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“TRIBUTE TO PHYLLIS MAKI” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E633 on March 23, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO PHYLLIS MAKI
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HON. BART STUPAK
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Friday, March 23, 2007
Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary woman who has made tremendous contributions to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, to the County and City of Marquette and to Northern Michigan University.
A Marquette native, Phyllis Maki is a graduate of Bishop Baraga High School. She has spent nearly her entire life in Marquette and, over the years, Ms. Maki has involved herself in countless local community organizations, winning the admiration of her friends and neighbors as someone upon whom her community could always depend.
Phyllis Maki is active on the Board of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, which fosters economic growth throughout Marquette and surrounding, smaller communities. She was Treasurer of the Lake Superior Community Partnership and Lake Superior Jobs Coalition. She represented the interests of Marquette City by serving as a ``Marquette County Ambassador,'' traveling to Lansing to advocate for the community before the state House and Senate and to bring money back from the state capital to invest in important programs in the Marquette area. She further helped drive economic growth in the area by serving on the board of the Economic Club of Marquette County.
She has served on the boards of the Marquette County YMCA, the KI Sawyer Heritage Museum and the Northern Michigan University Centennial Committee. She has worked towards access to healthcare for my constituents by serving on the Marquette Community Access to Health Care Finance Committee. She has served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Committee and the Michigan Department of Transportation Focus Group. As one of her friends recently commented, ``She is involved in everything!''
She has been recognized with multiple awards in the past, including the Athena Award in 1998, which recognizes excellence of female leaders in their profession. She herself served for several years on the Athena Board Steering Committee. She also received the Paul Harris Fellow Award, an International Rotary Award for assisting others in the community to reach their goals.
An honorary alumna of Northern Michigan University (NMU), Ms. Maki's ties to Northern Michigan University run deep. She has served many years on the Northern Michigan University Foundation Board of Trustees and as past president of this Board of Trustees for 11 years. She was also a member of NMU's Golden Wildcat Club, Blue Line Club and a member of NMU's Forest Roberts Theater.
Ms. Maki can perhaps best be described as ``tireless.'' In all areas of her life, Phyllis Maki exhibits a tenacious, irrepressible spirit. While her involvement in her community demanded much of her time, she also made time for family: a single parent, she raised two children largely on her own.
She is known for waking early in the morning to tackle the day. She would start almost every morning with a 4:30 a.m. run, finishing in time to be in her office or in meetings as early as 6 a.m. Her runs were so notoriously early that one morning, she is said to have encountered a moose. She was up so early that the only living creatures up with her at that hour were wildlife!
While she has given freely of her personal time and raised a family, Ms. Maki was also able to lead a rich and rewarding career in the private sector. In February of this year, she retired as the Chief Financial Officer of a local car dealership. During her 37 years of work there, she was the driving force in building the company's philanthropic activities, encouraging them to regularly donate vehicles to various charities and non-profits. Coincidentally, the name of her long time employer reflects Ms. Maki's altruistic spirit: the car dealership is called Public Service Garage.
An active member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Ms. Maki's faith has always been a strong foundation in her life, providing her the spiritual endurance to give so much to so many.
Tomorrow, Phyllis Maki will receive the Northern Michigan University President's Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon men and women whose lives are truly outstanding. As the citation for this award reads, ``A beautiful person inside and out, she leads with strength and vision and lives with a kind heart and generous soul. She is the best kind of friend--the forever kind.''
Madam Speaker, I ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in saluting my friend, Ms. Phyllis Maki, for her lifetime of contributions and in wishing her, Carlo, Deborah, David and Michael all the best on this momentous occasion.
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