[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2718]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF JOHNNIE ALBERTSON

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the life and 
accomplishments of Ms. Johnnie Albertson. Johnnie, a valued employee of 
the Small Business Administration for 32 years, succumbed to illnesses 
resulting from pneumonia. A native North Carolinian, Ms. Albertson was 
able, through her own perseverance, to overcome poverty and the loss of 
her parents to establish herself as a champion of equal rights.
  Ms. Albertson will be remembered for her dedication to her work with 
the Small Business Administration. Johnnie was a modern pioneer who 
overcame gender and class restrictions and went on to hold numerous 
senior positions at the SBA. She served as the first Associate 
Administrator for the Small Business Development Center Program and was 
the first woman to achieve the rank of senior executive within the 
SBA--the highest rank possible without a congressional appointment.
  Through the many programs she initiated at the SBA, Johnnie was 
instrumental in guaranteeing the rights of minority and female small 
business owners across the country. Thousands of business owners owe 
their success, in part, to Ms. Albertson's resolve to ensure equal 
opportunities for all entrepreneurial Americans.
  For her achievements, Ms. Albertson was awarded the SBA's Silver 
Medal for Meritorious Service and the inaugural SBA Lifetime 
Achievement Award. She was also the first female to sell advertising 
space for the Washington Post, New York Times, and the New York 
Tribune. These awards, coupled with her work in the private sector, 
forged a path for others to follow.
  Johnnie Albertson will be remembered by those closest to her for her 
enthusiasm for reading, her wonderful sense of humor, and her love of 
jazz music. Those who benefited personally by knowing Ms. Albertson, 
along with those who profited by her good works, will forever be 
indebted to her generosity, devotion, and diligence in promoting equal 
opportunities for all. Mr. President, I extend my deepest sympathies to 
the friends and family of Ms. Albertson and express my gratitude for 
the passion with which she served our country.

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