[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO RICHARD H. FINAN FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE 
             OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND TO THE STATE OF OHIO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 22, 2002

  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to 
pay special tribute to an outstanding gentleman, and good friend, from 
Ohio. Dick Finan, from the Village of Evandale, is the outgoing 
President of the Ohio Senate. He is being honored for his dedicated 
service and loyalty to the Ohio General Assembly and to the citizens of 
Ohio.
  Mr. Speaker, President Richard H. Finan began his career in public 
service in 1963. He served as a Councilman in the Village of Evandale 
until 1969, when he was then elected to serve as Mayor.
  After serving the citizens of Evandale for ten years, he ran for and 
was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. There he served with 
distinction until 1978. He was elected to the Ohio Senate upon leaving 
the House of Representatives and in 1997, was elected by his colleagues 
to serve as Senate President.
  President Finan has had a significant impact on public policy in 
Ohio. He has also reached out nationally in an attempt to improve the 
lives of all citizens living in this great land. He currently serves as 
Chairman of the University of Dayton Board of Trustees and is a Past 
President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Serving his 
community and the State of Ohio was not only Dick's duty, but also his 
honor. These chances to give back to the public have brought him a 
lifetime of both personal and professional achievement. President Finan 
truly is a valued asset to the Village of Evandale and to the state of 
Ohio.
  President Finan has been a great resource and a true friend to 
everyone around him. Respected by his colleagues in the legislature and 
in the private sector, Dick has shown the ability to improve the 
environment around him. He has been the recipient of many awards that 
reflect his service, including the Tree of Life Award from the Jewish 
National Fund, the President's Medal from Miami University, the 
Distinguished Citizen Award from the Medical College of Ohio, and the 
William Howard Taft Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League. 
He is an Honorary Alumni Member--Omicron Delta Kappa--at the University 
of Dayton and holds an honorary degree from Xavier University.
  President Finan will be missed in the public arena. His wisdom, 
honesty and forthrightness are attributes to which all public servants 
should aspire. He has set an example for everyone on how to live a life 
of service, putting the greater interests of the community before one's 
own.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute 
to President Richard H. Finan. Our communities are served well by 
having such honorable and giving citizens, like Dick, who care about 
their well being and stability. We wish Dick, his wife Joan and their 
four children all the best as we pay tribute to one of our nation's 
finest citizens.

                          ____________________