Recognizing Richard Micka's Service to the Wildlife of Southeastern Michigan

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Richard Micka, Chairman of the Board for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, on the occasion of his retirement. The contributions he has made and the stewardship he has shown for the International Wildlife Refuge in Trenton, Michigan is worthy of commendation.

Richard was born, raised, and still to this day resides in Monroe, Michigan. A graduate from the University of Detroit, Richard has always appreciated all the natural beauty that this region has to offer. The only time he has spent away was for the seven years he spent in the Medical Corps of our United States Air Force, where he was a Captain. When he returned from the service, he spent 36 years working at La-Z- Boy's Monroe Headquarters.

While at home, Richard's hobby is caring for the outdoor spaces in Monroe County. He has spent time on the Commission on the Environment and Water Quality, the River Raisin Public Advisory Council, as well as the Monroe County Drain Commission. In 1974, he earned the Conservationist of the Year Award from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs for his work on restoring the Point Mouillee State Game Area.

For the last 14 years, Richard has served as the Chairman of the Board for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance. The Alliance is essential to coordinating the private and public partnerships that allow the DRIWR to be an incredible habitat for our region's wildlife as well as a destination for people of all ages to come and appreciate our world's natural beauty. Richard has been there since the beginning, and his fingerprints are everywhere you look. Under his leadership, many new plots of land and educational programs have been added to the Refuge. His tenure also saw the opening of the Refuge Gateway and the John D. Dingell, Jr. Visitor Center, a project that was well over a decade in the making. Today, the DRIWR stands as a beacon for all those anglers, dog walkers, mushroom hunters, or people who just want to catch a beautiful sunset from the pier.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the lifetime of work that Richard Micka has accomplished. Since his earliest days, he was shown a passion for our wild places that few could match. Both John Dingell and I always valued his partnership, energy and wisdom, and though we will miss him as the Chairman of the IWRA, I am sure that we will continue to find him out in the wild, educating our youth and making sure everyone appreciates the beauty that surrounds them. I thank Richard.

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