Bob Dole: “I rise to salute a woman who has just completed a stellar tour serving our Nation as Ambassador to the Republic of…”

“I rise to salute a woman who has just completed a stellar tour serving our Nation as Ambassador to the Republic of Finland, Bonnie McElveen-Hutner. I am proud to call Bonnie, and her husband, Bynum, my friends. Today, the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, will award Bonnie the Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion, an honor recognizing her exceptional and outstanding services. Bonnie McElveen-Hunter is truly worthy of this distinction. I first met Bonnie in 1999, and was immediately impressed with her intelligence, her drive, her confidence, her spirit, and without a doubt, her Southern charm. She is the eldest of three children born to John T. McElveen, a former Air Force U2 pilot and Madeline, a school teacher. In fact, even to this day, though retired, Madeline is the ever present teacher and is known to impart her 'pearls of wisdom' upon her daughter. Bonnie's credentials are impeccable. She is a serious, successful CEO who serves as head of Pace Communications in Greensboro, NC, one of the top women-owned businesses in the country. The company's impressive client list has included United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Holiday Inn, Radisson Hotels, and Toyota. Under Bonnie's leadership, the company became the largest custom publishing company in America, based on revenue. Bonnie's successes led President Bush to call her a 'trailblazer among female entrepreneurs.' How true indeed.…”