[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5928]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING EDWARD M. SMITH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNION LABOR LIFE 
                           INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 14, 2008

  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to 
join me in recognizing Edward M. Smith, as he accepts his new position 
as President of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company, ULLICO, and 
retires as Vice President, Assistant to the General President, and 
Midwest Regional Manager of the Laborers' International Union of North 
America, LIUNA.
  Ed Smith was born into a union family. His father was the business 
manager of Local 773, and would continue in that position until his 
retirement. His mother was also a 15-year member of the union. So it 
seemed natural that, at the age of 13, Ed Smith would join Laborers' 
Local 773, in Cairo, Illinois, and work his way through school as a 
construction craft laborer.
  At the age of 21, when many young men are yet to chart their career 
course, Ed was elected as business manager of the local union. While 
serving as business manager, Ed continued to expand his role within the 
Laborers' Union. In 1981, he was appointed International Representative 
for the International Union and was later appointed LIUNA legislative 
director for the State of Illinois. Ed was elected President of the 
Southern Illinois Laborers' District Council in 1986 and Business 
Manager in 1990.
  Ed has served on a number of Union entities, including the Laborers' 
National Pension Fund, as Chairman of the Central Laborers' Pension 
Fund, Laborers' Home Development Corporation, Laborers' International 
Federal Employees Credit Union, Southern Illinois Laborers' Fringe 
Benefit Funds, Railroad Maintenance Health & Welfare Fund, and the 
Illinois Laborers' & Contractors Joint Apprenticeship & Training Fund.
  Ed does not limit his involvement to the Laborers' Union. He was 
Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Investment, serves as a member 
of the Illinois Department of Labor Advisory Board, the Democratic 
National Committee, and is chairman of the National Alliance for Fair 
Contracting. Ed has also been a major benefactor to the Therapy Center 
in Carterville, Illinois, an organization that assists physically 
disabled children, and he serves as a board member of the ``I Can Read 
Program'' which helps children with reading and learning disabilities.
  Ed graduated from Shawnee College with an Associate of Arts degree 
and, in 1992, he received Shawnee College's first Outstanding Alumni 
Award. Ed was the first member of the Laborers' International Union to 
graduate from the National Labor College with a bachelor's degree and, 
in 1978, he graduated from the Harvard University Trade Union Program.
  Ed and his wife, Betty, reside in Olive Branch, Illinois. Ed has two 
children, a daughter, Jordan, and a son, Matt.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in an expression of 
appreciation to Mr. Edward M. Smith, a true champion of organized 
labor, and to wish him our best as he embarks on his new position as 
President of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company.

                          ____________________