In Honor of Mr. Gary Engebretson

IN HONOR OF MR. GARY ENGEBRETSON -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 20, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. PETE SESSIONS
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2004

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Gary Engebretson, as he retires from his position as president of the Contract Services Association of America (CSA)--a position he has held for 17 years.

Gary came to CSA in 1987, with a background in electrical engineering and a love of politics. While working as an electrical contractor, he became involved in Iowa's Republican Party, where he eventually became one of the state leaders. He moved on to the Veteran's Administration, getting his first real taste for public policy that would stick with him for the rest of his career. That was followed by a lengthy stint at the Republican National Committee, as Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant. Moving from there to a Texas-based oil company, Gary met a then unknown, budding Texas politician just beginning his foray into politics, that of George W. Bush. Like our president, Gary, too, had a run at political office. Luckily for CSA, he lost.

Under Gary's leadership, CSA has taken an active role in our legislative process, supporting the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act (which I sponsored), and, more recently, the Service Acquisition Reform Act (SARA) that became law last Fall. Gary also has given CSA a real presence in agency circles, too; for example, by signing partnering agreements with the Naval Facilities Command and the Army's Training and Doctrination and Forces commands, and developing a close relationship with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and the agency Labor Advisors.

As the successes in D.C. grew, so did CSA's reputation within the industry. Under Gary's leadership, the size of the membership has grown, and CSA has become the "go-to" association for the Government services contracting industry. Whether Gary's longevity in Washington is ultimately due to his penchant to be a straight shooter or just that he's a nice guy, his golden reputation in D.C. has made CSA the strong presence that it now enjoys. I want to extend my best wishes to Gary and his wife Lára on their new phase of life.

END