Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside, California are exceptional. Riverside has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Peggy Fouke Wortz is one of these individuals. On Wednesday, May 21, 2003 Peggy will be awarded the ATHENA of the Inland Valleys at a lunch in her honor.

Peggy learned from a very early age the value of community service and volunteerism. She was born in Michigan and is the granddaughter of Mr. R.E. Olds, the inventor and founder of Oldsmobile cars. Throughout her childhood, her grandparents and parents demonstrated the same openhearted generosity that she would embrace in her adult life.

In 1940, Peggy married Mr. Philip B. Fouke and six years later they moved to Riverside, California where they raised three children. After the death of Mr. Fouke, Peggy married Mr. James M. Wortz in 1975 and dedicated herself to her family and community. Her involvement in the community includes service on various boards and committees as well as personal financial donations.

A few of the organizations that Peggy has been active in include: Charter Member, California Baptist University; Board of Governors, California Community Foundation; Past President, The Junior League; Founder/President The Living Desert Reserve; Board of Directors, The Mission Inn Foundation; President, Riverside Community Film; Board of Directors, Riverside Community Hospital Foundation; Founder and Board of Trustees, UCR Foundation; Founder, The Volunteer Center; Board Member, Riverside YMCA; and Founder, The Frank Millen Club.

Peggy's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Riverside, California. Peggy has been the heart and soul of many community organizations and events and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for her service and salute her as she receives the ATHENA of the Inland Valleys Award.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1588. As we have done in our recent successes with our fine troops, sailors, Marines, airmen, they have done a fantastic job. The reason they have done such a great job, Mr. Chairman, is because their success is dependent upon training.

The motto is ``train as you fight.'' I want to congratulate all of our people at all our military bases of the fine job that they do at managing those bases in spite of difficulties of increasing bureaucracies and restrictions to provide such training. In spite of that, they have done as good a job as they can. Not only have they succeeded in providing that training, but they have done a wonderful job in conserving our natural heritage.

In my own home State of California, Camp Pendleton, I cannot think of an area that has done a better job in preserving the heritage of Southern California. You can go down Highway 5 and look upon Camp Pendleton, a part of California that you do not see today. As a matter of fact, they have done such a fine job, the old motto goes, the other motto, ``no good deed goes unpunished,'' that many people try to restrict our Marines in training the way they fight. Right now of the many miles of beach front along Camp Pendleton, I believe it is close to 40 miles, only 500 yards can be used for training along that beach front. We have to make believe that there are foxholes there. We have to put these young Marines in buses and ship them to another location. They cannot train as they fight. We want to do just some modest modifications in this legislation which would allow our military, as I said, to train as they fight.

This is the right thing to do, Mr. Chairman. This is a good bill. This is going to provide the kind of training that those young men and women deserve. I would urge everyone to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication arid contributions to the community of Corona, CA are exceptional. Corona has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Maggie Little is one of these individuals. On June 6, 2003 Maggie will be honored as she retires after 36 years of dedicated service to the students, employees, parents, community and business members of the Corona-Norco Unified School District.

Maggie has served in several capacities throughout her 36 year career with the Corona-Norco Unified School District including teacher, principal and administrator. She has always observed an ``open-door'' policy and provided guidance to those who looked for her help. She had extended her hand and expertise to support any child, teacher or employee and served as a role model and mentor to administrators, teachers and students. Throughout her career she has consistently displayed patience, dependability and integrity.

Maggie's position as Corona-Norco Unified School District media spokesperson, the public relations liaison to community service organizations, has contributed immensely to improved communications to the public. Maggie oversaw the production of numerous educational publications informing the public of student and school achievements and contributed her time, energy, and outstanding organizational skills to numerous professional and community organizations in the cities of Corona and Norco and the County of Riverside in order to better inform residents of the high quality of education and academics in the community.

