[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2989]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING HAL D. PAYNE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT

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                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 16, 2017

  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate and 
honor Mr. Hal D. Payne who is retiring from Buffalo State College after 
27 years of service. He will be missed by all at Buffalo State and his 
years of work will not be forgotten, nor will his tireless commitment 
to broadening and enhancing the educational opportunities of Western 
New York.
  Mr. Payne joined Buffalo State College in 1990 when he began to work 
as the assistant Vice President of Student Affairs. After a year he was 
promoted to Vice President. Under Mr. Payne's leadership, Buffalo State 
College has upgraded many of their student facilities such as the Frank 
C. Moore Apartment Complex, the Student Apartment Complex, Cassety 
Halls, and the Towers as well as the renovation of Houston Gymnasium.
  In the summer of 2000, Mr. Payne completed the American Association 
of State Colleges and Universities' Millennium Leadership Initiative, 
this program provides leadership development and allows individuals the 
chance to develop skills and build an advanced network. This program 
has aided Mr. Payne's work of advancing Buffalo State's connections 
within and outside of the state of New York.
  Before coming to Buffalo State, Mr. Payne served as Senior Associate 
for the Council for opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C. and as 
the Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Louis Stokes of Ohio. He 
currently acts as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education, 
expanding his range of work to support education across America. His 
commitment to his work was recognized in 2010 by Governor David A. 
Patterson to the New York State Council on the Arts. Hal Payne's 
education at Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, 
and at the Institution for Educational Management at Harvard 
University, has edified his knowledge and passion for advancing 
education.
  Mr. Payne is the recipient of numerous awards which attest to the 
fact that his work has not gone unappreciated or unnoticed. Hal Payne 
earned the Oberlin Medal, which is the highest individual honor that is 
awarded by Oberlin College. In addition to the Oberlin Medal, Mr. Payne 
received the Walter O. Mason Jr. Award from the Council for Opportunity 
in Education. This national award is presented to those who exhibit 
distinguished service and leadership.
  Outside of his work at Buffalo State College, Mr. Hal Payne has done 
a great deal of work for the greater Buffalo area. He currently 
participates in many organizations including the Buffalo Club, the 
leadership Buffalo Class of 1995, and is an active member of the Board 
of the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York. His passionate 
work within Western New York will be remembered for years to come.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me the chance to honor and 
recognize the legacy of Hal D. Payne's years of invaluable work. I ask 
that my colleagues join me in congratulating Mr. Payne on an 
accomplished career and to commend him for his 27 years of committed 
work at Buffalo State College.

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