[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF J. IRWIN MILLER

 Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of my 
fellow Hoosier, Joseph Irwin Miller, who died on Monday, August 16, at 
the age of 95. J. Irwin Miller was a leading industrialist who used his 
business success as an opportunity to give back to his community by 
helping Hoosiers in need, advancing greater social change through 
example and turning Columbus, IN, into an architectural landmark.
  Joseph Irwin Miller was a fourth-generation Hoosier, born in 1909 to 
Hugh and Nettie Miller. He graduated from Yale University in 1931 and 
joined his family's bank 3 years later. His family also owned Cummins, 
a local diesel maker that Miller would transform into a Fortune 500 
company recognized around the world. On his watch, Cummins increased 
its sales five times over, to $100 million by 1955. From a small-town 
company with 60 employees, J. Irwin Miller grew Cummins into an 
industry giant with 25,000 employees from around the world.
  These economic accomplishments are remarkable, but they are far 
outmatched by Miller's work in public service and social activism. J. 
Irwin Miller was a visionary whose impact reached far beyond Cummins, 
affecting the entire State of Indiana and indeed many nations, through 
his innovative leadership, personal convictions and legendary 
philanthropy.
  During the long fight for greater civil rights, Miller led by 
example, first by eliminating segregation at Cummins and later by 
helping organize the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, civil rights 
march. J. Irwin Miller was a man who stood by his beliefs no matter 
what the cost. To protest apartheid in South Africa, Miller closed the 
Cummins plant located there and helped write legislation that led to 
economic sanctions against the country. Such dedication to one's 
beliefs and commitment to do what is right is especially commendable 
today, in light of recent corporate scandals and failings.
  J. Irwin Miller was a man of international importance and influence, 
but he never forgot his roots in Indiana. His love for his hometown is 
evident throughout Columbus, where today visitors can find examples of 
the finest architecture in the world. Because of his efforts, Columbus 
became known as the ``Athens of the Prairie,'' with schools and public 
buildings designed by such world-renowned figures as I. M. Pei and 
Eliel Saarinen.
  With the passing of J. Irwin Miller, I hope that these buildings 
become more than architectural landmarks, but symbols of the true 
public spirit demonstrated by Miller in every aspect of his life. J. 
Irwin Miller was a true leader in business and in life, and he will be 
greatly missed.
  It is my honor to enter the name of Joseph Irwin Miller into the 
Congressional Record.

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