[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 36499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF DR. RICHARD CHESTEEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long, 
distinguished career of an esteemed educator, a dedicated public 
servant, a tireless community leader and my friend, Richard Chesteen, 
PhD.
  Richard's academic career began almost 50 years ago. He earned his 
Associate's Degree from Holmes Junior College, his Bachelor's Degree 
from Delta State University, then his Master's Degree and Doctoral 
Degree in Political Science at the University of Mississippi. We have 
been fortunate to have him as a professor and faculty leader at the 
University of Tennessee at Martin, in the heart of northwest Tennessee, 
since 1969.
  Dr. Chesteen's leadership has always stretched beyond the edge of the 
UTM campus. He has held active positions in scores of government and 
political organizations in Weakley and Obion counties and throughout 
Tennessee. Richard has served on the Obion County Commission, the Obion 
County Regional Planning Commission and the Obion County Democratic 
Party.
  Statewide, Richard was a candidate for governor in the 1994 primary, 
where he earned a reputation for working on thoughtful solutions toward 
the problems facing our state at that time. Over the years, he has also 
served on the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental 
Relations, the Tennessee County Services Association and Tennessee 
Cares, an organization to help single parents with the educational 
support they need to get back into the workforce. These are just a few 
of an extensive list of ways Richard has served our community and 
state.
  Even as he looks toward retirement, Dr. Chesteen is not giving up on 
his dedication to education. He has helped found the Richard Chesteen 
Endowment for Government Internships at the University of Tennessee 
Martin to offer more first-hand opportunities for today's political 
science students, who will be the leaders of tomorrow, both in this 
great chamber and in other leadership positions throughout our country.
  Madam Speaker, I hope you and our colleagues will join me in 
congratulating Richard Chesteen and his family on his retirement, 
thanking him for his tireless service and honoring his work with the 
new Endowment for Government Internships.