Congressional Record: Visclosky Honors State Representative Chet Dobis

Click here for a PDF of Congressman Visclosky's statement for the Congressional Record.

In honor of the retirement of State Representative Chet Dobis, Congressman Visclosky entered the following statement into the Congressional Record on March 19, 2012.

Mr. Speaker:  It is with immense gratitude and the utmost respect that I take this time to honor a dear friend and one of Indiana’s finest citizens, the Honorable Chet Dobis, Indiana State Representative.  For his many years of public service and his countless efforts toward improving the lives of Northwest Indiana residents, Chet will be honored at a celebratory reception at Gamba’s Ristorante in Merrillville, Indiana, on Monday, March 19, 2012.

Chet Dobis, a resident of Northwest Indiana, attended Merrillville High School and went on to further his education at Indiana University Northwest in Gary.  He also studied at the University of Wisconsin, undertaking graduate coursework.  In the years to follow, Chet, through hard work and acumen, would become a vice president at Bank One.  He has also worked with the Indiana National Guard and the Gary Sportsmen Club.  Representative Dobis was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1970 and has represented the people of Indiana House District 13 for the past forty-two years.  Over the years, he has been a strong leader in the development of Northwest Indiana and has always been a true advocate for the citizens of his district.  Among his major accomplishments, Chet was extremely helpful in the establishment of Merrillville, Indiana as a town.  He also played a pivotal role in the creation of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA).  This agency has been charged with implementing catalytic economic development projects throughout Lake and Porter counties.  Representative Dobis’s hard work has materialized as the RDA works with local communities to transform the south shore of Lake Michigan and to expand the Gary/Chicago International Airport.  Throughout his career in the Indiana General Assembly, Chet has served as the House Assistant Minority Floor Leader and Speaker Pro Tempore.  His current legislative committees include the Committee on Courts and Criminal Code and the Committee on Financial Institutions, and he serves as Chair of the Select Committee on Government Reduction.  For his passionate commitment and continuous support to Northwest Indiana, Representative Dobis is to be highly commended. 

In addition to his exemplary career, Chet is involved in numerous community and charitable organizations.  He has served on the Executive Board of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission and as a member of the Indiana University Northwest Advisory Board.

Representative Dobis’s dedication to Northwest Indiana is noteworthy; however, it is his commitment to his family that is most impressive.  Chet and his wonderful wife, Darlene, have two beloved children, Aaron and Ashley, and one adoring granddaughter, Teagan.

I am honored to call Chet Dobis a friend, and we should all be blessed with such wonderful friendships.  More importantly, Chet has been a friend to all, a gentleman in the truest sense of that word, and the epitome of a public servant.  His is a life we should all seek to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in honoring Indiana State Representative Chet Dobis for his outstanding devotion to Northwest Indiana and in wishing him well upon his retirement.  Chet’s unselfish, lifelong dedication and exceptional contributions to the community are worthy of the highest praise, and it has been a pleasure to work with him throughout his years in office.