By Brandy Donaldson

Local associates of former Quad-Citian Ray LaHood are lauding the Peoria Congressman's appointment to President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet as the new U.S. Transportation Secretary.

In 1972, at age 26, Mr. LaHood, then a school teacher in Peoria, was named the first director of the Rock Island County Youth Service Bureau, a delinquency prevention program with headquarters still in Moline.

The friends he made there included co-worker Diane Slover and her husband John, of Moline. In '72, Mrs. Slover, who eventually became assistant director, was a counselor at the Youth Services Bureau. Mr. LaHood was her boss.

"(Ray) is just a great guy. He's loyal and willing to tackle tough jobs. He was a great boss," Mrs. Slover recently said. "If you had a problem, he'd be by your side and help you through it. And he was always there for the kids. He had a great reputation."

That reputation is still intact locally.

"He's always been very helpful to our community," Mr. Slover said. "Even as he's represented the(neighboring) Congressional District, he's always been a person that people from this community could reach out to and seek assistance from."

In 1974, Mr. LaHood moved from the Youth Service Bureau to a chief planner's slot at the Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Commission (now the Bi-State Regional Commission). After three years at BI-State, where he worked primarily on law enforcement issues, he went to work as district assistant for former Congressman Tom Railsback from 1977 to 1982.

"I can remember when I was interviewing for a district representative. That's a very big job, because that person has to deal with all of the people in the district," Mr. Railsback said. "He's your spokesman and your communicator.

"Ray came in and had this shaggy hair. But he was very articulate, very positive. After meeting with him for 15 or 20 minutes, I thought, 'this guy is great.' So I brought him into congressional politics and service."

Mr. Railsback, who now lives in Palm Desert, Calif., and Mr. LaHood still visit one another a couple times a year. They last spoke on Christmas Day.

"Ray's excited. He's looking forward to taking on that very important and difficult job," Mr. Railsback said. "I think he really respects Obama. Even though he campaigned for McCain, he's always thought very highly of Obama."

In 1982, as a resident of East Moline, he was appointed to a vacancy to the Illinois House of Representatives for District 72. But he lost a bid for a full term to Bob DeJaegher, after which he moved back to Peoria and went to work for U.S. Rep. Robert Michel, then minority leader of the U. S. House of Representatives.

When Mr. Michel retired, Mr. LaHood was elected to replace him in the U.S. House.

Friends say he always maintained his Quad-Cities ties.

"He has so many deep roots in the Quad-Cities and so many great friends here," former Rock Island County Republican Party Chairman Tom Getz said. "Even though he's the 18th District congressman, he loves to find out what's going on here with old friends and politics in this area."

Mrs. Slover spoke with Mr. LaHood and his wife Kathy a few days after President-elect Obama announced his cabinet appointment.

"He's thrilled to be on (Obama's) team. He thinks it's a great honor," she said. "And it is an honor to be asked to be in such an important position. He's quite capable."

Mr. Getz agreed.

"He'll do great in Obama's cabinet. Ray is the kind of person who gets along with everybody," he said. "Even before he became a congressman, when he worked for Tom Railsback, he always reached out to get a consensus.

"He's a strong, conservative Republican, but wasn't so partisan that he wouldn't work with Democrats to find ways to get on a common ground."

Mr. LaHood's cabinet appointment will likely be good for the Quad-Cities, his associates agreed.

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"His appointment is one of the highest honors that's ever been bestowed on a Quad-Citian. And I think Ray will try to be helpful," Mr. Railsback said. "He's very familiar with the state's transportation needs. He'll make an effort to treat everyone fairly."

Congressman Phil Hare shares the same confidence in Mr. LaHood.

"He knows the Quad-Cities and the projects we're working on," he said. "I think it's a huge boost for us. It helps to have the president from Illinois. But it's also a big, big plus to have someone from the Quad-Cities as transportation secretary.

"He's a great guy and a great pick. He's going to be great for the entire state and country, especially this particular region."

The area couldn't have asked for better representation in the president's cabinet, Mr. Slover said.

"I know he'll carry out his duties in a fair and open way," he said. "But I'm also sure he'll remember the people here in the Quad-Cities and help us when he can.

"We'll all be very proud of the service he gives to our country."