[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 608]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING STEVE BENEFIELD'S SERVICE WITH THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY CHAMBER 
                              OF COMMERCE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 22, 2008

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Steve 
Benefield for his service with the Rutherford County Chamber of 
Commerce. Steve resigned from the Chamber on January 4 after serving a 
decade as its president.
  Rutherford County has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, 
and the Chamber has been growing right along with it. The Rutherford 
County Chamber of Commerce is now the third largest in Tennessee, and 
Steve has been instrumental in spurring the county's economic 
development efforts.
  He was a leader in efforts to bring a conference center to 
Murfreesboro, worked to acquire a new Chamber building and county 
visitor center, and furthered development at Smyrna's airport. His 
efforts have helped to ensure that Rutherford County will continue to 
be a desirable place to live and raise a family.
  Steve has been a leader not only in business efforts, but also in the 
community. He is active in his church and with his sons' baseball 
teams, where he draws from his experience pitching for the Blue Raiders 
at our shared alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University.
  The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce is losing a great asset, 
but I am happy Steve and his family are staying in Murfreesboro. I wish 
them all the best.

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