LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending George Suess upon the occasion of his
retirement after 36 years of distinguished service to The Arc of Dela-
ware County on January 16, 2016

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor those distinguished citizens of this great Empire State who have
devoted themselves to faithfully serving the best interests of their
community and the needs of its residents; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
George Suess upon the occasion of his retirement after 36 years of
distinguished service to The Arc of Delaware County to be celebrated at
a party to be held in his honor on Saturday, January 16, 2016, in
Farrell Commons, at the State University of New York at Delhi; and
WHEREAS, George Suess is widely recognized as a leader in the field of
intellectual and developmental disabilities; not only is he paving the
way and making great contributions to the field, he is helping other
organizations find their way along the path as well; and
WHEREAS, George Suess earned his bachelor's degree in special educa-
tion, and over the next 45 years he followed his passion for promoting
and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and develop-
mental disabilities and actively supported their inclusion and partic-
ipation in the community; and
WHEREAS, In 1979, George Suess began working at The Arc of Delaware
County, and has served as CEO since 1986; in this capacity, he led the
only organization in New York State and perhaps nationally with a writ-
ten board of directors policy prohibiting any physical intervention,
mechanical or pharmacological restraints; and
WHEREAS, George Suess has authored three books, including his best-
selling book, SHIFT HAPPENS...MAKING THE SHIFT TO PROACTIVE BEHAVIOR
MANAGEMENT, which integrates the disciplines of psychology, special
education and clinical social work into a single model of practice; the
well-received book describes the positive, proactive approach utilized
at The Arc of Delaware County; and
WHEREAS, With unwavering passion and determination, George Suess has
led the effort in showing other organizations that in order to be truly
person-centered, he must treat other people with dignity and respect,
starting with utilizing positive, proactive approaches in supporting
people rather than aversive techniques and negativity; and
WHEREAS, George Suess supported the New York State Office for People
with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) with launching its culture
change initiative, which brought the message of positive behavior
supports to hundreds of providers across the state; and
WHEREAS, In addition, George Suess has worked with several organiza-
tions in New York State, as well as Alaska, California, Georgia, Illi-
nois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, to help implement the
"Shift Happens Model"; and
WHEREAS, At The Arc of Delaware County, George Suess has created
unparalleled success for individuals being supported and for those
supporting them; individuals reach their person centered interests at
unprecedented rates, abuse has virtually been eliminated and accidents
and injuries are so infrequent as to generate insurance and workers
compensation rates well below average; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his remarkable career, George Suess has received
several awards and accolades for his dedication to individuals with
intellectual and developmental disabilities; most recently, his contrib-
utions to the field were recognized by the National Conference of Execu-

tives (NCE) of The Arc when he was chosen to receive the 2015 Executive
Excellence Award, the highest honor bestowed upon an executive leader of
The Arc; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable man has not only made a difference in the
lives of the people supported through The Arc of Delaware County at a
local level, but by sharing the proactive philosophy and positive
approach with other organizations he has led the way to impacting the
lives of countless individuals across the Nation; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his illustrious career in the human services
field, George Suess served The Arc of Delaware County with intelligence
and caring dedication, continuously striving to effectively fulfill the
duties of his position; and
WHEREAS, Sincerely loved and greatly respected by all those with whom
he worked, George Suess will be remembered for his honesty, integrity,
keen sense of duty and ability to show a unique grasp of human problems
in his official acts; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, the former Sharon
Brookhouse, their two sons, Chris and Mat, as well as five grandchil-
dren, Cara, Rebecca, Neva, Ellie, and Jack, all of whom feel privileged
to be a part of his life and rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend George Suess upon the occasion of his retirement after 36 years
of distinguished service to The Arc of Delaware County, and to wish him
continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to George Suess.