Honoring R.H. "Andy" Anderson

HONORING R.H. "ANDY" ANDERSON -- (Extensions of Remarks - January 28, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. RICK LARSEN
OF WASHINGTON
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a man with a distinguished record of community service in the state of Washington. R.H. Anderson is set to retire after an exemplary career that has spanned six decades. His colleagues and friends know him as Andy. The people of the Second Congressional District also know him as a dedicated public servant who has worked to improve the quality of life for thousands of residents and businesses in Washington State.

A graduate of Seattle's Lincoln High School, Andy began his career as a photojournalist. He began learning about the world of politics as a student at the University of Washington when he was assigned to cover the HUAC hearings being held in Seattle.

Andy developed a love of radio and began spending time at a local jazz station. Soon he was doing odd jobs such as pulling records for late night disc jockey Bill Apple at KRSC, a radio station in Seattle. Apple soon recognized that Andy had real talent and a tremendous voice for radio. Andy began doing some news stories on the air, unpaid at first, before landing a job on the 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. slot.

Andy was then hired at Seattle radio station KVI, which had a jazz format at the time, as a temporary replacement for their regular disc jockey. Upon the return of the regular broadcaster, Andy found a niche at Everett station KRKO, where he was hired as a newscaster. His love of politics had been ignited while covering the HUAC hearings, and Andy was delighted to be covering the political world.

Andy began working at Bellingham radio and television station KVOS in 1955. He was on the cutting edge of the television era, and began covering politics and elections on camera. Andy could finally show his community the political universe that he had been describing with his voice for nearly a decade. In 1956, KVOS hired a young radio announcer by the name of Al Swift. Andy and Al formed a close friendship during their work together.

In 1965 Andy worked in Canada as an assistant to the president of Canawest Film Productions, an arm of KVOS. Andy wrote scripts and produced feature films, commercials, and corporate films. Andy moved back to Bellingham in 1976 and back into his role as news director after Al Swift left KVOS to work for Representative Lloyd Meeds.

Andy set up a major news organization at KVOS TV. His efforts brought a sizable viewing audience to local news programming, providing a great lead-in audience to the CBS evening news. The news department ran soundly under Andy's direction until 1983, when KVOS was sold and the news department eliminated.

Andy's old friend Al Swift, meanwhile, had been serving as a Member of Congress since 1979. Swift's District Manager, Bill McDonald, had passed away and Al Swift hired Andy as his new District Manager.

While serving as District Manager for Congressman Al Swift, Andy was instrumental in creating the PACE (now NEXUS) lane for frequent travelers between the United States and Canada. This expanded trade and reduced waiting time at the border. Thousands of individuals and businesses benefited from Andy's involvement in bringing rapid travel between the two nations.

After Congressman Swift chose to retire in 1994, Andy began a consulting business that he successfully ran for several years. Andy then retired but still maintained a burning desire for public service.

After I won election to Congress in 2000, I asked Andy to come out of retirement to join my team. For the past three years, he served as director of my Bellingham office, representing me in the northern area of my district. His tireless and outstanding efforts on behalf of the people of Washington's Second Congressional District are legendary and will be truly missed.

Andy's career in public service can be measured not only in economic benefits, but also in the amount of improved quality he brought to the lives of those in the region. He was always available to answer a question, investigate and solve a problem, and to champion programs to help the residents of Washington state.

Mr. Speaker, Andy's friends, colleagues, and family are holding numerous gatherings to celebrate his great career. I am honored to pay tribute to Andy Anderson, a true friend and a dedicated public servant. His direct work with the public may be ending, but the public will always know the impact of his service. The achievements of Andy Anderson will be felt for many decades due to his passion for improving the lives of his fellow residents. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Andy on his fine career and his unwavering commitment to Washington State, and our nation.

END