Maggie's tireless passion for education has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Corona, California. Maggie has demonstrated her willingness to work hard for quality education and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many children, parents, fellow teachers and administrators are grateful for her service and salute her as she retires.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside, California are exceptional. The community of Riverside has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Bob Wales is one of these individuals. On Thursday, April 10, 2003, Bob will be honored at a retirement reception in recognition of his contributions as the Riverside Assistant City Manager.

Bob received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1962. Upon graduation, Bob was commissioned in the U.S. Army and served honorably as a First Lieutenant in Orleans, France until joining the California Division of Highways in 1964. Bob obtained his license as a Professional Engineer from the State of California in 1969. Bob's accomplishments include the design of the 2/210 freeway interchange as well as the design of numerous bridges throughout California.

Bob began his career with the City of Riverside as an Associate Engineer in the Public Works Department in August of 1969. Over the following eight years Bob served as a Senior Engineer and a Principal Engineer.

In 1977, Bob was named Public Works Director and continued in that position for ten years until he was later appointed Assistant City Manager of Development. His duties included the oversight of the Public Works, Planning, Airport and Development Departments, as well as negotiating agreements with private developers and ensuring expeditious processing of key economic development projects.

In 1986, Bob was appointed Executive Director of the Riverside Redevelopment Agency in addition to his other duties. In that position he has contributed to all facets of redevelopment in the City's six project areas. Under his exemplary leadership, the Agency has been involved in hundreds of projects worth millions of dollars including the reopening of the historic Mission Inn, the construction of a California State office building, the redevelopment of a major portion of the east side of Riverside with two large scale retail/entertainment projects and the creation of a Justice Center in the downtown area which brought in a State Court of Appeals, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court, a U.S. Federal District Court and a County Family Law Court.

Bob's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Riverside, California. He has been the heart and soul of many of the redevelopment projects and the vision of the future for Riverside and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for his service and salute him as he retires.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of sound energy for American citizens.

First, I would like to thank the Members and staff of the four committees, the Committee on Energy and the Committee on Science, the Committee on Resources, and the Committee on Ways and Means, who have all worked so hard to bring this bill to the floor.

There are a few points that I would like to address that I believe are crucial for the future stability of energy in America.

First, I commend the inclusion of the hydrogen provision in H.R. 6, which is consistent with the President's call for alternative fuel sources in the future. We must actively pursue increased efficiency of fuel, reduced energy consumption, and additional research into alternative fuels such as hydrogen. The future of our economy and prosperity will ultimately depend on our ability to discover new ways to provide energy for our cars, homes, and businesses.

Another important aspect of energy policy is the reform of nuclear and worker safety regulation at the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy is the only Federal agency that self-regulates; and after 10 years of studies, it is time that we implement external regulation of nonmilitary labs, for the welfare of the workers and to the benefit of taxpayers.

While not included in this legislation, I am hopeful that we can pass other legislation to enact this reform and bring much-needed external regulation of worker safety and health to the Department of Energy.

I am also hopeful that as we confer with the other body we will broadly include innovations in the field of biosynthetic fuel. Again, I commend the efforts of the various committees which have brought this bill about and look forward to moving more options in the arena of energy policy for the benefit of the American public.

Mr. Speaker, I regret to inform you I have been unavoidably detained, due to airline transportation delays, and will not be present for votes today, April 7, 2003.

However, if I had been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall vote Nos. 109, 110, and 111.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to several organizations whose patriotism, dedication and contributions to the troops deploying out of March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California are exceptional. As our troops have been preparing to deploy to the Middle East many local organizations have taken it upon themselves to provide an outpouring of support and assistance. The local organizations involved have been the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Community Foundation, March Canteen and Harvest Christian Fellowship.

March Air Reserve Base has a long history of honorable service to our country and once again it will hold a place in U.S. military history. The substantial airlift of 6,500 tons of cargo and the movement of 26,400 Marines headed for overseas has been helped by public donations of food and $30,000. The volunteers have handed out fruit, potato chips, cookies and paperback books to each Marine passing through the Marine deployment terminal. The Marines were also given personal items in order to provide a measure of comfort during their stay in the Middle East.

