[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 22009-22010]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      CONGRATULATIONS ON 30 YEARS

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, this month we celebrate an important 
milestone in South Dakota: The opening of the first Super 8 Motel.
  In 1974, the first Super 8 Motel opened in my hometown of Aberdeen, 
SD. This motel is a pioneer of the economy motel industry, and a 
perfect example of entrepreneurial success. In its first year of 
operation, Super 8 showed that its founders, Dennis Brown and Ron 
Rivett, were surpassing their goals by leaps and bounds--one year after 
its first motel opened, an additional three motels sprang up in the 
cities of Pierre, Mitchell, and Yankton. This unprecedented growth 
continued, and

[[Page 22010]]

today, in Super 8's thirtieth year of operation, this small business 
venture has resulted in over 2,000 motels opening throughout the United 
States and Canada.
  Super 8's success is predicated on the core operating values that 
Dennis and Ron instilled in their employees and motel owners: 
cleanliness, efficiency, and friendly service. From its inception, the 
founders and board members continually strived to better serve their 
customers. Some examples of their strong commitment to customer service 
are the implementation of one of the first toll-free reservation lines 
in the early 1970s and the VIP club, which currently has over 7.5 
million members.
  I will never forget when I returned home to Aberdeen and saw the 
first Super 8 Motel: a two story stucco building on Sixth Avenue, 
Southeast. At that time, very few people could conceive that this 
start-up business would reshape the hospitality industry. Thankfully, 
Dennis and Ron had the plan and the motivation to realize their goals 
and make believers out of ordinary folks in need of a place to stay on 
the road.
  After my stays at Super 8 Motels, it was clear that this company was 
destined for greatness. Super 8 is a true American success story, which 
could not have been achieved without the hard work and determination of 
Dennis, Ron, and all of their hard-working staff. I am confident that 
Super 8 will continue to grow for many years to come, and I wish to 
extend my congratulations to everyone that has been involved in this 
monumental effort over the past 30 years.

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