[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E837-E838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                SALUTE TO HERBERT F. (BERT) BOECKMANN II

                                 ______


                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 1995
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a selfless 
philanthropist, a successful businessman, a good friend, and recipient 
of the 1995 Horatio Alger Award--Bert Boeckmann.
  A native Californian, Bert established early in life a commitment to 
hard work and a spirit of entrepreneurism that have served him well and 
have endured to this day.
  In his early teens, when many of his peers were focused on the simple 
pleasures of youth., Bert began mowing the lawns, cleaning the 
basements, and washing the windows of local estates. He later put 
himself through the University of Southern California by working a 
weekend maintenance job and the graveyard shift at Lockheed Aircraft.
  He took a job as a car salesman at Galpin Ford in 1957 and--less than 
4 years later--was promoted to general manager of the company. His 
leadership ushered in an unprecedented period of prosperity for the 
struggling dealership, which he acquired in 1968.
  Galpin has ranked first in profits among all Ford dealerships for 21 
of the past 25 years, which is not surprising given Bert's dedicated 
leadership and the fact that he has created an environment that 
encourages his best people to stay with the company. Top Galpin 
managers have tenures ranging from 17 to 36 years, a nearly unheard of 
record of commitment in the industry.
  But life for Bert has hardly been just about business. A husband and 
proud father, he has demonstrated time and time again that he cares 
more about others than he does about himself--that no demand is too 
great when there are people out there in need of assistance.
  In 1991, Bert and his wife Jane joined Secretary of State and Mrs. 
James Baker in honoring Mother Theresa with the Prince of Peace Prize. 
Bert also helped raise $1 million in medical supplies, food, and 
clothing for Mother Theresa's charities.
  Two years ago, Bert responded to a desperate plea from Russian 
farmers for seeds needed to ensure an adequate harvest. Not only did he 
orchestrate the donation of 56,000 pounds of seeds from several 
American companies and arrange for their transport by the Department of 
Defense, Bert and Jane met 
[[Page E838]] the transport plane in Russia and personally directed the 
distribution.
  Mr. Speaker, these are only a few examples culled from a lifetime 
spent serving people. As his friend, I know that Bert is the kind of 
person who, when faced with a challenge, never wonders whether 
something can be done. He is the kind of person who is always willing 
to do whatever it takes to make a difference.


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