[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16948-16949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JOHN W. FISHER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay 
tribute to a friend and to the memory of a great man who will long be 
remembered across the State of Indiana as a civic leader and a 
philanthropist whose impact will be felt for generations.
  For decades, John W. Fisher has been a leader in the business 
community of eastern Indiana. Remembered by many as a giant of 
industry, John will be greatly missed, not only by his family and 
friends, but all those whose lives he touched.
  A native of Walland, Tennessee, John was known for his athleticism, 
an all-American. He graduated a Volunteer from the University of 
Tennessee in 1938, but it was his connection to the Ball family that 
brought him to Muncie, Indiana.
  Married to his beloved Janice, John did not plan to live in Muncie; 
rather, he had always thought he would eventually settle in his native 
Tennessee. However, he was convinced to take a more active role in the 
Ball Corporation by his brother-in-law, Edmund, one of the founding 
members of that company.
  By then, John had earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of 
Business, and with a keen business intellect, he quickly became a 
prominent figure in the Muncie business community and all across our 
State.

                              {time}  1945

  While serving in various capacities for Ball Corporation, John W. 
Fisher distinguished himself as a risk-taker. Richard Ringoen, former 
Ball Corporation president, noted John's performance once, saying, 
``This company has grown because John Fisher was willing to take 
calculated risks. He has been willing to immerse himself in details 
that a lot of executives would simply avoid.''
  John was elected to serve as corporate vice president in 1963 and by 
1970 was named president and CEO of the Ball Corporation. By the time 
he retired as chairman of the board, Ball Corporation had experienced a 
period of rapid growth, significant diversification of its products; 
and thanks to John Fisher's leadership, that year Ball Corporation's 
annual sales exceeded a billion dollars.
  Retirement wouldn't mark the end of his civic contributions to the 
community or his entrepreneurial spirit. Until his death, John W. 
Fisher served as chairman of the Cardinal Health Care Systems, trustee 
of DePauw University, director and former president of the Indiana 
Chamber of Commerce, a life director of the National Association of 
Manufacturers, and a benefactor and booster of Ball State University.
  Never one to let a good business opportunity pass by, John relied on 
his experience and remarkable insight to become involved in one project 
after another. When asked about his approach to business, John said, I 
take major risks. I don't hesitate to take a very careful look at fresh 
ideas, especially when capable people are associated with the idea.
  It was that entrepreneurial spirit that led John to become involved 
with so many different industries. From furniture companies to fish 
farms and many things in between, John Fisher simply seized life with 
both hands.
  Madam Speaker, John Fisher will also be renowned for his business 
acumen, but also remembered by friends and colleagues and those close 
to him as a kind-hearted man with a deep commitment to the community.
  The Fishers donated millions of dollars to Ball State University, 
establishing the John and Janice Fisher Chair in Exercise Science and 
created the Fisher Distinguished Professorship in Wellness and 
Gerontology. Until his passing, he served on the national campaign 
committee for Ball State Bold: Investing in the Future--which is the 
university's fundraising campaign.
  Upon learning of his passing, the president of Ball State University 
said that John W. Fisher's commitment to Ball State University had been 
``unequaled in the university's 90-year history.''
  More recently, to honor his service, Ball Memorial Hospital dedicated 
the John W. Fisher Heart Center in January 2009.
  Now, many will remember John W. Fisher for these business 
undertakings and the rest, but I will remember him as a dear friend and 
a mentor. I first met John Fisher back in 1988 when I entered public 
life. Since that time, our relationship has been a continuous source of 
wisdom and guidance to me.
  While he had no political ambitions for himself, he had a lifelong 
interest in public affairs and was keenly aware of the issues facing 
the country. As an active participant in the Muncie Rotary--and every 
time I showed up there

[[Page 16949]]

he always had a good question to ask in public--but I'll most cherish 
the privilege of having spent innumerable occasions sitting in John's 
office and learning from him about the world and business and public 
life, and drawing on his wisdom, his faith, and his integrity. John 
Fisher shaped my life and my career in countless ways.
  John W. Fisher personified everything that's great about the United 
States of America. He was a strong, principled leader, generous 
philanthropist, devoted family man, and he was always willing to take a 
stand for what he believed in.
  Blessed with a wonderful family, John Fisher is survived by his wife, 
Janice, their seven children, 19 grandchildren, and 28 great 
grandchildren.
  The Bible tells us that ``the Lord is close to the brokenhearted,'' 
and so is my prayer for his extended family and community of friends 
today.
  Madam Speaker, one of my favorite John Fisher quotes is: ``Ride hard, 
shoot straight, tell the truth, and be good to your fellow man.'' And 
that's how he spent his 93 years on this Earth.
  Indiana lost a giant--and in John W. Fisher I lost a cherished 
friend. And it's been my privilege to pay tribute to him on the floor 
of the House this evening.

                          ____________________