[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2021-E2023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TRIBUTE TO WALT HIERSTEINER

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HON. DENNIS MOORE

of kansas

in the house of representatives

Thursday, October 6, 2005

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to bring to
the attention of the House of Representatives a profile and interview
of one of my leading constituents in Kansas' Third Congressional
District, Walter Hiersteiner of Prairie Village, Kansas. Walt recently
was the subject of an article in ``The Best Times: a newspaper for
Johnson County's 60-and-older citizens'', which I am including with
this statement.
Walt Hiersteiner has a long history of service to his family, friends
and community. Since 1946, he has been involved with the management and
administration of the Tension Envelope Corporation of Kansas City,
Missouri, where he has been responsible for numerous innovations in
that field, including 25 United States patents. Just as important, if
not more so, has been his dedication to the Kansas City community,
including: service on the Shawnee Mission Board of Education;
establishment of the Committee for Excellence, which supported several
school bond issues; service on the Kansas State Board of Regents, to
which he was appointed by Governor Robert Docking; chairing the
Legislative Committee for the Johnson County Community College
Foundation; and fundraising and direct financial support for numerous
worthy community causes, including the Children's Center at Johnson
County Community College and the Truman Medical Center.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to place this profile from the
Best Times in the Record, but I am more pleased to have this
opportunity to publicly recognize Walt Hiersteiner as a vitally
important community leader and activist in the Third Congressional
District, and as my personal friend for many years.

[From The Best Times, Sept. 2005]

Walt Hiersteiner: Community Involvement Over a Lifetime

(By Lynn Anderson)

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Walter Hiersteiner graduated
from the University of Iowa in Iowa City (a member of the Phi
Beta Kappa society in 1939) and then Harvard Law School in
1942, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. While
a student at the University of Iowa, he met Jean Newburger,
whom he married in 1944. After World War II, the couple moved
to Kansas City.
Following his graduation from Harvard Law School, he
practiced briefly with the Kansas City law firm of Ryland,
Stinson, Mag & Thomson. In 1942 he was called in as a
commissioned Naval officer, serving until 1946, principally
as a naval gunnery officer stationed in Cincinnati, Ohio, and
then Long Island, New York.
Following his discharge in 1946, he practiced briefly with
the law firm of Margolin & Reinhardt in Kansas City. Then, in
1946, he joined the Tension Envelope Corp., which at that
time had four manufacturing facilities. Years later, when
Bert Berkowitz and Walter Berkowitz died within three weeks
of one another, Bert Berkley, the son of Bert Berkowitz,
became president, and Walter became executive vice president,
sharing principal management responsibilities with Bert
Berkley.
Bert Berkley's son, Bill, has taken over the sole
management of the Tension Envelope

[[Page E2022]]

