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“RETIREMENT OF RAY KAMMER” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S11910 on Dec. 15, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RETIREMENT OF RAY KAMMER
Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, those of us who have been around this town for a while know how much we and this government depend on our civil servants to get the really tough jobs done, to bring ideas to reality, and sometimes to even tell us when our ideas need some adjusting, shall we say. These people don't get much praise, at least not nearly enough.
One of the classic examples of a dedicated civil servant, Ray Kammer, is about to retire from government service after 31 years. Ray retires on December 29 as Director of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology, where he spent the vast majority of his career. I have known Ray for a good portion of that time, both from his work at NIST and from the time he spent at the Department's headquarters and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.
In the late 1980's, the country called upon NIST, which used to be known as the National Bureau of Standards, to help industry rally and regain its competitiveness. It was a time when we first began facing severe competition from overseas. The Bureau's labs had a long-standing reputation for excellence, impartiality, and for working cooperatively with industry. Ray helped us to expand that mission by establishing NIST and adding the Advanced Technology Program, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Baldrige National Quality Program. It wasn't easy, but we got it done. Ten years later--with Ray's help--
those programs have been tremendously beneficial for this country.
While at NOAA and during his time as Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration at the Commerce Department, Ray helped to stabilize several critical programs that needed the steady hand of an experienced manager. He was the Department's fireman of sorts, always being called on to help put out this fire, put out that fire, and to keep another one from breaking out. Even now, Ray is helping us take a look at how to improve NOAA's fisheries service.
I am sorry that we are losing Ray, especially at a time when NIST is just about to begin its centennial year and the agency will be getting a lot more attention and credit for all of the good work that its staff has done. I want to wish him my very best. I know that I am joined by others in this body who have had the pleasure of working with this dedicated public servant, Ray Kammer.
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