The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING FRED CORUM” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1395 on June 12, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING FRED CORUM
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HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.
of tennessee
in the house of representatives
Friday, June 12, 2009
Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a gentleman who has left an impact on every county in Congressional District and touched the lives of everyone in East Tennessee, whether they may know it or not.
Fred Corum exemplifies the concept of government and community service. As the Director of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Region One, Fred has devoted a long career to the safety and quality-of-life of east Tennesseans.
Fred is celebrating his much earned retirement today with a gift back to the people he served: the completion of SmartFix40. This project is the most expensive in state history, reconfiguring Interstate 40 as it crosses through downtown Knoxville. SmartFix40 is not a venture he took lightly.
This massive project required the closure of Interstate 40--a main east to west coast corridor--for fourteen months. The night before the closure, Fred says he could not sleep, and there were plenty more sleepless nights to come. We can only hope that all government servants devote such care and commitment to their work.
Every project Fred has overseen is a true testament to his character, and there was no one more qualified than him to lead the SmartFix40 project. Fred has been on the job with the Tennessee Department of Transportation since 1954, a career that has spanned 53 years and 10 Governors.
As an entry-level worker in 1954, Fred planted stakes in the ground to mark the route of future roads for $150 a month. Eventually, he was promoted to maintenance supervisor for a large portion of my Congressional District, back in a time when there was a lot more snow to deal with. As his career spanned the 1980s, Fred witnessed the advent of the age of conservation, navigating water pollution issues, wildlife preservation, and erosion.
Governor Lamar Alexander appointed Fred the Director of Region One in 1985, and although he thought his job would be up at the end of the Governor's term, he was kept in the position through three more administrations.
Today, decades after he drove his first stake into the ground, Fred is on hand for the reopening of Interstate 40 and the completion of SmartFix40. He goes out at the top of his game, leaving for all East Tennesseans a reconfigured, aesthetically pleasing, and modern stretch of highway.
Fred's ascent through the ranks of the Tennessee Department of Transportation to Director of Region One is an example to all who enter government service. His wife, Loretta, their two sons, four grandchildren, and great-grandson have reason to be very proud.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to call the remarkable service of Fred Corum to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record, and wish Fred a very happy retirement.
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