The groups and individuals involved in the volunteer effort expressed nothing but appreciation and admiration for the men and women

who have answered their call to duty. Their organization, determination, and work on behalf of our military are an example for every citizen of the United States of America. Their own call to the duty of volunteerism represents compassion and caring through organization. As our soldiers carry out their mission in Iraq, those last acts of generosity, kindness, support and love will be remembered as our troop's face what may be the most difficult time in their lives.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Community Foundation, March Canteen, Harvest Christian Fellowship and others have shown their patriotism and I am proud of the work they have done for our troops. I am honored to have such dedicated community organizations in my congressional district as well as a military base that contributes to the national security of our country and the liberation of the Iraqi people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside, California are exceptional. Riverside has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent to making their communities a better place to live and work. Carole A. Gudde is one of these individuals. After a year of exemplary service, we salute Carole as the outgoing Chairman of the Board for the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

As one of the oldest, largest and most influential chambers in the state, the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce (GRCC) works closely with local government and other entities to stimulate development and improve the quality of life in Riverside County. Carole Gudde's vision, leadership and ability to work with others have continued the mission of the GRCC in its work to promote economic development and pro- actively address problems within the community. The GRCC is approximately 1,600 members strong and Carole has been instrumental in maintaining and adding members to the Chamber.

Carole's efforts as Chairman of the Board have extended beyond the boundaries of Riverside and into the State Capitol and Washington, DC. She has been actively involved in advocating pro-business legislation and fighting against measures that would put strains on local small business. She consistently kept members informed of the happenings in Sacramento as well as Washington, DC and made sure that Riverside's voice was heard.

Carole has also been instrumental in promoting quality education for our children. Carole is also a member of the Executive Council of the Riverside Community Hospital, the YMCA Professional Business Women's Association, and the A. Gary Anderson School of Management Forum. She has been a recipient of the Small Business Eagle Award, 1996 Volunteer of the Year Award, and was named a ``Woman of Distinction'' by the Business Press in 1998. She is also the owner of Archive Management Service in Riverside.

Carole's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Riverside, California. Carole's involvement in the community and on behalf of the local businesses makes me proud to call her a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for her service and salute her as she exits as the Chairman of the Board for the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication to his country and community was extraordinary. Orange County, California, was indeed fortunate to have such a dynamic and dedicated community leader who willingly and unselfishly gave his time and talents to make his community a better place in which to live and work. The individual of whom I speaking is Ahmad Rateb Olomi. He was unexpectedly and tragically taken in an airplane accident over the Arabian Sea on Monday, February 24, 2003, at the age of 45.

Mr. Olomi was born in Afghanistan, and earned his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan. He moved to the United States in 1980. He was hired by Orange County in 1984 and shortly thereafter became a naturalized United States citizen. He worked his way up from Engineering Technician to the position of Senior Civil Engineer. Some of the more notable projects he worked on were Seven Oaks Dam, the Santa Ana River Mainstream Project, and the Laguna Canyon Road State Route 133 realignment. Over his 19 years of service to Orange County, Mr. Olomi developed himself into one of the County's most talented and valued professionals.

In addition to his love for the United States and his community, he never forgot his original homeland. On the day of the tragedy, Mr. Olomi was on a six-month leave of absence from the County of Orange traveling with the Afghan Minister of Mines and Industries to help with the rebuilding of Afghanistan, and the construction of a transnational pipeline project that would pump natural gas and oil from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and into Pakistan.

Mr. Olomi was also a dedicated family man. He is survived by his wife Roya and children, Yusef and Sahar. He is remembered by his family and friends as a man admired for his integrity, honesty, intelligence and selfless commitment to others. My thoughts and prayers go out to them for their loss.

