[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4727]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF MYRON McKINNEY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ROY BLUNT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 16, 2002

  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Myron McKinney on his 
33 years of service to Empire District Electric Company. His 
exceptional career with Empire began on June 5, 1967 as a sales 
consultant and will end on April 30, 2002, as President and Chief 
Executive Officer of Empire.
  Myron McKinney was the recipient of numerous awards, including 
Outstanding Citizen for 1999 by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. He 
was also the Outstanding Alumnus in 1997 for Bolivar High School, and 
in 2000, was voted Outstanding Alumnus for Missouri Southern State 
College.
  Myron McKinney has served the Joplin area for many years by 
volunteering countless hours for local service clubs and community 
boards. He is a former president and board member for the Joplin United 
Way and the Jasper County Association for Social Services. Mr. McKinney 
is a Missouri State Chamber of Commerce Board Member and a former 
president and board member for the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. He 
also served on the Joplin Business and Industrial Development as their 
chairman and board member. He is on the Freeman Hospital Board and 
served as chairman of the board for the Ozarks Public 
Telecommunications board. Mr. McKinney served as the chairman and board 
member for the Joplin Southern board and is a former board member of 
the Joplin Family Y.
  Myron McKinney was born on September 9, 1944 in Santa Paula, 
California, to O.S. and Hazel McKinney. He grew up in Bolivar, 
Missouri, graduating from Bolivar High School in 1962 as the vice-
president of his class. He attended Joplin Junior College and served as 
the president of the Student Senate and was the captain of the football 
team. He graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in 1967 
with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. In 1964, he married 
Janet Manard. They have 2 daughters and one grandson.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Empire District Electric Company 
will miss the exemplary leadership that Myron McKinney has provided. I 
would like to personally wish him well in this new stage of his life. I 
know that he'll continue his service to Southwestern Missouri and am 
certain that my colleagues will join me in honoring this remarkable 
man.

                          ____________________