[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1225-1226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to 
speak for up to 10 minutes each.

[[Page 1226]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise to salute a woman who has just 
completed a stellar tour serving our Nation as Ambassador to the 
Republic of Finland, Bonnie McElveen-Hutner. I am proud to call Bonnie, 
and her husband, Bynum, my friends. Today, the President of Finland, 
Tarja Halonen, will award Bonnie the Commander Grand Cross of the Order 
of the Lion, an honor recognizing her exceptional and outstanding 
services. Bonnie McElveen-Hunter is truly worthy of this distinction.
  I first met Bonnie in 1999, and was immediately impressed with her 
intelligence, her drive, her confidence, her spirit, and without a 
doubt, her Southern charm. She is the eldest of three children born to 
John T. McElveen, a former Air Force U2 pilot and Madeline, a school 
teacher. In fact, even to this day, though retired, Madeline is the 
ever present teacher and is known to impart her ``pearls of wisdom'' 
upon her daughter.
  Bonnie's credentials are impeccable. She is a serious, successful CEO 
who serves as head of Pace Communications in Greensboro, NC, one of the 
top women-owned businesses in the country. The company's impressive 
client list has included United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Holiday Inn, 
Radisson Hotels, and Toyota. Under Bonnie's leadership, the company 
became the largest custom publishing company in America, based on 
revenue. Bonnie's successes led President Bush to call her a 
``trailblazer among female entrepreneurs.'' How true indeed.
  Bonnie's service as ambassador has been as successful as her 
endeavors in the private sector. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/
11, she forged close relationships with Finland's leaders. During this 
trying time of international tension, Bonnie not only promoted unity 
between Finland and the United States in the face of terrorism, she 
helped to improve commercial ties between the two nations.
  After the change of government in Finland, Bonnie worked to foster 
strong bonds with the new Finnish leadership. She developed a close 
relationship with Prime Minister Vanhanen, helping to ensure continued 
warm relations with the Finnish leadership. She met with every new 
minister in the Cabinet to emphasize the importance of our bilateral 
ties and to explore ways to enhance our partnership on key issues.
  While serving as ambassador, Bonnie also worked on several ``non-
traditional'' diplomatic items, including collaboration with Secretary 
of State Colin Powell to organize The Helsinki Women's Business Leaders 
Summit. This summit brought together American, Finnish, Russian, 
Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian entrepreneurs to share their business 
ideas across international borders. And she helped broker an 
arrangement that allowed women from Finland, the Baltics and Russia to 
shadow fifty of our country's top female business leaders.
  Bonnie McElveen-Hunter has always had a keen interest and concern for 
her fellow man. As ambassador, she advanced the ``child of Karelia'' 
project, which helps Finnish and Russian charities assist children who 
are at risk for drugs, crime HIV/AIDs, and trafficking in the 
transborder region of Karelia. Bonnie is also one of the United Way's 
most effective fundraisers. And, when she and Bynum moved into a new 
home, they raised $1 million for Habitat for Humanity as part of their 
housewarming.
  I love a story Bonnie tells about her childhood When she was 9 years 
old, her mother had her write the word ``can't'' on a piece of paper 
and bury it in a shoe box in the backyard of the home. She has not used 
the word since.
  Bonnie McElveen-Hunter epitomizes the American spirit through her 
compassion and sense of entrepreneurship. She serves as an inspiration 
for us all. Congratulations, Madame Ambassador.

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