[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 26, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING EDWARD LEWIS ON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 2024

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Marylander: Ed 
Lewis. He and his wife, former Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette 
Lewis, are two of my dearest friends. After an impressive, decades-long 
career in communications and government relations, Ed recently decided 
to retire. We ought to pay tribute to his many accomplishments and 
contributions to our community over the years.
  An expert communicator with a deep understanding of public policy, Ed 
started to hone his skills at Howard University, where he earned his 
bachelor's degree in journalism, and later at the University of 
Maryland, where he earned a master's degree in public policy 
management. Ed began his career as a reporter for the Memphis 
Commercial Appeal. While there, he helped come up with innovative new 
journalism tactics, developing a best practices handbook for online 
interviews. Ed has always maintained strong ties to the journalism 
community. He was the first Black person to serve on the National Press 
Club's Board of Governors. From the National Press Club Journalism 
Institute to the Press Club's Speakers Committee to the Corporate 
Advisory Council of the National Press Foundation, he's held leadership 
positions at a variety of other press organizations. That includes his 
role as a founding member of the Washington Automotive Press 
Association.
  Ed Lewis remains a towering figure in the public relations and 
automotive industries. He held senior positions at the Tire Industry 
Safety Council, the American Automobile Manufacturers Association, 
Nissan, Ford, and other leading automakers. For the past 18 years, Ed 
served as the Director of Public Policy Communications for Toyota. 
These companies always knew they could count on Ed to craft a 
compelling message and to distill complex policy into simple terms that 
the public could understand. Ed also cultivated close relationships 
with leading figures in government and the press that proved invaluable 
to his work. Whether it was handling crisis communications, navigating 
complex interactions between the public and private sectors, or helping 
guide high-level business decisions, Ed proved to be one of the very 
best professionals in his field.
  Ed has received more honors and awards than I could ever list in 
full, but they include the Public Relations Society of America's 
Platinum Award and the National Press Club's Vivian Award--among many 
others.
  What I most admire about Ed is his commitment to giving back to our 
community in Prince George's County. Although his corporate career may 
be coming to an end, I have no doubt that his commitment to serving 
Prince Georgians never will. I was pleased to see him and Yvette roll 
out their new Fresh Start initiative in partnership with Bowie State 
University just this past April. The program will provide financial aid 
to formerly incarcerated individuals to help them attend BSU. Ed and 
Yvette want to give these men and women an opportunity to build a 
better life as well as a better community for all. For that, they have 
our thanks.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me in congratulating 
Ed on his retirement and in thanking him for his service to our 
community--service that will surely continue for many years to come.

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