[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2903]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING MR. PHIL DRAKE OF DRAKE ENTERPRISES FOR YEARS OF SELFLESS 
                   SERVICE TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HEATH SHULER

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2008

  Mr. SHULER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Phil Drake, a 
constituent of North Carolina's 11th District and the owner of Drake 
Enterprises.
  Drake Enterprises was founded in Franklin, NC, in 1954 by Mr. Drake's 
father. At the time, the business focused on helping individuals 
prepare their taxes. When Phil took over the family business in the 
1970s, he shifted the company's focus to the development of tax 
preparation computer software.
  Today, that small business started by one man employs more than 300 
people in Western North Carolina and Drake software is used by over 
20,000 tax professionals across the Nation. In 2006 alone, Drake 
software delivered over 6 million Federal returns and 5 million State 
returns.
  But, Phil Drake's success extends far beyond his business savvy and 
entrepreneurial spirit.
  Phil has implemented a set of core principles at Drake Enterprises 
that are an excellent model for all to follow. Those core principles 
include: a commitment to follow Biblical principles, motivating and 
helping employees achieve their maximum potential, and rewarding 
employees for excellence and loyalty.
  Phil has not limited those principles to his business; he has shared 
them with the community. Whether working to bring high-speed Internet 
access to the mountains through Balsam West Fiber Net, in his church, 
or being the drive behind Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing 
Arts, Phil Drake has been a leader in every sense of the word.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Phil Drake and thanking 
him for his service to his community and our country.

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