[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8232]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF THE RETIREMENT OF FRED SHELL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 8, 2016

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fred Shell on 
his retirement from DTE Energy for his lifetime of distinguished 
service to our region and state.
  A native of Essexville Michigan, Fred graduated from Garber High 
School in 1969 and attended Western Michigan University where he 
majored in History and Political Science. After college, Fred started 
in on a long and distinguished career in public service, working for 
both Congressman Paul Todd and Congressman Jim O'Hara before beginning 
a long career of providing gas and power to the State of Michigan.
  Fred started at the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company in 1977 as the 
Assistant Manager of Media Relations. From that point forward, Fred has 
held a wide variety of positions, in public relations, media relations, 
public policy, and management at MichCon and G-Tech. In 2001, after the 
Detroit Edison and MichCon merger, Fred was named Vice President of 
Corporate and Government Affairs at DTE Energy. In this role, Fred has 
been a constant in the Michigan Government and Business scene, guiding 
policy that has improved the lives of Michigan's citizens and improved 
the environment for job creation in our state; we appreciate all that 
he has done to keep Michigan moving forward.
  Fred has spent many years of his career involved in giving back. In 
1998, as a testament to his hard work, he was named as the President of 
the MichCon Foundation. After the merger in 2001, Fred led the staff 
team and developed a strategic vision that combined the MichCon and 
Detroit Edison Foundations into the DTE Energy Foundation. Fred's 
leadership advanced the DTE Energy Foundation forward to become one of 
the most important foundations in our state. The foundation has 
supported a wide range of youth and cultural programming, as well as 
supporting basic human services. The Foundation's work of providing 
support to families in need during the great recession exemplified the 
extraordinary role that this foundation plays in our community, 
improving the lives of so many of our friends and neighbors.
  Fred has personally gone above and beyond in his involvement with a 
wide variety of community organizations and non-profits. He has served 
as the president of the Michigan Economic Development Foundation, the 
Vice Chairman of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, as a board member 
of the Historical Society of Michigan, the Metro Detroit Visitors and 
Convention Bureau, the Michigan Political Leadership Program, and the 
Right Place of Grand Rapids, just to name a few. Our state has been 
enriched and advanced by Fred's commitment to volunteerism and 
community service.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today to honor Fred Shell 
for his service to our State. I thank him for his leadership and wish 
him many years of success.

                          ____________________