[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 44 (Friday, March 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E247-E248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING MR. TOM WALKER

                                 ______
                                 

                           ROBERT B. ADERHOLT

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 11, 2022

  Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize and 
congratulate Mr. Tom Walker, founder and president of the American 
Village in Montevallo, Alabama, on his retirement after almost 35 years 
as an educator, civic leader and inspiration to children and adults 
alike across the southeast and the nation.
  In the late 1980's, Tom conceived the idea of the American Village to 
be an American history and civics educational campus to inspire and 
prepare young people for their roles as citizens and leaders. Under 
Tom's leadership,

[[Page E248]]

American Village, an 188-acre campus in Montevallo, Alabama, became 
chartered in 1995 and has since educated and inspired over 750,000 
children as well as adults across the southeastern United States. 
American Village has welcomed thousands of public visitors each year 
for a true American Experience.
  Before founding American Village, Tom earned his bachelor's degree, 
with honors, in history and political science from the University of 
Montevallo and his master's degree in political science from 
Mississippi State University.
  Tom Walker is the former City Manager of Northport, Alabama, and 
served as the Special Assistant to the President of the University of 
Montevallo. He is also the former Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees 
at the University of Montevallo and was the founding chair of the AL 
Higher Education Partnership.
  Since founding the American Village, Tom has received numerous awards 
and honors. In 2017, he was one of only sixteen private citizens 
appointed to the Semiquincentennial Commission to organize the 250th 
birthday celebration of the United States of America. In December of 
2020, Tom was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Laws by Troy University. 
He is a past recipient of the American Bar Association's highest 
national award for excellence in K-12 law-related education. He is the 
recipient of the DAR Medal of Honor and the SAR Gold Citizenship Medal, 
the highest national honors awarded by the National Societies of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution, and of the Sons of the American 
Revolution, respectively. He has received numerous other state, 
regional and national awards and was named as Birmingham Citizen of the 
Year by The Women's Committee of Birmingham in 2014.
  Tom once said, We must build good citizens and leaders who will 
cherish these ideals, and thereby learn to love our country, and what 
an incredible job of that he has done these past 35 years working with 
the students of the southeast.
  Upon his retirement, Tom looks forward to spending more time with his 
wife, Betty, three children: his son, Matt and wife Candace; his 
daughter, Jane Herndon and her husband Josh; and his son Jefferson, 
along with his grandson, Wells Thomas Herndon. He will continue to 
maintain an office and an active part-time Founder and Director-
Emeritus position at the American Village, as he continues to prepare 
the nation's youth to become leaders.
  Since my own appointment to the United States Semiquincentennial 
Commission, I have had the honor to serve alongside Tom. I have grown 
to admire and respect his great love for American history, his solid 
values and his strong faith in God, which are the foundations that have 
made this nation great. It has been a privilege to work with him on 
this commission, but more importantly to call him my friend. I look 
forward to his continued service in that role.
  As a community leader, educator, and friend, Tom Walker has touched 
the lives of countless Americans, including myself. Therefore, I ask 
you to join with me in congratulating Tom Walker on an inspirational 35 
years of work and service to Montevallo, the State of Alabama, and the 
United States of America.

                          ____________________