Political Quotes

“I too wish to pay tribute to a great industrialist who became an even greater philanthropist, a passionate protector of our Great Lakes, and a dear friend, Peter Wege, who passed away yesterday at the age of 94. A man of profound faith, with a deep love for his country, Peter was born in Grand Rapids, MI. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Peter left the University of Michigan to serve his country as a multi- engine pilot for the Army Air Force. When he returned from World War II, he became a salesman for an office furniture company founded by his father. He wasn't given any breaks--he was forced to rise through the company by virtue of his own hard work, not his name. He eventually became vice chairman of that company, whose name was changed to Steelcase, Inc., in 1954. The company became the world's largest manufacturer of office furniture, and Peter was eager to use the wealth he had earned to make a difference in the many causes that mattered to him. Through the Wege Foundation, Peter made generous donations to the arts, to education, to health care, and to other human services. His greatest passion, however, was the environment and our beautiful Great Lakes. When he gave money to be used for the construction of a building, Peter never asked to see his name in gold. He only wanted the building to be green: He insisted on sustainable, LEED-certified design. I can remember how proud Peter was to give me a book he had written.…”