[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9390-9391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO HUGH GROGAN

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the work 
and career of Hugh Grogan of Sioux Falls, SD. Hugh will soon be 
retiring after nearly 30 years of service to the Minnehaha County Human 
Services Department.
  Hugh grew up in the historic north end of Sioux Falls in a large, 
Irish-Catholic family. Hugh's father, Wally, died at a young age. His 
mother Cleo raised her 11 children on her own with the attitude that an 
abundance of love, faith, and laughter mattered much more than an 
abundance of money. Always taking pride in their Irish heritage, St. 
Patrick's Day never passes without a Grogan family reunion and a float 
in the Sioux Falls parade.

[[Page 9391]]

  Hugh began working for Minnehaha County in 1981 as the assistant 
director of welfare. He was promoted to director 2 years later. Hugh's 
sense of social justice has been a centerpiece of his career. Hugh's 
compassion for those without a home led him to develop the partnerships 
and relationships among social agencies necessary to establish the 
Homeless Coalition in Sioux Falls. He recently created and advocated 
for the Safe Home pilot program, which is helping to improve care for 
the chronically homeless, while also delivering that care in a more 
cost effective way. Hugh has even opened his own home to provide a 
measure of stability to a young person in need of encouragement and 
opportunity. Countless disadvantaged individuals have benefitted from 
his dedicated work, much of which was done behind the scenes but always 
with the best interest of the people he served in mind.
  Hugh has been the recipient of many awards over the span of his 
career, including the United Way Social Worker of the Year and the 
Sioux Falls Catholic Schools' Hall of Fame. The State of South Dakota 
has also benefitted from Hugh's expertise in the field of social 
services. He has served on many State committees and task forces 
created to best serve the poorest of our State.
  Hugh and I share a commitment to providing access to affordable 
housing, recognizing that it is a critical ingredient for future 
success. His honorable service has been marked by a true sense of 
dedication to providing consistent guidance and stewardship. His warm 
sense of humor puts everyone around him at ease, and he treats each 
person with respect and dignity. My wife Barbara and I are proud to 
count Hugh as a friend, as well as an ally in the pursuit of social 
justice.
  I commend Hugh for his passionate and tireless commitment to serving 
those in need. He has worked for affordable housing for 30 years, and 
will take his tireless work ethic to the Department of Veterans Affairs 
as an outreach worker for homeless veterans. I wish Hugh and his wife 
Jan all the best in the future.

                          ____________________