By: AIF Statement
Washington, DC – On Thursday, civil rights leader and President of the Woodson Center, Robert “Bob” L. Woodson announced his retirement following four decades of leading the organization as it helped restore communities and assisted people around the country improve their lives. Woodson, who founded the organization (formerly called the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise) in 1981, is a long-time friend and advisor to American Idea Foundation President and former Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.
Upon the announcement of Woodson’s retirement from the non-profit bearing his name, Speaker Ryan issued a heartfelt congratulations:
“Bob Woodson’s life and career have been solely focused on helping others. The positive impact Bob has made in countless people’s lives and in communities across the country is simply profound.
“Bob has been so effective because he believes in the inherent good of every person he meets. He has an unbending faith in people’s tenacity and determination to better themselves; he believes in the power of redemption; and he is an eternal optimist. There is a generation of community leaders who owe their success to Bob and who will undoubtedly continue evangelizing his belief in free markets and the principles of the Gospel.
“To me, Bob Woodson is a mentor, a force for good, an icon. I will forever be grateful for all that he taught me about fighting poverty from the ground up. I will always be thankful for the wisdom he imparted and for the organizations and people that he brought into my life.
“God broke the mold when he made Bob Woodson and knowing Bob, he would want us to honor his work by continuing it. I look forward to advancing Bob’s legacy as the Woodson Center begins their next chapter and remain in awe of all Bob has done for others over his amazing career.”
To learn more about the Woodson Center’s amazing work, visit their website. For more on Speaker Ryan’s relationship with Bob Woodson, check out some of the following content.
National Review: Paul Ryan’s Ground-Level Anti-Poverty effort
Forbes: The Gangster, The Preacher, and the Speaker of the House
American Idea Foundation: “The Comeback” Video Series
C-SPAN: A Conservative’s Approach to Poverty in the U.S.
American Enterprise Institute: Expanding Opportunity in America
The Atlantic: Paul Ryan finds God
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