Mr. Speaker, looking back at Mr. Olomi's life, we see a man dedicated to his family, community, adopted country and original homeland--an American and Afghani whose service led to the betterment of those who had the privilege to come in contact or work with him. Honoring Mr. Olomi's memory is the least we can do today for all that he gave over his lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the Inland Empire are exceptional. The Inland Empire has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated business and community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Jamil Dada is one of these individuals. On March 21, 2003, Jamil will be honored by the Boy Scouts of American and will receive the 2003 Distinguished Citizen Good Scout of the Year Award.

Jamil is the Senior Financial Manager for Provident Bank's eleven branches and serves as the manager of Investment Services. In addition to his outstanding professional career, Jamil finds time for numerous community organizations. He serves as Chairman of the Riverside County Workforce Development board which oversees approximately $18 million of federal funding that Riverside County receives for workforce development and job training. His financial experience and integrity led to his appointment to the board by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

In addition, Jamil serves as a board member of the Riverside Community College Foundation, the United Way of the Inland Valleys, the Boy Scouts of America Inland Empire Council, the Family Service Association of Western Riverside County and the Magnolia Center Division of the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Board at the University of California, Riverside.

Jamil is a long time member of the Moreno Valley Rotary Club and currently is Vice-Chairman of the Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce. He is a board member of the Police Activities League and treasurer of the Moreno Valley Substance Abuse Task Force. He is also actively involved as the Vice President of Moreno Valley's largest food pantry, the Community Assistance Program. Jamil has also been instrumental at March Air Reserve Base as an Honorary Commander. He is also the Vice President of the March Air Field Air Museum, Chairman of the Friends of March Field and treasurer of the MARB Forum.

In 1993 the Moreno Valley Hispanic Chamber honored him as their Man of the Year and in 1994 he was Rotarian of the Year for Rotary District 5330 and Moreno Valley's Citizen of the Year in 1997. In 2002 he was the finalist in the Inland Empire Leaders of Distinction.

Jamil has set a standard of excellence and commitment in his work in the community that would be hard to match. His tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the Inland Empire. His involvement in the community makes me proud to call him a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for his service and salute him as he receives the 2003 Distinguished Citizen Good Scout of the Year Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication to his country and community was extraordinary. Orange County, California, was indeed fortunate to have such a dynamic and dedicated community leader who willingly and unselfishly gave his time and talents to make his community a better place in which to live

and work. The individual of whom I am speaking is Ahmad Rateb Olomi. He was unexpectedly and tragically taken in an airplane accident over the Arabian Sea on Monday, February 24, 2003, at the age of 45.

Mr. Olomi was born in Afghanistan, and earned a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan. He moved to the United States in 1980. He was hired by Orange County in 1984 and shortly thereafter became a naturalized United States citizen. He worked his way up from Engineering Technician to the position of Senior Civil Engineer. Some of the more notable projects he worked on were Seven Oaks Dam, the Santa Ana River Mainstem Project, and the Laguna Canyon Road State Route 133 realignment. Over his 19 years of service to Orange County, Mr. Olomi developed himself into one of the County's most talented and valued professionals.

In addition to his love for the United States and his community, he never forgot his original homeland. On the day of the tragedy, Mr. Olomi was on a 6-month leave of absence from the County of Orange traveling with the Afghan Minister of Mines and Industries to help with the rebuilding of Afghanistan, and the construction of a transnational pipeline project that would pump natural gas and oil from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and into Pakistan.

Mr. Olomi was also a dedicated family man. He is survived by his wife Roya and children, Yusef and Sahar. He is remembered by his family and friends as a man admired for his integrity, honesty, intelligence and selfless commitment to others. My thoughts and prayers go out to them for their loss.

