REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

ED STIMPSON TRIBUTE DINNER
WASHINGTON, D.C.

MARCH 2, 2005
6:30 PM

Thank you. It is an honor to be included as part of this tremendous tribute to my wife, Deni’s, and my dear friend, Ed Stimpson, and his wonderful wife, Dottie. And while the praise this evening has been lavish – almost as lavish as those gourmet dinners that Ed was so fond of in Montreal – every word has been well deserved.

One only has to look around this room to appreciate the depth of the esteem in which Ed Stimpson is held by the aviation community. It is a recognition of a lifetime of contributions which, both here in the United States and internationally, have profoundly shaped and guided the aviation industry that we all love. And it is a testament to the deep personal affection that so many of us hold for a man whom we all recognize as a giant in the field of aviation.

I think back to 1975, when I first arrived in the United States Congress. I had been assigned a seat on the House Public Works and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Aviation.

Wanting to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could, I sought out those who could educate me. And the more I heard about Ed Stimpson, the more I thought, “This is a guy who I’ve got to get to know.”

At the time, I just didn’t realize how long we would have the pleasure of working together – or how our partnership would help aviation develop to where it is today.

Back then, Ed was with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). And although he was still a relatively young man, he already had built a sterling reputation. He was something of a professor extraordinaire in the field of aviation long before he was old enough – or grey enough.

Ed had cut his teeth at the FAA during the Kennedy Administration, learning at the feet of one of the most revered names in aviation – the great Jeeb Halaby. The story goes that Jeeb first met Ed at the Seattle World’s Fair where Ed was assigned to escort VIPs. And the Administrator was so impressed that he brought Ed to Washington, D.C. to work for him.

By the time that I met him, Ed’s breadth of experience from the FAA and from GAMA covered the whole aviation front. No matter the subject, general aviation or commercial aviation, Ed was an expert – and he was generous with his knowledge.

I sought out others as well – folks who lived and breathed aviation. But it is Ed Stimpson for whom I reserve the title of teacher.

In the Japanese culture, our word for teacher is sensei, literally one who has walked along the way before and may now teach the path. It is a title that carries great respect. And it is with that full measure of respect that I salute my great teacher tonight.

Perhaps the most important lesson that I learned from Ed applies not only to aviation, but to all of the work that I have done since I began my service in Washington, D.C.

Ed Stimpson taught me to listen. To learn, he would say, you have to listen to a lot of people in order to get the full picture of the issues with which you deal.
Sometimes it seems to me that this city would work better if we sent a few more people to the Ed Stimpson school of public policy.

Ed may never have held elective office, but he’s a masterful politician. And you know, Ed, there’s still time.

Ed teaches by example, and his ability to listen is one of the skills that has made him so effective at bringing together workable coalitions on very tough issues.

You never see him flustered or hear an angry word out of him. He’s simply unflappable. And, of course, nobody works an issue with greater perseverance than Ed Stimpson.

Nowhere is the proof of that more evident than with the General Aviation Revitalization Act.

We first introduced that legislation in 1986, and it took about eight years to get it passed. Ed never tired of explaining its importance. He was so relentless that I almost felt sorry for my colleagues who had not signed on.

Over and over, there was Ed Stimpson patiently making his case for tort reform that would lead to a renaissance in general aviation. It was like a steady drip, drip, drip of legislative water torture… until, finally, he wore enough of them down to pass the bill.

Gleefully he would come in and say, “I’ve got some more co-sponsors for you, Norm.”

These last few years as the Secretary of Transportation, I was delighted that our professional paths crossed again.

In my work with the International Civil Aviation Organization or ICAO, I would often hear people talking about Mr. Hushkit. It didn’t take long to realize that they were talking about our ambassador. Once again, through patient determination, Ed’s stewardship had produced a successful resolution on an important aviation issue.

There is no question that the Department of Transportation, the aviation industry, and the American people all have benefited greatly from Ed’s service in Montreal, the longest tenure of any United States representative in that position.

Ed’s many achievements within ICAO include helping to increase international aviation security following the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. He also put that global aviation organization on a firmer economic and leadership foundation.

But his most recent effort before leaving his post was to increase the number of votes that the United States received to get re-elected to the governing council. We moved up from the lowest finisher among those elected to number four – our highest number of votes in fifty years.

And the amazing thing is, he does it all with grace and a smile. Or perhaps, not so amazing to those of us who know Ed. That’s just the kind of person that he is.

In fact, Ed and Dottie are two of the most gracious people that I know. I will always remember the wonderful hospitality that they extended to my wife, Deni, and me, during a layover in Boise. And having been guests in their beautiful home, it is easy to appreciate why they are so eagerly looking forward to retiring there.

Some of you may not be aware that Ed is quite an accomplished fisherman – a skill well suited for retirement. His annual fishing trips to Alaska are legendary, and he always brings home the limit.

But even after he hangs out his “gone fishing” sign, I hope that we may occasionally lure him back in order to tap his vast expertise on the vital aviation issues of the day. I know many people here in Washington, D.C., – as well as a few schools of salmon up North – would be extremely grateful.

A wise man once said, “Every man’s work … is a portrait of himself.”

This being so, Ed Stimpson’s lifetime career on behalf the American people and the aviation community can only be described as a masterpiece.

And while, perhaps selfishly, all of us in this room are hopeful that the master will return from time to time to apply a few finishing touches, Ed Stimpson can retire today content that his life’s work needs no further embellishment. It is a legacy of accomplishment that will stand the test of time.

And so, Ed, on behalf of President Bush and Vice President Cheney, I want to thank you for your long service to American aviation and to wish you and Dottie well in what, I am sure, will be an exciting new chapter in your lives.

All the best, my friend. Congratulations, good health, good wishes, and God speed!

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