Corp., which has manufacturing plants in Malaysia, China, and
Taiwan, and eight domestic manufacturing plants, with 30
sales and service offices in major markets. The company
manufactures more than 12 billion envelopes a year.
Walt champions multiple civic causes with energy and
conviction, particularly in the areas of public education and
health care. He was named Johnson Countian of the Year in
2003. Eighty-six years old, he lives in Prairie Village with
his wife, Jean. They have four children, all of whom
graduated from the Shawnee Mission district public schools,
and nine grandchildren. His oldest son, Richard, is a lawyer
with the firm of Palmer and Dodge in Boston, Mass.; Mary is a
teacher in special education and also a partner in a tutoring
business; Joseph practices law in Kansas City with the firm
of Seigfried, Bingham; and Dorothy is an art therapist in
Boulder, Colo., who exhibits her watercolor paintings.
Lynn Anderson was treated to a warm, stimulating
conversation with Hiersteiner in his third-floor office at
819 E. 19th St. in Kansas City, Mo.
Q: Let's begin with a little about your background. You
grew up in Iowa, went to the University of Iowa and Harvard
Law School, served in the Navy, and finally settled in Kansas
City. You've now been in Kansas City for almost 60 years. Why
have you wanted to continue making Kansas City your home?
A: Jean and I are both strong Midwesterners and we prefer
the Midwest unquestionably. I had many opportunities to
practice law in the East, but we chose to stay in the
Midwest, primarily because we thought it afforded the very
best environment in which to raise children.
We enjoy everything about living in Kansas City, not the
least being its people, the educational facilities of Johnson
County for our youngsters, and the wonderful company for
which I have worked nearly 60 years. We really have had no
desire or inkling to go elsewhere!
Q: You have been with the Tension Envelope Corp. since
1947. You started in sales, later became sales manager and
subsequently executive vice president, and now are vice
chairman of the board. In what ways has the life of a
businessman and lawyer suited you?
A: A law school education really amounts to learning how to
think, and I was able to use thinking skills in the business
world. Initially I was involved in labor relations, but I
became actively interested in the envelope business. That
interest was acquired quite naturally because I was always
interested in riddles, which led to my being fascinated by
the complicated envelope equipment, leading to my developing
25 envelope designs that have been patented.
The company employs a cadre of sales representatives. Often
they sought me out, expressing a particular interest of a
sales prospect, and together we developed a special envelope
to fit the customer's needs. Our company's reputation has
been founded not only on regular envelopes of all
descriptions but on specialty envelopes.
You asked how I would come up with a new design. It's a
process of constant and penetrating thought--pensive
thoughtfulness--about how to get a better result. I would
think about solutions for envelope puzzles at all hours!
Q: Hanging on your office wall are 25 framed patents of
envelope designs you created, including an airline ticket
envelope and specialty packaging envelopes for Hallmark,
among a large number of other customers. Were you always
inventive?
A: Twenty-four of the patents are envelopes, but one is of
particular interest. In summer vacations at Cape Cod, our
kids would have dry cereal for breakfast--but without closing
the boxes satisfactorily, the cereals became moist. I
developed a special closure on a box of cereal, and indicated
I was going to apply for a patent, to which my youngsters
felt ``not surprised!'' I communicated with the Kellogg
Company and General Foods after securing a patent, but the
Kellogg Company was inspired to go in a different direction
by my concept, and that particular patent never materialized
into the acceptance I had hoped.
Our company is still imbued With the philosophy of coming
up with something different and better for customers with
specialty needs. Today, in most instances, others in our
company handle these specialty problems. But if a designer
has an interesting challenge and comes to me seeking advice,
I'm happy to provide it!
Q: Tension Envelope has a foundation providing grants for
worthy nonprofit activities. Do you believe that businesses
have a responsibility to contribute profits in ways that
benefit the community?
A: Absolutely! Tension Envelope was founded in 1888 by the
father of Bert Berkowitz and Walter Berkowitz, and Bert and
Walter were always involved in community activities,
principally public education and hospitals. Our company
continues to push for community involvement because it is so
rewarding!
Tension contributes to the community by being a family-
focused company. Over the years, we have had two or three
generations of the same family working in our company--in
part, I think, because our management maintains a genuine
interest in its employees. We have a fine retirement program,
so many of our former employees are now enjoying the
retirement they richly deserve.
And I very definitely believe that community involvement is
a responsibility for all corporations. We all take advantage
