagan's Presidential bid was
floundering and was about to fail. Mr. Ellis stepped in, took command
of the campaign, and led Reagan to a crucial victory in the Tar Heel
State in that 1976 primary.
The win resuscitated Reagan's campaign and political career. He went
on to win 10 more State primaries and build a national identity and
following. Though Reagan ultimately lost the `76 GOP primary, the cycle
propelled him into the White House 4 years later.
Mr. Ellis had a brilliant strategic mind and was a revolutionary
figure in politics. He was a passionate ideologue who firmly believed
in the issues he supported.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ellis mentored and nurtured several of the
conservative movement's most influential strategists and operatives. He
also took great delight in mentoring young lawyers, telling them how to
make a difference with their degree and how to serve in the best
possible manner.
Sadly, Tom Ellis passed away on July 12 at the age of 97. Though he
is no longer with us, his impact on North Carolina, the Nation, and the
American conservative movement will be felt for many years to come.
Mr. Ellis was a giant and a man of true consequence. He is dearly
missed.
Honoring the Life of Theodore ``Ted'' George Vallas
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Theodore
``Ted'' George Vallas.
Ted was the son of two hardworking Greek immigrants in Raleigh, North
Carolina. Ted was born on October 4, 1931. Ted developed a strong work
ethic from a young age working in his parents' restaurant, The
Manhattan, situated in downtown Raleigh.
As a student at Hugh Morson High School, Ted discovered his gift for
athletics. He was a standout member of the school's football,
wrestling, and track teams. His talent on the gridiron caught the
attention of Division 1 college coaches, and Ted accepted a scholarship
to play football at Mississippi State University.
While at school in Starkville, Ted crossed paths with a young woman
by the name of Dorothy Patty. Dot, as she was known by her friends, was
the daughter of the school's baseball coach with whom Ted had already
established a relationship. Ted and Dot began dating and the couple
married in 1956 in a small Mississippi church near their university.
Together, Ted and Dot had three children: Paula, Carra, and Stephanie.
After graduating from Mississippi State with a degree in business,
Ted joined the United States Army. He was stationed at Fort Sam Houston
in Texas for his 2-year stint in the Armed Forces.
Having completed his military service, Ted put his business degree to
work and accepted an advertising job with the Wall Street Journal. The
experience Ted gained working at his parents' restaurant as a kid
served him well in the professional world. He had a strong work ethic,
quickly caught the attention of his superiors, and was promptly
promoted to the role of eastern advertising manager for the Wall Street
Journal. Ted spent 11 years at the Journal, after which he decided to
move back to North Carolina.
Upon returning, Ted purchased a struggling local newspaper centered
in Fuquay-Varina called The Independent. Ted revived the paper and,
under his direction, the publication became a popular, widely read,
weekly newspaper. A few years later, Ted purchased two additional local
newspapers: The Western Wake Herald and The Garner Newspaper.
Finally, in 1988, Ted determined it was time to retire and he sold
the papers, thus closing the book on an illustrious 20-year career in
journalism.
Relying on his strong work ethic, intelligence, and character, Ted
led a successful career in business. He was a transformative figure and
a pioneer in the local journalism industry.
But, Mr. Speaker, his greatest legacy is his contribution to his
community. Ted was a beloved fixture of his community, known by all for
his kind heart and his strong sense of humor.
Mr. Speaker, Ted Vallas passed away on October 30 at the age 87.
Though Ted is no longer with us, his impact on his community will be
felt for years to come.
My thoughts are with the entire Vallas family. Ted touched the lives
of many over the years, and he will be greatly missed by his friends.
Adjournment from Friday, November 30, 2018, to Tuesday, December 4,
2018
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House
adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, when
it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for
legislative business.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Comer). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Honoring the Life of Richard Hampton Jenrette
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the
life of Richard ``Dick'' Hampton Jenrette.
Mr. Jenrette was one of the most impactful businessmen of the 20th
century. He was a titan on Wall Street who transformed and reshaped the
world of finance.
Dick Jenrette was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 5, 1929,
to Emma and Joseph Jenrette.
From a young age, Dick's intelligence, work ethic, and ambition set
him apart from his peers. While a student at Broughton High School in
Raleigh, North Carolina, Dick took a job on the side as a sportswriter
for the Raleigh Times, where he worked under the future United States
Senator Jesse Helms.
After high school, Dick excelled in his studies at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation from UMC with a degree
in journalism, Dick followed in his father's footsteps by beginning an
apprenticeship as an insurance salesman. After 2 years, though, he
determined the insurance industry wasn't for him.
Around this time, the U.S. was fighting a war on the Korean
Peninsula. Dick answered the call to serve and enlisted in the United
States Army. He completed a 2-year stint during the Korean war as a
sergeant assigned to counterintelligence duty as part of the
Intelligence Corps.
Mr. Speaker, after discharge from the Army, Dick earned his MBA from
Harvard Business School in 1957 and set out into the world, beginning
what would ultimately become one of the most successful business
careers of his generation.
His first job in the business world was with the prominent Wall
Street firm Brown Brothers Harriman. After a few years, Dick teamed up
with two of his classmates from UMC, Bill Donaldson and Dan Lufkin, and
together they created their own firm, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, or
DLJ, as it was commonly referred to.