Mr. Speaker, looking back at Mr. Olomi's life, we see a man dedicated to his family, community, adopted country and original homeland--an American and Afghani whose service led to the betterment of those who had the privilege to come in contact or work with him. Honoring Mr. Olomi's memory is the least we can do today for all that he gave over his lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication contributions to the community of Corona, California are exceptional. Corona, and surrounding communities, has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated business and community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Bud Gordon is one of these individuals. On March 22, 2003, Bud will be honored at the annual YMCA Ira D ``Cal'' Calvert Distinguished Service Awards Dinner.

For the past several years, Bud has volunteered and supported many of our most recognizable civic projects in Corona. He has served as the Executive Chairman of the Happy Hairston Youth Foundation and with late Happy Hairston, chaired the golf tournament for many years. Over the past seven years, Bud also has raised over one million

dollars for local charities while serving as the Chairman for numerous golf tournaments that benefited local groups such as the Fender Museum Foundation, the Boy Scouts, the ARC Angel Foundation and the Happy Hairston Youth Foundation. He has also served as a committee member on several other charity golf tournaments such as the American Cancer Societies, The Boys and Girls Club of Temecula, and the Corona Regional Medical Center.

In addition to his service on established charitable organizations, Bud initiated a new program called ``The Cool Down Corona Program''. During the hot summer months, senior citizens without air conditioning were suffering needlessly. Bud decided to go down to the local hardware store and purchase 30 window air conditioners. He then contacted the Corona Police Department, the Corona Fire Department and the Corona Senior Center and obtained the names of seniors in our community that did not have air conditioners. Over the past few years the program has grown and every year more seniors are helped during the summer months with much needed relief.

Bud also co-founded the At Risk Children Foundation, or ARC Angel Foundation and has raised and given back to the community over half a million dollars in goods and services. One of the first activities organized by ARC Angel was to take 700 children from lowincome families to an Anaheim Angels ballgame at Edison Field, many of whom had never been out outside the city of Corona. Bud personally ftmded the tickets, food, souvenirs, and a mobile disc jockey.

One of the defining moments in Bud's charitable record, was his involvement after September 11, 2001. On the weekend following the tragedy, Bud gave away United States flags to anyone who came into his car dealership requesting a flag. He also offered to donate $100 to the New York Relief Fund for each car that was sold in the name of that customer. On the week anniversary of September 11th, Bud closed the dealership at noon to have a brief program in remembrance of the victims. Local firefighters and police were honored and Bud announced he would match funds for anyone who would like to donate money to the relief efforts.

Bud has set a standard of excellence and commitment in his work with charity. His tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Corona, California. His involvement in the community makes me proud to call him a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for his service and salute him as he receives the ``Ira D. Calvert Distinguished Service Award''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Corona are exceptional. Corona has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Mary Ybarra is one of these individuals. On March 22, 2003, Mary will be honored at the annual YMCA Ira D ``Cal'' Calvert Distinguished Service Awards Dinner.

Mary was born in Yuma, Arizona but has resided in Corona for many years. She began service to the community at a very young age and as a teenager Mary was constantly busy organizing food drives for the needy in her local community. This drive and special gift of

helping others would stay with her into adulthood. When her children began elementary school she quickly became involved in her local PTA. This involvement paved the way for her never-ending community interest and desire to serve. Many city events and organizations have greatly benefited from her presence.

Some of the organizations that Mary has worked with include: ARC Angels, El Protector, Relay for Life, Day of the Young Child, A Day for Nicole, Little League Baseball, and Corona High Football Boosters. Mary has also chaired or co-chaired the following city events: the Health and Safety Fair, the Community Red Ribbon Week Celebration, the Community Blood Drive, and the fundraiser for Corona Regional Medical Center, ``An Evening to Remember''. Mary has also served as a YMCA Board Member, a member of several school site councils and has been involved in various school district committees.

Throughout her years of involvement Mary has been instrumental in organizing numerous community events to help the needy and the underprivileged. Mary's crowing achievement was using her connections and undeniable powers of persuasion to organize two critical blood and marrow drives. Community participation in these events was overwhelming. Mary's experience, positive attitude, humor, wisdom, and determination led to the perfect bone marrow match for two wonderful and well deserving children of our community.

