[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6257]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING RED HEN BAKING COMPANY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Red Hen Baking Company was founded in 1999 
by Randy George and Eliza Cain in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. They 
started as a small operation, baking and delivering fresh bread to 
nearby stores and restaurants. They used pure ingredients, baked around 
the clock, and soon, with the support of the surrounding community, and 
as the word-of-mouth testimonials spread, their small operation grew 
into the Hen we know today. They moved their operation to the popular 
Camp Meade location, in my hometown of Middlesex.
  Red Hen Baking Company exemplifies the spirit and the vision of 
Vermont business. Randy often says that Vermont is the only State in 
which he could imagine starting and running a successful bakery of this 
kind. They tend to do things the right way, rather than the easy way--
from the selection of the essential elements of their bread, to their 
employee treatment policies and practices. Randy, Eliza and the Hen's 
``barnyard animals'' take pride in their product, and it shows.
  Randy always reminds his customers that his employees are the most 
important part of his bakery business, so it was no surprise when he 
was invited by President Obama and Labor Secretary Tom Perez to join 
them at the White House as a ``Champion of Change'' for working 
families. Employers from across the country shared their success 
stories, and the devastating and impossible choices working families 
face when paid sick leave is not among their benefits. The panel was a 
tremendous success, and I was proud to have Vermont represented by such 
a steadfast supporter of fair treatment for employees.
  Randy and Liza's message is clear. Put the people in your business at 
the core of everything you do, and they will work hard for you for 
years to come--in the Hen's case, even decades. Randy and Liza offer 
health coverage, fair, livable wages, and paid sick days. They want 
their employees to thrive both personally and professionally, and they 
have encouraged other businesses to adopt similar standards.
  Marcelle and I are so happy to live in Middlesex and to have our 
neighbors setting such high standards for the treatment of a dedicated 
workforce. I want to congratulate Randy and Liza on their successful 
business, and to thank them. Happy, healthy employees are productive 
employees, and it is right to invest in each other's success. It is the 
right way, and it is the Vermont way. We look forward to our visits 
every time Marcelle and I come home.

                          ____________________