[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 487]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING KATHY CLONINGER, NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE 
                         GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 27, 2004

  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege today of honoring Kathy 
Cloninger, the new Chief Executive Officer for the Girl Scouts of 
America.
  Ms. Cloninger is a native of Nashville, Tennessee in my district. She 
has been a longtime advocate for the Girl Scouts and has an 
accomplished history in not-for-profit leadership. Before her recent 
appointment to the post of CEO, Ms. Cloninger served as the head of the 
Girl Scout Council of Cumberland Valley in Nashville. During her tenure 
there, Girl Scout membership in our region rose to more than 25,000 
girls--an increase of nearly 40 percent. She was also responsible for 
creating an outreach program that tripled the number of African 
American Girl Scouts, increased the participation of Hispanic girls, 
and brought more than 1,000 girls in public housing into the program.
  In Nashville, Ms. Cloninger also helped to found the Association of 
Non-Profit Executives and has served on the boards of numerous 
organizations, including the Center for Non-Profit Management, 
Leadership Nashville, and the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. She 
has also held top-level positions at the Kellogg Foundation and the 
YWCA.
  With more than 3.7 million current members, the Girl Scouts have been 
a cherished American institution for the past 90 years. The qualities 
of leadership, values and social conscience that the Girl Scouts 
instill in their members have served as guideposts for many generations 
of girls and young women, including in my own family. I am proud to say 
that my wife, Martha, and my daughter, Mary, have been Girl Scouts 
members and continue to be supporters of this fine organization.
  I have every confidence that Ms. Cloninger will continue her 
excellent leadership of the Girl Scouts on the national level. In our 
present times, it is now more important than ever to maintain 
organizations and programs that provide positive leadership and 
encouragement for our nation's young people. In light of her proven 
record and her devotion to the ideals of the Girl Scouts, I have no 
doubt that Kathy Cloninger will prove to be an excellent role model and 
leader to guide our young girls into the 21st century.
  On behalf of the people of the fifth district of Tennessee and your 
hometown, Nashville, I am proud to extend to Ms. Cloninger my warmest 
wishes and congratulations.

                          ____________________