[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[EXTENSI]
[Page 15989]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF MAYOR JOE BENNETT OF THOMASVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD HUDSON

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 2015

  Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joe Bennett, Mayor of 
the City of Thomasville, located in the 8th Congressional District of 
North Carolina. Mayor Bennett has been a tireless advocate for the 
people of Thomasville, and has fully earned the admiration and 
gratitude of his fellow North Carolinians.
  A native of High Point, North Carolina, Mayor Bennett served the Duke 
Power Company for 36 years before retiring and pursuing a career in 
public service. After his retirement in 1998, Mayor Bennett ran for and 
was elected to the Thomasville City Council, where he served two terms 
before being elected Mayor of the City of Thomasville in 2003.
  During his tenure, Mayor Bennett has made job creation and 
infrastructure development two of his highest priorities. After a 
period of rapid manufacturing and furniture building job loss in the 
area, Mayor Bennett was successfully able to bring jobs back to the 
city with the opening of a large manufacturing facility. Mayor Bennett 
also led a city-wide initiative, known as ``Children at Play,'' 
designed to upgrade local playgrounds in order to combat childhood 
obesity. I have also been told that if there was a celebration in the 
city of Thomasville, whether it is a large parade, a small church 
ceremony, or an individual's 100th birthday celebration, Mayor Bennett 
was there with a smile on his face.
  In addition to his service as Mayor of Thomasville, Mayor Bennett has 
earned his title as a ``civil servant'' through his various charitable 
and volunteer roles. To highlight a few of these roles; he delivers 
``meals on wheels,'' serves on the Economic Development Commission of 
Davidson County, serves on the Community General Hospital Board, and is 
an active member in the Rotary Club of Thomasville.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me today in thanking Mayor Joe Bennett for 
his esteemed service to the City of Thomasville and congratulating him 
on his well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________