Recognizing Kelle Shultz Upon Her Retirement

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, today, I recognize Kelle Shultz, a devoted and compassionate leader who has served as president of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity since 1995 and is now entering a well-deserved retirement.

Kelle's work has helped many East Tennesseans who otherwise might not have a place to call home, and her efforts earned Knoxville Habitat recognition as a top 40 Habitat affiliate worldwide. Since she took over, she significantly increased the organization's home-building and repair services for low-income families, peaking at 24 homes a year in 2018. Under Kelle's leadership, Knoxville Habitat also built the 200,000th home built by Habitat for Humanity globally, and Knoxville Habitat became the largest home builder in the city during the 2008- 2009 Great Recession.

Knoxville Habitat also implemented a series of Financial Fitness classes to educate Habitat homeowners, and this program is now a prerequisite to Habitat homeowners around the world. Knoxville Habitat has an overall homeowner success rate of 96.4 percent, which is a testament to how well Kelle understands what these homeowners need and how to provide paths to prosperity.

She has also shown leadership for Habitat for Humanity in other ways. She has actively led the East TN Executive Directors group, served on the Habitat Tennessee Board of Directors and the U.S. Council for Habitat International, and fostered collaborations with local organizations. She was named Outstanding Leader of the Year by Habitat Tennessee in 2015 to recognize her amazing work.

Kelle Shultz is a pillar of the Knoxville community and I wish her well in her retirement.

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