2001CRE2141B TRIBUTE TO JOHN D. GROENDYKE
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[Congressional Record: November 27, 2001 (Extensions)]
[Page E2141]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr27no01-41]
TRIBUTE TO JOHN D. GROENDYKE
______
HON. STEVE LARGENT
of oklahoma
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
Mr. LARGENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John D.
Groendyke on the 25th anniversary of his appointment to the Oklahoma
Wildlife Commission by then Governor David Boren.
Let me tell you a little about this man. John Groendyke graduated
from Wentworth Military Academy where as Cadet Lt. Col., he served as
the first brigade commander when the corps was organized as a ``battle
group'' with seven subordinate companies. He now serves as President of
the Wentworth Board of Trustees. John went on to receive his Bachelor
of Science in Business from Oklahoma State University and his law
degree from the University of Oklahoma. He served as a Captain in the
U.S. Army, and after a two-year tour of duty he returned to Enid,
Oklahoma to join the family trucking operation. He is a lifelong
resident of Oklahoma whose vocation is serving as owner, Chairman and
CEO of Groendyke Transport Company, founded by his father, Harold C.
Groendyke in 1932 and today, one of the nation's largest motor carriers
of bulk commodities serving the continental United States, Canada and
Mexico. He and his wife, Virginia have two daughters, two sons, and
four grandsons and live in Enid, Oklahoma where they are actively
involved in many community activities. He serves as Chairman of the
Board of the National Tank Truck Carriers and is a member of the Board
of Directors of Central National Bank in Enid. He is a Trustee of the
Oklahoma chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Grand National Quail Foundation and Grand
National Quail Club, having served as a past President and Chairman of
the Board. Obviously, John stays pretty busy since he also owns and
operates several cattle ranches in Oklahoma and also enjoys antique
automobiles!
But John's avocation and service to Oklahoma has been in the area of
wildlife conservation efforts. As the Commissioner of District 8 for
the past 25 years, John has guided our Oklahoma Wildlife Department
through a period of acquiring the Sandy Sanders, Cooper, Packsaddle,
James Collins, Hackberry Flat and Deep Fork Wildlife Management Areas.
He helped develop the biodiversity program with the Weyerhaeuser
Company and assisted in creating oil and gas development policies for
wildlife lands and reasonable oil and gas environmental regulations.
During his 25 years of service, John also helped develop a cash leasing
agricultural and grazing revenue program on wildlife lands and
participated in the development of deer depredation and management
policies.
Abraham Lincoln said, ``And in the end, it's not the years in your
life that count. It's the life in your years.'' Mr. Speaker, please
join me in saluting John D. Groendyke, for his tireless service not
only to Oklahoma but to the nation as well in his wildlife conservation
efforts. He has made his years count! May he enjoy many more!
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