[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 90 (Thursday, May 23, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MR. WALT KOENIG

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. AUGUST PFLUGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2024

  Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to recognize and 
congratulate Mr. Walt Koenig, who is retiring from his position as 
President and CEO of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. I greatly 
appreciate Mr. Koenig's four years of dedicated service which 
profoundly impacted the San Angelo community.
  I was born and raised in San Angelo and am proud to call San Angelo 
my home. In recent years, I have witnessed significant growth and 
positive change across the city. Thanks to our leadership in both 
enterprise and government, San Angelo has become one of the best small 
cities for business. Mr. Koenig's stewardship and enthusiasm for 
improving our city across the board have left a lasting impact that is 
greatly valued by the entire San Angelo community.
  Before his tenure at the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Koenig 
served as the President and CEO of the Kerrville Chamber of Commerce 
and the Executive Director of the Kerr County Economic Development 
Program. Mr. Koenig's many contributions on the business level include 
over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Along 
with his history in business, Mr. Koenig also served 8 years as a 
senior diplomat with the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce.
  Mr. Koenig made no waste of his four years serving the community of 
San Angelo. Under his leadership, San Angelo was established as the 
Visual Arts Capitol of Texas, the 2024 Best Visitor Center in Texas, 
and the 2024 People's Choice Award for Best Destination for Arts and 
Culture in the State of Texas. Along with these accolades, San Angelo 
has seen significant economic growth due to a surge in new local 
businesses, tourism, and overall quality of life. Due to his hard work 
and enthusiastic support for the city, it is safe to say that Mr. 
Koenig left the greater San Angelo community in a better position than 
he found it.
  Beyond his duties at the Chamber of Commerce, Walt was also a civic 
leader for Goodfellow Air Force Base. Mr. Koenig was heavily involved 
at the base, including going out of his way to speak with students from 
other countries in their native language. Throughout his tenure, Mr. 
Koenig consistently went above and beyond in his unwavering support for 
the community, which left an indelible mark on the city of San Angelo. 
He and his wife, MG, poured their hearts out for our community, and for 
that, I will always be thankful.
  Walt is a good friend of our office and our community--he will be 
missed dearly. I am proud to honor Mr. Walt Koenig's incredible 
contributions to the city of San Angelo during his successful tenure. I 
extend my most heartfelt wishes to his family for a smooth transition 
as they embark on their journey to Italy.

                          ____________________