[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26837]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING LEE SENTELL AND THE ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM AND TRAVEL FOR 
                   BEING NAMED THE BEST IN THE SOUTH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 4, 2007

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Lee 
Sentell and the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel for being named 
the best in the South by the Southeast Tourism Society.
  This is the third time in 4 years that Lee and his outstanding team 
of professionals have received this prestigious award. The department 
was nominated for its ``Year of Alabama'' Arts campaign.
  The award winning food campaign of 2005 featured a brochure of ``100 
Dishes to Eat in Alabama before You Die,'' which was selected as the 
best promotion in the country by the National Council of State Tourism 
Directors. In 2004, the agency was recognized for its garden campaign.
  Alabama's tourism industry has continued to thrive under Lee 
Sentell's strong leadership. The industry's economic impact on the 
State's economy is expected to reach an all-time high of $9 billion in 
2007. Last year, over 22.3 million people visited the State of Alabama, 
with my home area of Mobile and Baldwin counties among the 5 most 
visited counties.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating 
Mr. Sentell and all of those at the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and 
Travel for being named the best in the South by the Southeast Tourism 
Society. For these and all their accomplishments, I extend my heartfelt 
thanks for their continued service to the First Congressional District 
and the entire State of Alabama.

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