[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 219 (Thursday, December 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO THOMAS J. ``TONY'' FITZGERALD, III FOR HIS LIFETIME OF 
                         SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 24, 2020

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today on my own behalf and on behalf 
of Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Jackie Speier, Jimmy Panetta, Eric 
Swalwell, Ro Khanna, Jerry McNerney and Jared Huffman to honor the 
extraordinary leadership of Thomas ``Tony'' Fitzgerald, III, as he 
retires from his position as the Director of the Veteran Affairs Palo 
Alto Health Care System (PAVAHCS), an office that he assumed on June 
25, 2017. He ably filled the enormous shoes left by former Director 
Lisa Freeman, and oversaw the delivery of health care to more than 
93,000 veterans at the VA's Palo Alto facility. The PAVAHCS serves 
eleven Congressional Districts and ten counties, and has three 
inpatient facilities in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Livermore, and 
outpatient facilities in seven other cities.
  Mr. Fitzgerald earned his Bachelor's degree from American 
InterContinental University, and is a graduate of the Leadership VA 
program, and a member of the American Hospital Association and the 
American College of Healthcare Executives.
  Mr. Fitzgerald served his country throughout his long and productive 
career. He was a medical non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army for 
16 years, and began his career with the VA in 1988 as a psychiatric 
nursing assistant in Chicago. Throughout his career he has been an 
ardent advocate for Veterans, their families and staff. He earned 
increasingly responsible positions with the VA and he moved to 
California and began his service with VA Northern California in 2000.
  Tony Fitzgerald's accomplishments while at PAVAHCS make a very long 
list. Among some of the highlights are increased Veteran trust scores; 
high patient satisfaction scores; approval for an additional Fisher 
House; robust union partnerships; the hiring of 1,080 new employees in 
fiscal year 2020; and oversight of the largest construction portfolio 
in VHA's history ($2.6B).
  Mr. Fitzgerald has earned many honors including the Top Environmental 
Excellence Award and the Secretary of VA Alternative Dispute Resolution 
Award.
  Madam Speaker, we ask the entire House of Representatives to join us 
in thanking Tony Fitzgerald for his extraordinary service to our 
country, and in wishing him every blessing in his well-earned 
retirement.

                          ____________________