[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 212 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF DR. ED HELTON

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2020

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to 
extend my congratulations to a gifted educator, great team builder, 
loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend of longstanding, Dr. Ed 
Helton. Dr. Helton will retire from Columbus State University (CSU) on 
Wednesday, December 16, 2020, after a distinguished career that 
culminated in his selection as Interim Chief of Staff for the 
University.
  Dr. Ed Helton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and English 
and a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Samford 
University, and a Doctor of Divinity from Judson College. He has been a 
student of leadership development and communication throughout his 
career. In addition to his educational achievements, Dr. Helton 
completed the Executive Education course, The Art and Practice of 
Leadership Development, at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School 
of Government in May of 2013. And in March 2015, he attended Minds at 
Work's Immunity to Change (ITC) instrument training in Cambridge, 
Massachusetts.
  For almost two decades, Dr. Helton has been a highly trusted leader 
in the higher education sector. He built quite an impressive career, 
which began in 2002 when he became an Adjunct Professor in Philosophy 
at CSU. In 2004, in addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Helton started 
serving as a consultant with CSU's Leadership Institute, where he 
became instrumental in promoting the Institute. In May 2005, he assumed 
the position as Director of the Leadership Institute at the Cunningham 
Center for Leadership Development. Dr. Helton played an integral part 
in the Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum that brought distinguished 
leaders to Columbus, Georgia such as Former President George W. Bush, 
Former First Lady Laura Bush, Former Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice, Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, and Dr. Mae Jemison, among 
others.
  A man of many talents, Dr. Helton is certified by several leadership 
organizations that qualifies him as an expert on team building, 
conflict resolution, and human behavior. Ed is also an ordained 
minister whose spiritual insights inform his extraordinary ability to 
understand the strengths and weaknesses of the human character. He has 
also lent his time and talents to serve as a consultant and keynote 
speaker for a wide range of other organizations.
  Winston Churchill once said: ``You make your living by what you get, 
you make your life by what you give.'' Dr. Ed Helton has given so much 
to Columbus State University, his community, his friends, and most 
importantly, his God. Ed has cast a wide net in his service to 
humankind, and the world is a better place because of his work.
  Ed has accomplished much in his life, but none of this would have 
been possible without the Grace of God and the love and support of his 
wife, Lana, and his son, Brett.
  On a personal note, Ed has had a significant impact on my life, both 
personally and professionally. He has offered sage advice and counsel 
as a consultant and has often been a sounding board for me when 
grappling with thorny issues. His ability to balance critique and 
encouragement in a way that is constructive in achieving a positive 
outcome is exceptional. I will be forever grateful for his professional 
guidance and his friendship.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to 
join my wife, Vivian, and me along with the more than 730,000 residents 
of the Second Congressional District, in extending our sincerest 
appreciation and best wishes to Dr. Ed Helton upon the occasion of his 
retirement from an outstanding career in Higher Education 
Administration and his continued service to humanity.

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