As President of the United States during one of the most extraordinary periods in our nation's history, Gerald Ford restored the confidence of the American people in our government. Appointed to Vice President with the resignation of Spiro Agnew in 1973, and President with the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, Gerald Ford restored our belief in the Constitution and our republic system of government.

Prior to assuming our nation's highest office, President Ford had already distinguished himself as a servant of the public. After service in the Navy during World War II, President Ford was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 consecutive terms beginning in 1948. In 1965, he was selected as the House Minority Leader, and served as chairman for the 1968 and 1972 Republican national conventions.

Upon taking the Oath of the Office on August 9, 1974, Mr. Ford stated, "I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances. This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts." He was the first Vice President to be propelled into office under the terms of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, following President Nixon's resignation.

Faced with the nearly insurmountable tasks of curbing inflation, invigorating an economy mired in recession, and solving increased energy shortages, President Ford commendably assumed the helm of the nation and aided her in weathering the storm.

After leaving office, President Ford continued his even-handed involvement in the political process, and remains a respected statesman for our nation. In October, 1999, he and his wife, Betty, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award given by Congress.

President Ford is on the board of several publicly held corporations, including Amax, Inc., American Express Company, G.K. Technologies, Inc., Santa Fe International, and Shearson Lehman.