2015 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 140
BY SENATORS ALARIO, ADLEY, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAITOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH, MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK,
PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHITE
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend and congratulate Joe Wood Guidry Berry for fifty-one years of lobbying the
Louisiana Legislature.
WHEREAS, it is with great pride and honor that the members of the Legislature of
Louisiana and the citizens of Louisiana honor Joe Wood Guidry Berry for fifty-one years of
service as a lobbyist; and
WHEREAS, after working in John McKeithen's gubernatorial campaign in 1964, Joe
Wood Guidry Berry started her career working for the betterment of the state of Louisiana,
by working for the new governor; and
WHEREAS, later working as the head of the intergovernmental relations for the
Senate, she hired the first African American to work in the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the state for a year, Joe returned to Louisiana and started
her governmental relations service, becoming the first woman lobbyist for private enterprise,
and quickly added The Louisiana Nursing Home Association, The Louisiana Hotel
Association, The Tobacco Institute, and the Unisys Computer Corporation as clients; and
WHEREAS, in 1984, as the representative of Unisys Computer Corporation, she and
Jack Montgomery installed the first computer located in the Senate; and
WHEREAS, unbeknownst to either of them working on the installation at the time,
there were four sticks of dynamite placed in the room and less than one-half hour later, the
Senate chamber was blown up; and
WHEREAS, there is still a pencil stuck into the ceiling of the Senate chamber from
that explosion; and
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WHEREAS, continuing to improve relations between herself and the legislators, she
established The Green House, which was located within walking distance of the State
Capitol where she provided lunches and gave everyone a place in which to be comfortable;
and
WHEREAS, she has long been a fixture at the Louisiana State Capitol and has seen
and heard almost all of the known, major controversies argued in these legislative halls; an
extraordinary woman, she has been an inspiration and mentor to other women; and
WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
and the overall vitality of our American society depend, in great measure, upon people like
Joe Wood Guidry Berry who use their unique talents, style, and abilities to help others and
resolve issues that seem unresolvable.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Joe Wood Guidry Berry for her amazing and
enduring skills as a lobbyist for the past fifty-one years.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be presented to Joe
Wood Guidry Berry.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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