of the good fortune of living in the United States, and
specifically in Johnson County, so we should share that good
fortune.
Q: Five mornings a week, you are still at your desk at
Tension. Do you have opportunities to interact with younger
employees and managers? And why don't you simply go home and
find recreational and retirement activities?
A: Simply explained, I'm having too much fun to quit. I'm
able to have the better of both worlds: semi-retirement and
continuing involvement. I am an observer and a consultant,
and I try to stay out of the way of the people, many or most
of whom I have trained! I engage in some mentoring. I'm
finding, though, that it's not so easy to be graceful when
you see that those whom you've trained are sometimes doing a
better job than you did!
Q: In 1979, you and Jean established an Outstanding Service
Award at the University of Kansas School of Law for the
graduating student whose service to his or her fellow
students was considered by the faculty as demonstrating
foremost promise for the legal profession and society. You
seem to be encouraging young men and women to think about
social service.
A: It's significant to us that many of the Outstanding
Service Award winners say they became involved in social
service to ``pay back'' the community. I recognize what they
mean by that, but Jean and I don't think of it exactly that
way. We just deeply enjoy the pleasure we get from working
with the splendid people with whom we collaborate, along with
the satisfaction of seeing what we can accomplish together.
Q: You are a member of the New Reform Temple. What makes
this synagogue and its people special to you?
A: We all need to have pride in our own faith, whatever it
may be, and opportunities to express our faith with others.
In fact, Jean helped in the establishment of the New Reform
Temple, which now has a new rabbi, Jacques Cukierkorn, very
active in the city's Interfaith Alliance and off to a great
start.
Q: People of a range of economic levels often want to
contribute to their community. What are your thoughts on how
we can all do that?
A: Many of the people with whom we associate have a passion
for being helpful. There's no ``admission fee'' for
volunteering! Early volunteering of one's energy and support
can be equal in importance to larger dollars that could be
contributed.
It's a good idea to apply the energy and support even
without funds early on, and grow into perhaps more
contribution of both energy and support with funds later on.
Q: In 1957, you and Jean moved your four children from
Kansas City to Fairway. Did your move to Johnson County have
anything to do with the school systems?
A: It had everything to do with the schools! In Kansas City
in those days, even in the secondary grades, the schools had
sororities and fraternities, which in our judgment interfered
with general relationships and activities and subordinated,
in many instances, the concentration on academics. I sought
out the superintendent of schools to persuade him that their
existence was undesirable and at odds with what should be
gleaned from public education--but nothing appeared on the
horizon, so we moved to Kansas, where the fraternities and
sororities then and now have been prohibited by state law
except in higher education.
Many of our friends have sent their children to private
schools, which we never considered. Our personal view was
that our children would receive better preparation for public
life--for the mixture of people they would encounter and for
how they would need to communicate--through a public school
education. I think public schools tend to be more
competitive, inspiring youngsters to do well. Public school
is a strong preparation for life after school.
Q: In 1968, you were elected to the Board of Education for
the Shawnee Mission School District. You became board vice
president, then president in 1972. What drew you to that form
of public service, and what were some of the most contentious
issues and most rewarding moments?
A: One day long ago, I read in the paper that the Shawnee
Mission Board of Education had refused to accept government
funds to supplement its special education programs, in the
fear that those monies might be dominated by their funding
source. That didn't appeal to me and I decided that, rather
than just complaining, I'd run for the school board. The more
I got involved after a successful campaign, the more
justified I felt in that investment of time.
Of course, I found some things that I felt were not
pleasing, including the fact that girls were denied any
athletic competition and confined to participating on drill
teams or as cheerleaders. We were able to change that, with
the help of the other members of the board, to the point that
the principal of Shawnee Mission North once introduced me to
his students as ``the father of girls' athletics'' in the
district! That's something of which I still remain very
proud.
Another thing I found displeasing was the concentration by
the school district and its administrators in the length of
students' hair and the length of skirts, about which they had
rules that they monitored rather carefully. During that
period of time my older son, who was in law school, came home
sporting a mustache. I didn't happen to prefer it, and I
thought I was being diplomatic

