[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 125 (Thursday, July 30, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E755-E756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PAYING TRIBUTE TO PACE COOPER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 30, 2026

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
substantial public service of my friend Pace Cooper, who is stepping 
down from the Board of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority 
after 14 years of service.
  Pace, the President and CEO of Cooper Hotels, a major hospitality 
development and management company, has been a pivotal figure in 
improvements to my city of Memphis. Pace has served as president or 
chairman of various organizations on both local and international 
levels. He was chairman of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport 
Authority from 2015 to 2022 and served on the board since 2012. During 
his leadership, the airport, known as MEM, increased the number of non-
stop flights, transformed the passenger experience with a new concourse 
and positioned the airport for long-term success. As the former Ranking 
Member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee, I have been a staunch supporter of our 
airport, sending millions of dollars for its improvement, knowing it 
would be well spent. In addition to his airport activities, Pace has 
served on the University of Memphis Board of Visitors and serves on the 
University Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a minority partner in 
our beloved Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
  A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Business School, Pace 
has been a national business leader and has been instrumental in 
transforming iconic hotels around

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the country, including in Nashville and Atlanta. He has also served for 
many years as the president of the Margolin Hebrew Academy and serves 
as chairman of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis. He had wonderful 
parents, Irby and Bernice. I wish him and his wife Aileen and their 
children all the best and thank him for his service.

                          ____________________