[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 147 (Friday, September 20, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING THE CAREER OF 
                              MARK KEPPLER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 20, 2024

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished 
career of Mark Keppler, a leader, educator and advocate of the Central 
Valley.
  Prior to his professional embarkation, Mark achieved academic 
distinction earning a bachelor's degree (Magna Cum Laude) in business 
administration, with a minor in economics, from the State University of 
New York, as well as his master's degree, and a law degree in 
industrial relations with a concentration in collective bargaining and 
negotiations from the University of Wisconsin.
  Following his educational achievements, Mr. Keppler began his career 
in the East Coast where he practiced labor-management law in Hartford, 
Connecticut and was an adjunct professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic 
Institute's Hartford Graduate Center, where he taught labor and 
employment relations and negotiations. In 1987, he relocated to the 
Central Valley to join the Craig School of Business at California State 
University, Fresno as the Director of Graduate Programs from 1998 
through 2003. During this tenure, Mark shaped the valley's future 
leaders through his teachings of employment law, industrial relations, 
and ethics.
  Mark was then promoted to the Kenneth L. Maddy Professor of Public 
Affairs on June 1, 2004. In this role, his responsibilities were 
expanded to serve as the Executive Director of the Maddy Institute for 
the Valley's four public universities: University of California, 
Merced, California State University Fresno, California State University 
Stanislaus, and California State University Bakersfield.
  His dedication to education and career development has shone through 
his exemplary leadership of the Maddy Institute, where he carried out 
their mission to elevate citizen participation and government 
performance at all levels through leadership education for public 
service. In this effort, he also provided his oversight to the Maddy 
Institute's Legislative Internship program which provides students with 
the opportunity to intern in legislative offices throughout the San 
Joaquin Valley, Sacramento and even Washington, D.C. Under his 
diligence, The Maddy Institute and Costa Scholars program provided over 
500 scholarships to students across the Valley to pursue these 
distinguished internships. Throughout his journey, Mark has been a 
source of guidance and wisdom for the students at California State 
University Fresno and beyond He has shared his knowledge as a teacher 
leaving a lasting impact on both local and national levels.
  Rooted in advocacy, Professor Keppler earned honors and recognitions 
along the way such as the Clovis Citizen of the Year, Faculty Advisor 
of the Year (twice) from the Society for Human Resource Management--
Region VI, Duncan Enterprises Faculty Award, the School of Business 
Faculty Award for Classroom Excellence and currently holds the Chair of 
the Clovis Community Foundation.
  In addition to his remarkable professional achievements, Mark is a 
devoted husband to Karen Keppler, and a loving father to his daughter 
Caroline Keppler whom he will spend his well-deserved retirement with.
  We thank professor Keppler for his devotion to empowering students in 
the pursuit of their educational and professional aspirations.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite my esteemed colleagues to join me in 
commemorating the phenomenal career of Director Mark Keppler of The 
Maddy Institute. May we continue to be inspired by his good work for 
years to come.

                          ____________________