[[Page E2023]]

about expressing my objections. However, six months later,
when I saw him at law school, he had removed his mustache.
When I inquired as to the reason, his explanation really
awakened me. He said he simply got tired of it and that if it
hadn't been for me, he would have been tired of it three
months earlier! When I reported that to the school board and
campaigned for a total concentration on comportment in
academics, and not on these extraneous things, the board
finally agreed to do away with any dress codes. The
administrators, to their dismay at the outset, found that
students' appearance did not deteriorate as they had
anticipated.
One of the things I remember with satisfaction is that I
had an intern working with me for awhile when I was on the
school board, doing leg work and research, helping me
considerably and helping in his own development. I have
recommended that a few times since.
Q: In the 1980s, concerned about funding for the school
district, you helped organize the Committee for Excellence.
You worked with Larry Winn III and Fred Logan. (Since that
time, Winn has been elected to the school board and Logan has
become a co-sponsor of the Committee for Excellence.)
Initially you were very much involved in gaining the support
of a levy election and then two bond issues, the last of
which was for $140 million in the Shawnee Mission district.
A: Through the work of the Committee for Excellence, which
had hundreds of supporting activists or more, we were able to
get three school bond elections passed with 60 to 70 percent
of the vote in favor. Recognizing that about 30 percent of
those voters did not have children in the schools, I think
that is conclusive proof of the commitment to quality
education that permeates Johnson County.
The Committee for Excellence has also been active recently
in funding for public schools, which has decreased ever since
1992, when the legislators took funding responsibilities away
from the districts and returned those responsibilities to
Topeka. We shared concern with all Kansas districts about the
inadequacy of the funding, and lobbied extensively to
represent the youngsters. We feared that many legislators
were more interested in getting reelected than in meeting
this educational priority. The committee remains very active
now, because it is clear that the foundation plan for
supporting public schools in the state of Kansas requires
major reform.
Q: Tell us briefly about your experience as a member and
president of the Kansas Board of Regents.
A: I was appointed in the mid-1970s to the Board of Regents
by outgoing Gov. Robert Docking, at the request of the
incoming governor, Robert Bennett. This was a practice that
indicates the cooperation and civility existing in those days
that has largely disappeared in state and national politics.
My experience on the Board of Regents was wonderful and one
of the most enjoyable activities in which I have participated
in the public arena, largely because of the other members of
the board, with whom I had the pleasure to associate in the
governance of public-supported colleges and universities in
Kansas.
I would not like to have this statement misunderstood, but
I have considered Bob Bennett--quite apart from any
appreciation for his appointing me to the Board of Regents--
to have been the best governor Kansas has had in my
experience, and maybe ever. I couldn't be more sincere in
saying that, because in my opinion, Gov. Bennett made
decisions in the interest of the whole state quite apart from
partisan motivation. I learned a good deal from him in that
regard.
Q: You chaired the Legislative Committee for the Johnson
County Community College Foundation. What was that
committee's mission?
A: There was concern about losing local control over
community college funding at the time of the reorganization
of the Kansas Board of Regents. There is now a predominant
feeling at that college that the situation is stable.
However, the committee is ready and willing to reactivate if
needed.
Q: In December 2003, the Children's Center at Johnson
County Community College was renamed the Hiersteiner Child
Development Center in honor of you and Jean. Your financial
gift allowed the college to enlarge and renovate its center,
making it possible for more students pursuing the curriculum
in early-childhood education to move from the waiting list
into the program. Has child development had a special place
in your heart?
A: We have four children, and when we first moved to Kansas
City, my wife, with some others, organized a coop nursery in
association with the then University of Kansas City. Science
has recently revealed that the brain commences to develop
even prior to birth, and that was assurance to my wife and me
that children needed the benefit of trained professionals,
not just those offering custodial care.
Jean has always had a passion about teaching child
development specialists. At the center's dedication, she told
the audience that she had always thought the name
``Hiersteiner'' was a bit long and difficult every time she
had to fill out forms or write a check--but her pride in
seeing the name on the building was changing her view about
the awkwardness of our name!
Q: You co-chaired Truman Medical Center's first major fund-
raising effort, which was a $20 million capital campaign. For
many years you have been on Truman's Charitable Foundation
board, while Jean has been active in the medical center
auxiliary and gift shop, which she co-managed for about 15
years. Additionally, you and Jean have endowed scholarships
for nurses. What fuels your passion for health care activism?
A: Everyone recognizes the requirement of adequate health
care, but unfortunately, there are any number of individuals
without health insurance and without the means of paying for
care.
The Menorah Hospital experience that I had for more than 40
years was rewarding, but my involvement at Truman Medical
Center for about 20 years is in my judgment absolutely
imperative because the mission of Truman is to take care of
clients irrespective of their ability to pay. Truman is a
wonderful community institution under the expert presidency
of John Bluford, meeting a need for those who cannot afford
to pay. But it also has an excellent faculty that is good
enough to be desired by any number of paying patients. Its
equipment is first rate and its faculty is outstanding.
Interestingly enough, I became involved at Truman while
still a member of the board at Menorah, because I received a
mailing from Truman that had too much postage on the
envelope. I called to explain to them that they could save
money by being up to date on postal regulations. About 15
minutes after that call, Jim Mongan, who was at that time the
president of Truman Medical Center, was in my office inviting
me for a tour of the facility, after which he was able to
secure my appointment to the board. That has been a very
satisfying experience over the years. Without the assistance
of this outstanding institution, most of the private
hospitals, if not all of them, would have red ink on their
bottom line. No one in the community should be satisfied
witnessing people in our community not having any access to
health care at all.
Q: You are on the advisory board of the Mainstream
Coalition. What parts of that group's mission are most
important to you?
A: I believe our goal is education for the community about
domestic, national, and foreign issues for which the public
needs as much information as possible. The coalition is quite
diverse and nonpartisan, with Republican, Democrat, and
Independent members.
Q: Countless community leaders have praised the fact that
your stand on issues or candidates is never based on ideology
or party affiliation, but rather on what you believe is best
for the people of Kansas City. What are the keys to
maintaining an independent frame of reference?
A: Well, I persist in my personal points of view, and I
believe that people involved in their communities do a better
job of it if they act in as nonpartisan a way as they can.
Organized politics has never been appealing to me, so I try
to make my mark outside the realm of parties.
Q: How do you keep your optimism going?
A: Quite often, I don't! But the main tools I use are hope
and paying attention to what is going on in my community and
what I con do about it.

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