Mary's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Corona, California. She has been the heart and soul of many community organizations and events and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for her service and salute her as she receives the ``Ira D. Calvert Distinguished Service Award''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the County of Riverside are exceptional. Riverside County has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give time and talent to making their communities a better place to live and work. Stuart Glickman is one of these individuals. On January 10, 2003, Stuart was honored as he retired as a Riverside Superior Court Commissioner.

A native born Southern Californian, Stuart was born and raised in Los Angeles. He was educated by Los Angeles public schools and was admitted to the State Bar in 1971. He went on to serve as Deputy District Attorney for Riverside County from 1971 to 1988. He was the Deputy in charge of the Corona Branch Office for ten years and assisted the Corona Police Department with training in the areas of search warrants and report writing. He also conducted courtroom training for police officers. He worked in the Riverside Superior and Municipal Courts, Corona Municipal Court and Hemet Municipal Court, handling both felony and misdemeanor cases.

In 1988 he was appointed a Municipal Court Commissioner in the Corona Municipal Court. In 1992 he was appointed a Superior Court Commissioner and oversaw assignments that included criminal, civil, family law, traffic, small claims, and unlawful detainers.

Stuart currently lives in Corona, California with his wife Ann of 43 years. He has two daughters, Marsha and Deborah, and is a proud grandfather of five.

Stuart has been actively involved in the community as a member and past president of the United States Navy League of Corona. He is also a member and past president of the Corona Breakfast Lions Club and a member of the Temescal Palms Masonic Lodge in Corona.

Stuart's tireless work as a Deputy District Attorney and a Superior Court Commissioner has contributed unmeasurably to the betterment of Riverside County. His involvement in the community makes me proud to call him a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that the residents of Riverside County are grateful for his service and salute him as he retires. I look forward to continuing to work with him in the future for the good of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the city of Corona, CA are exceptional. Corona has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated business and community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give time and talent to making their communities a better place to live and work. John O'Doherty is one of these individuals. On January 11, 2003, the Corona Chamber of Commerce hosted an Installation and Awards Banquet in celebration of John's year as president.

John has been an invaluable member of the Corona Chamber of Commerce, having served as Treasurer, 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, president Elect and currently, as President. His commitment to involvement has set a benchmark for those who follow him. During the past year, John has presided over Board, Executive and membership meetings as well as attending almost every after-hours activity. He prides himself on being involved beyond his direct duties as President. In addition to this extensive Chamber event involvement, John became a regular at the city council meetings giving a Chamber update to the mayor and council members.

As his tenure as President, John had several noteworthy accomplishments. The Chamber grew in membership from 780 members to over 900. He also encouraged and participated in the growth and expansion of Chamber events such as Good Morning Corona which grew to an average attendance in excess of 100 and quarterly Membership Meeting Luncheons, which hit the all time high this year with over 320 members in attendance. Committee growth was also a legacy of this fine leader and under his tutelage, many Committees were motivated to reach landmark performance goals. The Chamber also reintroduced the Five P.M. Christmas Holiday, expanded the scope of the Business Expo and finely tuned the Ambassadors, who assisted many businesses in grand openings, open houses and ground breaking ceremonies.

Under John's exemplary leadership, the Chamber was a visible participant in the annual Corona Beautiful program, run through the City of Corona's Economic and Redevelopment Department. He also oversaw a very successful Casino Night which raised proceeds that went to scholarships for high school students in the local area. The Chamber also hosted a very successful 13th Annual Corona Night with the Anaheim Angels.

John has set a standard for excellence and commitment that will be difficult to duplicate. John's diligent work as the President of the Corona Chamber of Commerce has contributed unmeasurably to the betterment of the city of Corona. His involvement in the community makes me proud to call him a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that all of the members of the Chamber are grateful for his service and salute him as his term comes to an end. I look forward to working with him in the future for the good of our community.