September 9, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 143 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S5356-S5357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO ANN RICHARDSON McNAIR

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the remarkable 
career of Ann Richardson McNair, who dedicated over 51 years of service 
to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the Redstone Arsenal, both 
located in Huntsville, AL. Mrs. McNair was an acknowledged leader in 
both the engineering and institutional fields at Marshall. She held 
many significant positions and earned outstanding honors and 
recognitions during her tenure there. Mrs. McNair has provided decades 
of service to improve the quality of life in her community and across 
the State of Alabama, and her notable career has left a lasting mark on 
the space industry.
  Mrs. McNair earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics 
from the University of Alabama. In 1958, she began her career with the 
Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Redstone Arsenal. Mrs. McNair then 
moved

[[Page S5357]]

on to work at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1960. She continued her 
work there until retiring in 2012.
  Mrs. Ann McNair has earned many recognitions and made history 
throughout her career, among them being the first female supervisor in 
engineering at Marshall. She was awarded the Team Redstone Women's 
History Award and the Technology Award for Women Honoring Women from 
the Women's Economic Development Council. Ann received the Presidential 
Rank Award for Meritorious Executives in 2009, which is the highest 
honor a Federal employee can receive. The Alabama Senate also commended 
her in 2009 for her outstanding professional achievement during her 50 
years of NASA service. Other noteworthy recognitions include the 
Outstanding Leadership Medal for leading the Mission Operations 
Laboratory, the NASA Exception Achievement Medal, and two NASA 
Exceptional Service Medals.
  Ann's contributions to NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center are 
truly exceptional. I am proud to take this time to recognize her 
service to the State, as well as to the Nation. Her achievements and 
dedication to advancing the industry have made a lasting impact. I join 
Ann McNair's friends, family, and former colleagues in recognizing her 
wonderful career, and I thank her for her commitment to Alabama.

                          ____________________