[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17221]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MAX MAXFIELD

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, in his Inaugural Address to the Nation 
in 2001, President George W. Bush said:

       We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, 
     lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be 
     citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every 
     citizen must uphold them.

  In Wyoming, we have a quality leader who has embraced these ideals 
and is committed to sharing them with future generations. It is a 
distinct honor to recognize my friend, Secretary of State Max Maxfield, 
for his lifetime of service as a dedicated public servant. I invite my 
colleagues to celebrate his contributions as he steps down after 
sharing over 47 years of experience with the people of Wyoming.
  In America, we demand a great deal from our leaders. We expect that 
they will be wise, altruistic, and that they will carry the hearts of 
the people with them in all they do. Max has done all of this--and 
more. He has dedicated his career to helping others and furthering his 
vision for the success of Wyoming. In doing so, our State has thrived.
  Max's career as a public servant is long and distinguished. Max 
worked for 23 years as the executive director of the YMCA in Casper. He 
also served as the head of the Wyoming Make-A-Wish Foundation. He then 
led the Wyoming Recreation Commission and 2 years later the Wyoming 
Department of Commerce. In 1998 Max was elected as the State auditor 
for the two terms and then in 2006 as the Wyoming secretary of state 
for two additional terms. With his passion for excellence and his pride 
in Wyoming, Max took great responsibility in his commitment to 
promoting growth and prosperity for all.
  It is sometimes thought that talented leaders must sacrifice their 
own private pursuits for the good of the cause. Max has successfully 
demonstrated that it is possible to be a strong leader and still remain 
true to one's passions. Max and his wife Gayla have been lifelong 
advocates of giving back. Max has served on the boards of numerous 
charitable organizations. Among them, he is particularly passionate 
about helping children and animals. He currently serves as a board 
member of the Cheyenne Animal Shelter and in the past has worked with 
the Wyoming Congressional Award Program, Special Olympics, the Wyoming 
Children's Society, and Laramie County United Way. Max and Gayla have 
touched the lives of and positively impacted every person they have 
met.
  Max Maxfield has long been a trustee for Wyoming, and his leadership 
has shaped the direction of our State. Indeed, Max and Gayla's 
contributions have benefited not only the governance of Wyoming but 
every community they have visited, every nonprofit organization they 
have supported, every friend and stranger they have met, and certainly 
every pet for which they have found a home. I trust that in his 
retirement Max will continue to remain active in the public sphere. 
While continuing to support causes that are near and dear to their 
hearts, Max and Gayla will enjoy quality time with their children, 
grandchildren, and beloved golden retrievers.
  My wife, Bobbi, and I are honored to thank him for his service to the 
great State of Wyoming. Even more, we are blessed to call him our 
friend. Please join me in thanking Max Maxfield for his decades of 
service and wishing him the best as he embarks on the next chapter of 
his life.

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