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[Pages S4624-S4625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO CLYDE TERRY
Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, today I wish to salute Clyde
Terry for his many years of dedicated service and staunch advocacy on
behalf of people with disabilities. Clyde is retiring from his longtime
role as CEO of Granite State Independent Living, and he leaves a legacy
worthy of our praise and our gratitude.
Granite State Independent Living--GSIL--is a nonprofit that breaks
down barriers for seniors and people with disabilities and expands the
training and support services available to them. Its mission is
grounded in a firm belief that all people have a right to define their
own level of independence. Under Clyde's leadership, GSIL has blossomed
into an essential statewide organization with a $17 million budget and
several awards and accolades to its name, including Non-Profit of the
Year Awards from Business NH Magazine, NH Business Review, and the
Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. Service offerings have grown as
well to meet the aging, education, and employment challenges faced by
so many across the Granite State.
Clyde has tapped into a wealth of experience to build GSIL into an
expansive and responsive organization that remains committed to its
founding principles of personal choice and direction. Before his tenure
at GSIL, he was
[[Page S4625]]
the executive director of the New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities
Council, a State agency tasked with protecting the rights of our
State's most vulnerable citizens. While affiliated with the council, he
coauthored a report on the accessibility of polling locations in the
United States and established himself as a national expert on election
reform. He was also an administrative hearings officer in the State's
service systems, and before that, he helped to create and implement New
Hampshire's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Throughout his
career, Clyde has shown an unrivaled passion for improving the lives of
the disabled, the aged, and the impoverished.
I was honored to recommend Clyde when a vacancy arose on the National
Council on Disability in 2009. As a member of the council, he became a
sought-after voice on the potential of autonomous vehicles to broaden a
sense of independence among people with disabilities. He was also a
force in fighting for fair pay and equal treatment in the workplace.
Clyde was eventually named chairperson of the council, a testament to
his leadership and communication skills and his fluency on the broad
set of issues in the disability community.
I have known Clyde for decades. We worked together on Gary Hart's
1984 Presidential race. Though the campaign eventually ended in
heartbreak, Clyde emerged from the race having met Susan, who would
become his beloved wife of many years. As Governor of New Hampshire and
U.S. Senator, I always appreciated Clyde's guidance and counsel.
On behalf of the people of New Hampshire, I ask my colleagues and all
Americans to join me in thanking Clyde Terry for his years of service
and advocacy and wishing him all the best in the years ahead.
____________________
