Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao

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Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Swearing-In Ceremony of W. Roy Grizzard, Jr., Ed.D.
as Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy
Frances Perkins Building
Washington, D.C.
October 1, 2002

Thank you!

What a pleasure it is to celebrate today the official swearing-in of Roy Grizzard as the very first Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy.

This is a great day for the Department of Labor and a very special day for Roy and his family.

We’re so glad that Roy’s lovely wife, Nancy, could join us as well as his parents, Wilber and Olive Grizzard. And I also want to thank Roy’s sons Travis, Shane and Lance, who did such a wonderful job leading us in the pledge of allegiance. I understand Roy, that your daughters-in-law Allison and Beth and your three grandchildren are here as well. And we’re delighted to have Congressman Eric Cantor join us. We welcome you all here today!

We are truly blessed to have such an accomplished leader as Roy Grizzard as the Department’s first Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy. And today is the perfect day to celebrate his new office because October first kicks off National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

As many of you may already know, President George W. Bush places great importance on expanding opportunities for Americans with disabilities. His New Freedom Initiative is a centerpiece of his domestic priorities. We conducted a nationwide search for a proven leader to head up this important office, and found him right next door in Virginia.

Roy was chosen because of his talent, his character and his record of serving his country and the community he so ably represents. He brings to this job a powerful combination of achievement and commitment.

Two former Governors of Virginia—Governors Allen and Gilmore—have already recognized Roy. They appointed him as Virginia’s Commissioner for the Blind and Vision Impaired, an agency he led for six years. You may be interested to know that in that post, one of the programs Roy administered was the Randolph-Shepard federal food service vending program. I can personally testify to the success of that program because Randolph-Shepard happens to be a contractor for the fourth floor snack bar right here in the Department. So we have a little first-hand knowledge of his practical qualifications for the job.

Before that, Roy was an outstanding Assistant Principal and Personnel Administrator at the Harry F. Byrd and George Moody Middle Schools in Henrico County, Virginia. He also served as a board member of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation and a member of the Board of Directors of Prevent Blindness of Virginia. And Roy was very active in his community and in his church, the Shady Grove United Methodist Church of Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Many of you are familiar with Roy’s impressive academic record. He holds a doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University. In addition, he earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in science from Virginia Commonwealth University. In fact, Roy was honored by Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002 for outstanding service to Virginians with disabilities. And he was also recognized for his commitment to justice and good government with Virginia’s Patrick Henry Award.

I can think of no better person to carry forward this administration’s message of hope and empowerment than Roy Grizzard. His practical experience, record as an advocate and strong academic credentials give him a unique foundation to advance the President’s agenda for Americans with disabilities. That agenda has one goal: to remove barriers to the employment of people with disabilities.

When we were looking for the perfect person to head up this office, we wanted someone with real-world experience. We needed someone who could help us leverage the many job-training resources at the Labor Department for Americans with disabilities. One of my priorities is to ensure that the $12 billion we spend annually in training programs prepares people for real jobs in the real world, and not just processes people through a system. With his long record of achieving real-world results, I believe Roy is the best person to help us accomplish that mission for Americans with disabilities.

Although the Office of Disability Employment Policy is only two years old, we are preparing to launch a number of new initiatives later this month. I am not going to give away our plans right now. But I will say that we want to open new doors for Americans with disabilities. We not only want them to enter the workforce in greater numbers, but we want to make it easier for them to become entrepreneurs if they choose.

Americans with disabilities have the same dreams as everyone else. They want to realize their full potential. They want to provide for their families. And they want to reap the benefits that only a job can provide. We are here to help them do that. This Administration, with Roy Grizzard’s help, will dismantle workplace barriers to the employment of Americans with disabilities.

Let us not forget, however, that there are many kinds of barriers. There are also self-imposed barriers, which sometimes we carry around in the human heart. By serving as an example of personal achievement, I think Roy will inspire many to knock down those barriers as well.

Thank you for being here today and for helping us celebrating this joyous new beginning.

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