In Honor of the Retirement of Graham Media Group President and Ceo Emily Barr

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Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize President and Chief Executive Officer Emily L. Barr on the occasion of her retirement from Graham Media Group after a decade of stellar work. Her service to our community is worthy of commendation.

A native of Massachusetts, Mrs. Barr's career has been nothing short of exemplary. She began her career in broadcasting in 1980 as a news editor in St. Paul, Minnesota, before working as a writer and producer at a station in Washington, D.C. Until 1988, Mrs. Barr served as the Director of Creative Services and Advertising and Promotion Manager at KHOU-TV in Houston, Texas. In 1988, she became the Director of Broadcast Operations and Programming at WMAR-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. Later, she led the ABC-owned station in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina as the President and General Manager before she became President and General Manager of ABC 7 Chicago. In 2012, Mrs. Barr joined Graham Media Group, which includes WDIV Detroit, as the President and Chief Executive Officer. Her work propelled Graham Media Group to evolve from a broadcast-based model to seven local media hubs. She led the acquisition of top social media software, and developed Graham Digital, a digital media and technology development group in Detroit. Her fierce dedication to her work has transformed Graham Media Group to represent nearly 7 percent of coverage in the United States.

As a leader in our community, Mrs. Barr's work did not end in the broadcasting space. She has been a leader for women wherever she has been and has supported civic causes throughout her career. At home, she led citywide efforts to raise funds for the Haitian earthquake relief effort and serves on the Board of Trustees at her alma mater, Carleton College in Minnesota. Mrs. Barr is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Broadcaster of the Year Award, the Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year Award, the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, the Golden Mike Award, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Robert Morris University. Amongst this, she has been inducted into the Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and will be elected to the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame this Spring. Mrs. Barr currently resides with her husband Scott and two daughters in Chicago.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Emily Barr for her outstanding career. She has led with compassion and integrity, ensuring the success of Graham Media Group and has been an innovative leader in media for over two decades and who truly cares about the Midwest. I join with Mrs. Barr's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my best wishes to her in retirement.

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