[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 357-358]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING WILLIAM HUDNUT, III

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 6, 2017

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a beloved 
and iconic member of the Hoosier community, William Hudnut III. Bill, 
who served as Mayor of Indianapolis from 1976 to 1992, passed away on 
December 17th, 2016 at the age of 84. Bill was a vibrant, enthusiastic, 
and passionate individual. His larger than life persona and animated 
approach to being Mayor will not soon be forgotten. He was a mentor to 
many and will be sorely missed by our community, but we will remember 
him forever through the spectacular legacy he left behind. Bill entered 
political life with his election to Congress in 1972. After which he 
served 16 years as Mayor of Indianapolis, making him the longest 
serving Mayor of Indianapolis. Through his time as Mayor he transformed 
Indianapolis into a dynamic metropolitan city and the amateur sports 
capital of the world. The people of Indiana's Fifth Congressional 
District are forever grateful for Bill's contributions to our Hoosier 
community, and it is my privilege to honor him today.
  Bill was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1932. He attended the Darrow 
School in New York for high school, and graduated from Princeton 
University as an undergraduate, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. 
In 1957, he graduated with a Master's Degree in Theology from the Union 
Theological Seminary in New York, and, like his father and grandfather 
before him, Bill became an ordained clergyman. At the age of 30, Bill 
first became a Hoosier when he moved to Indianapolis and began work as 
the senior pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. He 
served as Senior Pastor from 1964 to 1972, during which time he became 
interested in politics.
  In the 1972 Republican primary for Indiana's 11th Congressional 
District, Bill defeated future Congressman Dan Burton and went on to 
win the general election against four-term Congressman Andrew Jacobs, 
Jr. During his term in the 93rd Congress, he was an original sponsor of 
seventeen bills and a cosponsor of 179 bills, five of which became law. 
He was a true statesman focused on good governance with dedication 
toward bipartisan solutions. After his time in Congress he came home to 
Indianapolis to run for, and serve in, the office of Mayor. Bill's 
interest in politics came from his passion for helping his community 
and his belief that politics was where he could make the greatest 
change for his community.
  As Mayor he aimed to generate job growth, improve infrastructure, and 
develop projects to attract businesses to downtown Indianapolis. He 
aimed to not only draw businesses back downtown, but to bring back many 
citizens who had previously fled to the suburbs. Through his dedicated 
efforts to revitalize the city, he made Indianapolis a more attractive 
place to live and to do business. Over his tenure from 1976 to 1992, he 
oversaw more than 30 building projects, including renovations and 
expansions to Monument Circle, Indianapolis Union Station, the Indiana 
University School of Medicine, and the Indiana Convention Center. Many 
office buildings were constructed, and companies such as Eli Lilly and 
Company and American United Life committed to stay in Indianapolis.
  In addition to spurring on local business, he also made unequalled 
contributions to Indiana's sports culture. He retained the NBA's 
Pacers, which were on the brink of failing if not for the efforts of 
Bill and others. He built the Hoosier Dome, hopeful that the 
infrastructure and investment would bring Indianapolis a national 
football team. Ultimately, he was able to bring home the Indianapolis 
Colts. He was also able to draw the Pan American Games to Indiana, 
bringing the world's eyes to Indiana and shining the International 
spotlight on Indianapolis. The Pan American Games had 38 nations 
represented by over 4,000 competing athletes. Bill was also 
instrumental in founding the Indiana Sports Corp, a nonprofit 
organization that has brought Indianapolis numerous sporting events 
that include the 1982 National Sports Festival, the 1991 World 
Gymnastics Championships, 19 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournaments, 10 
Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournaments, recently the 2012 Superbowl, and 
many other events. The Indiana Sports Corp has cemented Bill's legacy 
and continued to realize his vision of Indianapolis as a sporting 
destination. Bill helped put Indianapolis on the world map and paved 
the way for the city to be the sporting and convention destination that 
it is today.
  Bill's work was not only greatly appreciated by Hoosiers but also 
recognized and awarded by his peers. He was the president of the 
National League of Cities and a member of their

[[Page 358]]

board for over twenty years. In 1988, Bill was named City & State 
magazine's Nation's Most Valuable Public Official. In 1985, he earned 
the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Indiana Association of 
Cities and Towns and in 1986, a Woodrow Wilson Award for Public 
Service.
  Bill leaves behind a larger than life legacy that is fitting for 
someone with his larger than life personality. In his time as Mayor, he 
revitalized downtown Indianapolis, transforming it into a world class 
city by changing it from what he called ``India-NO-place'' to ``India-
SHOW-place.'' Many can fondly remember his booming voice, his uncommon 
approach to being Mayor, his fun antics like dressing up as a 
Leprechaun for a St. Patrick's Day parade, and his vivacious 
personality. He dedicated his life to public service through his time 
as a pastor, his time in Congress and through his time as Mayor of 
Indianapolis. Bill will be remembered for his amazing compassion, 
charismatic and warm personality, as well as his unparalleled love for 
the city he served. I feel fortunate to have known him, and I know that 
his legacy lives on through the great contributions he made to 
Indianapolis, to Indiana, and to the country. On behalf of Indiana's 
Fifth District, I offer my condolences to his wife Beverly, the entire 
Hudnut family, and all who mourn his loss and cherish his memory.

                          ____________________