06 Dec 2012 National Center for Public Policy Research Chairman Amy Ridenour Praises Outgoing Heritage Foundation President Dr. Ed Feulner, Congratulates Senator Jim DeMint

Washington, D.C. – National Center for Public Policy Research Chairman Amy Ridenour made the following comments regarding the announcement by the Heritage Foundation today that Senator Jim DeMint will succeed Dr. Ed Feulner as president:

The National Center for Public Policy Research is pleased to join with many other members of the conservative community in congratulating U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) on his ascension to the presidency of the Heritage Foundation.

We also commend the outgoing president of the Heritage Foundation, Ed Feulner, for his sterling 36-year leadership. Ed turned a small-but-valuable organization into an indispensable powerhouse — one that often has made THE difference between success and failure in battles to keep our nation prosperous, and our people, free. We shudder to think where America would be without the contributions of Ed and Heritage’s chief operating officer, Phil Truluck.

We’d say it is a shame that our current U.S. president is unlikely to honor Ed and Phil with Presidential Medals of Freedom, but the award is not really good enough to reflect their accomplishments.

We also would be remiss in not noting the indispensable role both Ed and Phil played in the founding and early years of the National Center for Public Policy Research. They made it happen. I am the founding CEO, but I had to get through interviews with both Phil and Ed to become so. Everyone at the National Center is grateful for what they did, as am I personally.

Senator DeMint’s successes are in the future. Very many of Ed Feulner’s and Phil Truluck’s are in the record books. Kudos and thanks to them, and best wishes to Senator DeMint and the entire Heritage team.

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