[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 15] [Senate] [Pages 20110-20111] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO MIKE CRITELLI Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to someone I have known for many years, both because of his guidance of a major company in Connecticut as well as his leadership in the mailing industry--Mike Critelli, executive chairman of Pitney Bowes Inc.--which is headquartered in Stamford, CT. Mike will be retiring late this year, after dedicating 30 years to both Pitney and the mailing industry. Mike and I have come to know each other not only because Pitney Bowes is headquartered in my home State of Connecticut but also because he has been the chairman of the Mailing Industry CEO Council, an organization of chief executive officers of companies in the mailing industry. The Mailing Industry CEO Council, under Mike's able leadership, has been at the forefront of educating policymakers about the mailing industry for years. Although those of us who follow mailing industry issues know by heart now the key statistics--a $900 billion industry representing over 8 percent of the gross domestic product and employing 9 million workers--there was a time when the impact of the industry was less well known. Mike Critelli and the Mailing Industry CEO Council helped to change that. The CEO Council came to town several times a year to meet with me and others in Congress to provide support for the postal reform legislative effort. They helped to spread the word to many of my colleagues who are not on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over postal issues, about the importance of the mailing industry and the impact of the industry on jobs in each of their States. As we moved forward with postal reform legislation in the 109th Congress, having others in Congress actively supporting the mailing industry proved very helpful. As we worked together on the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, my staff and I were always impressed by the attention and care Mike gave to every detail. As a lawyer, Mike took the time to read the various versions of postal reform legislation page by page. He got into the details and commented on specific provisions--and the final outcome was better as a result. He was critically important in brokering some agreements with interested parties that helped get us over the final hurdles towards enactment. In the final days of the 109th Congress, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act passed the House and Senate and was signed into law. Mike Critelli played an essential role in helping to educate others about the importance of the mailing industry and the need for the legislation that enabled it to get done. He began his career at Pitney Bowes as a staff attorney and rose through various leadership positions over the years. He served as general counsel, chief personnel officer, and then became president of Pitney Bowes Financial Services. He was then CEO and [[Page 20111]] chairman and now serves as executive chairman of the board. He has brought the company through many changes--acquisitions and transformations. He has also served as an effective ambassador for the mailing industry. After the deadly anthrax attacks of fall 2001, Mike wasted no time in working with the U.S. Postal Service to advocate on its behalf so that our mailstream would quickly regain the confidence of the American people. Under Mike's leadership, Pitney Bowes has been a leader as well on health care issues. The company invests heavily in the health of its employees and has found that the focus on prevention, wellness, early diagnosis and treatment, and chronic disease management has improved health and minimized costs for employees as well as the company. This has helped to make Pitney Bowes a model for other companies. Mike has also demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity. Under his tenure, Pitney Bowes has been consistently recognized as one of the best corporations in America for diversity. Although this record began before Mike took the helm as CEO, he continued to grow the diversity efforts within the company. Outside of the office, Mike served for several years in a Connecticut chapter of the Urban League and as chairman of the National Urban League Board. As I wish Mike Critelli well as he begins a well deserved retirement, I can't help but be disappointed that Connecticut's business community is losing a great leader. For our sake, I hope he continues in some capacity assisting us with public policy issues of concern to our State. ____________________