[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14] [Senate] [Pages 19495-19496] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO JACE JOHNSON Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I wish to take a moment to pay tribute to someone who is very special and very dear to me, my former Chief of Staff, Jace Johnson. Over this past recess, I learned that my Chief of Staff, Jace Johnson, would be leaving the Senate to pursue opportunities in the private sector. Change often catches us by surprise. As the Presiding Officer can imagine, I had come to rely on the talents and insight that Jace offered over many these past years. He was my strong right arm, someone in whom I had complete confidence, and still do. For 8 years, Jace worked on my staff and dedicated his efforts to serving Utah and improving our country. Undoubtedly, his work ethic and his straightforward approach to public service have greatly benefited us all. Jace is sorely missed by all of us on our staff and all of us in our office. He provided strong leadership at a time when it was absolutely crucial to us. To fully understand the void created by Jace's absence, one has to know a bit more about him. When you walked into Jace's office, you were greeted by proudly displayed Utah college and university pennants. Aside from making an interesting and welcoming environment, the banners proclaimed Jace's passion for sports. Like me, he spent his boyhood as an avid basketball player. I regret we never had the opportunity for a one-on-one game, but I am still convinced I would have kicked his tail and I would have won. Although when I think about it, he is in a lot better shape than I am. His love of hoops led Jace to play basketball at Snow College in central Utah. Soon thereafter, Jace served a 2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints in the Philadelphia, PA area. Being from smalltown Idaho, I can only imagine the new experiences Philadelphia had to offer. It undoubtedly left quite an impression. His wife Cori credits her husband's time in Philadelphia for his willingness to venture back to the east coast after college. Jace and Cori met while they were attending college at Brigham Young [[Page 19496]] University in Provo, UT. They have three wonderful children--Ashley, Benjamin, and Christian. Upon finishing school at BYU, Jace and Cori made the move to Washington, DC, so he could attend graduate school at George Washington University and earn his MBA. While Jace was still in school, he actually worked in my office as an intern. He didn't stay long, however, because as the saying goes, he had bigger fish to fry. By the time he returned to Capitol Hill to work on a more permanent basis, he had already achieved remarkable success in the business world. After working for a few years at Visa International, he became the director of finance at the Corvis Corporation, a cutting-edge network and media solutions company. Jace was the third employee to be hired at Corvis when it was still a startup, and while he was there he helped secure financing for the company as it prepared to go public in the year 2000. Jace's contribution to Corvis allowed the company to grow from a small startup employing a handful of people into an international company with more than 3,000 employees and a value of $40 billion. Jace joined my staff in 2002, coming on as a legislative assistant, working mostly on telecommunications issues. In that position, he demonstrated the keen understanding and strategic thinking that had made him such a success in the business world. After 3 years, I appointed him to be my legislative director, and in that position he continued to excel and became a vital and integral part of my efforts here in the Senate. I grew to depend on him more and more, and in January of 2008, Jace took over as my Chief of Staff. I used to joke with him that working for me was only a hobby, because he didn't need the money. Of course, anyone who knew and worked with Jace can attest that is simply not true. He put his heart and soul into his work in the Senate. For Jace, failure wasn't permissible, so he spent early mornings and late nights ensuring the work was done and done right. His commitment to me personally and to my work here in the Senate was rooted in his belief--a belief he reiterated at every opportunity--that what we were doing was in the best interests of our country and for the people of Utah. I think what I appreciated most about Jace is his unwavering honesty. In a town filled with people who only want to tell you what they want you to hear, Jace was refreshingly direct and straightforward. I have always attributed this to the fact that he is, to put it bluntly, just a little bit smarter--maybe not just a bit smarter, a whole lot smarter--than most people. People who don't see the big picture and who can't predict what might happen down the line have the need to hedge bets, cover bases, and speak without committing. Jace Johnson has never had that problem. When a goal is identified and a plan set in motion, he is usually a few steps ahead of everyone else and he can see where problems might arise. Chances are he has already come up with solutions to those problems. An individual with that kind of rare insight and understanding has the license to speak directly where others would hem and haw. I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of Jace's ability to speak frankly and honestly, and on more than one occasion that meant I was on the receiving end. I think I can speak for every Member of the Senate when I say that that kind of support from staff is a treasured commodity. It is very clear I will miss Jace Johnson on my staff. However, I think it would be even more telling to hear from some of the people of Utah who have high praise for Jace and the service he has rendered. Utah Governor Gary Herbert had this to say: Jace is a man of great insight and understanding. He is able to think strategically and anticipate potential roadblocks, which has, and will continue, to serve him well. I wish him the best of luck and success in his new position. Jason Perry, Governor Herbert's Chief of Staff, said: I have had the opportunity to work with Jace for many years. His uncanny ability to diffuse potentially difficult situations, coupled with his pleasant and approachable nature, has proven invaluable on several occasions. Utah Senator-elect Mike Lee said: I have looked to Jace Johnson on many occasions for his keen insight, depth of wisdom, and wise counsel. He has proven to be a tremendous resource and has truly made a difference for me, Senator Hatch, the people of the great State of Utah, and for our country. His legacy of service will stand as a benchmark of excellence for years to come. Former Utah Republican Party Chairman Stan Lockhart said this: Jace Johnson is a class act. In positions of responsibility and authority, he is approachable and down to earth. In an environment of hardball politics, he maintains integrity. With many issues to deal with on a daily basis, he understands the big picture and small nuances of good policy. I always liked the fact that he understands the private sector, with a successful background in the technology industry before he came to Washington, D.C. I'll miss Jace. A prominent Salt Lake City lawyer and a political leader, Doug Foxley, in the State said about Jace: Behind that I-am-just-a-boy-from-Blackfoot-Idaho, was a keen, astute political mind who always had Orrin's interest at heart and had a quality of making everyone feel that he was their best friend. Not diminishing any other person who has worked for Orrin, but Jace was a delight and any trip to D.C. without seeing Jace was not a trip. A true committed conservative who was not an obnoxious ideologue, but one who truly believed what he espoused: hard work, honor, commitment, dedication to family, Church, and country and imbued with a belief in limited government and in the private sector were guiding principles. This, coupled with compassion for those less fortunate, is the Jace Johnson legacy. Mr. President, that is high praise, and we have lots of others who feel the same way. I will leave it at that. During my time here in the Senate, I have been extremely fortunate when it comes to my staff. I have had the privilege of serving with some of the most gifted and devoted individuals our Nation has to offer. Each of them has brought something unique and important to the table. But I have to say that, even among the select fraternity of talented Senate staffers, Jace Johnson belongs in the hall of honor, an elite class that very few have been or will be able to attain. I have no doubt that Jace will succeed in the new position. Success has been the defining characteristic of every endeavor he has undertaken. While the selfish part of me wishes he would have stayed in the Senate just a little bit longer, I want to wish Jace, his wife Cori, and his whole family the very best going forward. I yield the floor. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Rhode Island is recognized. ____________________