[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23659-23660]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING COL. JIM MUDD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 6, 2009

  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
honor a true leader, dedicated public servant, and a dear friend, Col. 
Jim Mudd, Collier County Manager.
  Jim served his country honorably for 26 years in the U.S. Army, 
achieving the rank of Colonel and retiring as the Commander and 
District Engineer of the U.S. Army Engineer District in Rock Island, 
Illinois. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 
1974 and earned a Master's degree in operations research from the Naval 
Postgraduate School in 1982. He was formerly Assistant Director of 
Civil Works, Central Region, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, 
D.C., and Chief of the Assessment Division, U.S. Central Command, 
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is also a 
veteran of the Gulf War. He and his wife Annette have two children who 
are also serving in the armed services. His son Ryan is a Lieutenant in 
the U.S. Navy and his daughter Kati is a Captain and physician in the 
U.S. Army.
  After completing his military service in 2000, he moved to Collier 
County where he became the Public Utilities manager followed by nine 
months as the Deputy County Manager and eventually earning the top 
leadership position as County Manager on July 15, 2002.
  Throughout the years I have had the privilege of working with Jim to 
advance the needs

[[Page 23660]]

of Collier County and the Southwest Florida Community. He has been 
committed to the people of Collier County for almost a decade even 
continuing his service after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Through 
this most difficult battle of his life Jim has shown grace and dignity. 
He has dedicated his life to his country and to the people of Southwest 
Florida and truly embodies the spirit of public service. Speaker, I ask 
that you join me in thanking County Manager Jim Mudd for his service to 
this country and the people of Southwest Florida. It is an honor to 
know such a great man, and a personal privilege to call him a friend.

                          ____________________