[[Page H9751]]
Now at the helm of DLJ, Dick's career took off. He wielded a
visionary approach, implementing innovative business practices that
diverged from the traditional practices of the 1960s. Under Dick's
direction, DLJ focused on small, emerging companies rather than larger,
blue-chip companies, which had been the standard practice for
established Wall Street firms in the past.
This groundbreaking approach was a boon for the firm. In 1970, DLJ
made history as the first Wall Street firm to offer shares to the
public.
Over the subsequent decades, Dick continued his successful business
career. He held a variety of positions, including president and chief
executive of the Equitable Investment Corporation.
Dick's retirement in 1996 marked the final chapter of his successful
and transformative business career.
Outside of his career, Dick had a lifelong passion for purchasing and
restoring historic American homes. Throughout the years, he restored
more than 13 homes, with his collection of homes in New York State, New
York City, North Carolina, South Carolina, and St. Croix often
considered to be one of the finest collections of classical
architecture in the United States.
For his work in preservation, Dick was awarded the Louise DuPont
Crown in Shield Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
and the Hadrian Award by the World Monuments Fund. In France, he
received the national Order of the Legion of Honour award, the highest
French order of merit.
Sadly, Dick Jenrette passed away on April 22, 2018, at the age of 89.
Mr. Jenrette will be remembered as one of his generation's most
successful and innovative businessmen. He was admired by his peers and
respected by those who knew him.
Despite the cutthroat culture on Wall Street, Dick always stayed true
to his core values of honesty, respect, and fairness. His character was
unimpeachable and earned him the title of ``the last gentleman on Wall
Street.''
Dick was also a great mentor. As an example of that, one of the young
Harvard business grads who was working for him at Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette came to him one day and said: I don't think this is for me. I
think I want to go back to school and become an economist.
But Dick saw a lot of potential in this young man, more potential
than would have been realized if he had just gone back to being an
economist. He said: You have the great talent of being an investor. You
have great insight and instincts.
So he encouraged this young man to stick with it.
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Today, that young man is the CEO and cofounder of The Blackstone
Group, known as Steve Schwarzman, perhaps one of the most successful
venture capitalists, private-equity investors that the world has ever
seen. And but for the mentorship of Dick Jenrette, that young man would
not have grown to his full potential.
To understand the depth of Dick's character and the core convictions
that guided him through his successful 40 years in business, one
mustn't look any further than Dick's 24 Rules for Success in Finance
and Life.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight a few of Dick Jenrette's
rules.
Number one, don't burn bridges that are behind you.
Remember that life has no blessing like a good friend.
Try to be nice and say thank you a lot.
Don't criticize someone in front of others.
Don't forget to praise a job well done, but don't praise a poor job.
Lastly, keep your standards high in all you do.
There are more, Mr. Speaker, and I include in the Record Dick
Jenrette's 24 Rules for Success in Finance and Life. They are a guide
for all of us.
dick jenrette's 24 rules for success in finance and life
Stay in the game. That's often all you need to do--don't
quit. Stick around! Don't be a quitter!
Don't burn bridges (behind you).
Remember--Life has no blessing like a good friend!
You can't get enough of them.
Don't leave old friends behind--you may need them.
Try to be nice and say ``thank you'' a lot!
Stay informed/KEEP LEARNING!
Study--Stay Educated. Do Your Home Work!! Keep learning!
Cultivate friends of all ages--especially younger.
Run Scared--over-prepare.
Be proud--no Uriah Heep for you! But not conceited. Know
your own worth.
Plan ahead but be prepared to allow when opportunity
presents itself.
Turn Problems into Opportunities. Very often it can be
done. Problems create opportunities for change--people
willing to consider change when there are problems.
Present yourself well. Clean, clean-shaven, dress
``classically'' to age. Beware style, trends. Look for charm.
Good grammar. Don't swear so much--it's not cute.
But be open to change--don't be stuck in mud. Be willing to
consider what's new but don't blindly follow it. USE YOUR
HEAD--COMMON SENSE.
Have some fun--but not all the time!
Be on the side of the Angels. Wear the White Hat.
Have a fall-back position. Heir and the spare. Don't leave
all your money in one place.
Learn a foreign language.
Travel a lot--around the world, if possible.
Don't criticize someone in front of others.
Don't forget to praise a job well done (but don't praise a
poor job)
I don't like to lose--but don't be a poor loser if you do.
It helps to have someone to love who loves you (not just
sex).
Keep your standards high in all you do.
Look for the big picture but don't forget the small
details.
Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, Dick was a man of great consequence. He
lived his life to the fullest. He is a friend, and he will be dearly
missed.
Honoring Detective Roger Shearin for His Bravery
Mr. HOLDING. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Detective Roger
Shearin of the Middlesex Police Department who a few weeks ago risked
his life to save a young woman trapped in a sinking car.
On Monday, November 12, Detective Shearin was on patrol when he came
across a car that had just veered off the road and crashed into a pond.
As the car rapidly filled with water, the driver was trapped and unable
to escape.
Without regard for his own personal safety, Officer Shearin sprung
into action. He dove into the icy, cold water, pried the car door open,
and rescued the young woman trapped in the vehicle. Thanks to Detective
Shearin's heroic actions, the young woman survived the perilous ordeal.
Detective Shearin's courage and bravery is an inspiration to us all.
He is a living example of what it means to protect and to serve.
I ask that everyone join me in honoring this brave officer and all of
the men and women of the Middlesex Police Department who work on our
behalf every day.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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