Thanking Eric Thompson for 35 Years of Public Service

THANKING ERIC THOMPSON FOR 35 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE -- (House of Representatives - February 24, 2004)

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend a South Carolinian who has been a model of public service for the last 35 years. Eric Thompson of North Augusta, South Carolina, retired this January from his post as executive director of the Lower Savannah Council of Governments, where he had worked since 1981.

The Council is a regional planning and development organization serving 6 counties and 45 incorporated municipalities.

Mr. Thompson has helped the Lower Savannah Council secure nearly $172 million in State and Federal grants for cities and counties in the region, which includes Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, and Orangeburg Counties. He has worked previously as part of planning commissions for Aiken and Brunswick-Glynn County, and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Development Organizations, where he has served as president.

South Carolina is so thankful for Eric Thompson's dedication to our State, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in commending him for his commitment to public service.

In conclusion, may God bless our troops. We will never forget September 11.