Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RETIREMENT OF DANIEL SPATZ
______
HON. GREG WALDEN
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel Spatz as he
retires after 12 years as the Washington, D.C. Trip Scheduler for The
Dalles Community Outreach Team. Daniel's dedication, diligence, and
passion to support others has helped make the Community Outreach Team
the success it is today.
Dan was born in Portland, Oregon and raised outside of White Salmon,
Washington, and graduated from Columbia High School. He went on to earn
his degree in journalism and business from Eastern Oregon State College
after working at The White Salmon Enterprise as a high school student.
After college, Dan began his career in the newspaper business working
for every other newspaper in the Columbia River Gorge: Hood River News,
Goldendale Sentinel, The Dalles Reminder, and lastly, The Dalles
Chronicle. During this time, Dan learned all the nuances of newspaper
production including running a printing press, running advertisement
sales, directing news meetings, writing for publication, and ultimately
serving as an editor and general manager. Additionally, he became an
award-winning journalist recognized by both the National Newspaper
Publishers Association (NNPA) and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers
Association (ONPA).
While working at The Dalles Reminder, Dan met his wife, Michele, when
he interviewed her for a news story. Together they built a family and
raised two daughters, Melissa and Kathryn, who are now, respectively, a
general surgeon and an emergency room physician. In fact, Dan and
Michele have always shared a welcoming home, especially since they
developed a high school student exchange program between The Dalles and
its sister city, Miyoshi City, Japan. For several years the Spatz home
has served as a homestay family and hosted numerous Miyoshi City
students, visitors, and adult chaperones.
After 30 years in regional journalism, Dan left to join Columbia
Gorge Community College (CGCC) as their Chief Institutional Advancement
Officer where he serves today as the Executive Director of
Institutional Advancement. His outstanding accomplishments at CGCC
include negotiating intergovernmental agreements securing $14.6 million
for capital construction programs to build the Treaty Oaks Skills
Center and student housing on The Dalles CGCC campus. Dan also
supported CGCC's Hispanic Serving Institution designation by creating
and facilitating the college's Latinx Advisory Council, which
represents community organizations, school districts, and other groups
with a mission to identify barriers to college recruitment, retention,
and academic completion of Latinx students.
Additionally, as Chief Institutional Advancement Officer, Dan
embraced the task of scheduling the Community Outreach Team's
complement of Washington, D.C. meetings that occur each March and
September. He was also instrumental in helping CGCC receive funding for
a new National Guard Readiness Center, a Wind Energy Technician
Training program, new 911 dispatch equipment for Wasco County, and
construction dollars for The Dalles' East Gateway Project. Dan secured
meetings with Oregon and Washington Legislators, the American Wind
Energy Association, the Department of Energy, and the Department of
Education enabling the Community Outreach Team to advocate for and
ultimately receive funding for these important community projects. Dan
was also an integral member of the Community Outreach Team itself and
made many trips to Washington, D.C. as a representative of CGCC and the
City of The Dalles.
Finally, over the last two decades, Dan has also served in several
other key leadership positions within The Dalles and Wasco County. From
2008 to 2016, he was elected to The Dalles City Council representing
the Cities of Wasco County and served on the Mid-Columbia Economic
Development District Board, the Mt. Hood Economic Alliance Board, and
as Vice-President of the QualityLife Intergovernmental Agency (QLife)
Board. Additionally, through a CGCC subcontract with Wasco County, Dan
served as the Wasco County Economic Development Coordinator where he
crafted Wasco County's comprehensive economic development strategic
plan and led the Wasco 2000 initiative to develop wastewater treatment
in rural Wamic, Oregon.
It's hard to look around The Dalles without spotting something that
hasn't been touched by Dan's efforts. The community and region are
better off because of the time and energy he has invested in helping
spur growth and development in the Gorge. Madam Speaker, I ask my
colleagues to join me in recognizing Dan's service, leadership, and
dedication to the communities of Wasco County and The Dalles.
____________________
