[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 79 (Monday, June 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NEW MEXICO SMALL BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise to honor New Mexico's 
small business-owners and advocates which were recently selected by the 
U.S. Small Business Administration to receive recognition for their 
efforts to improve business opportunities in New Mexico.
  I not only want to recognize these individuals for their fine work 
but also to take a moment and highlight how important small businesses 
are to the State of New Mexico. Comprising over 96 percent of all 
businesses in my home State, small businesses are responsible for 
employing over 115,000 people and creating billions of dollars in 
revenue for our economy. Not only do small businesses serve as the 
backbone to New Mexico's economy, but they also serve as the foundation 
to our local communities. Small businessowners not only create 
thousands of good paying jobs in my State but also serve as an 
excellent example for young entrepreneurs who are chasing the American 
dream of owning their own business.
  Mr. President, there could have been no better choice for the SBA's 
top award than the family-owned business of Elite Laundry Co. in 
Gallup, NM. Mary Jean and Andrew Christiansen have worked with their 
children to build their business for the past 30 years and I cannot 
tell you how proud I am they are being recognized as the SBA's New 
Mexico Small Business Persons of the Year.
  The Christiansens have been an asset to me as I work to better serve 
New Mexico small businesses in the U.S. Senate. The Christiansens have 
built up Elite Laundry Company to employ 70 employees in a region of 
New Mexico which has one of this Nation's highest poverty rates. They 
have actively participated in my Small Business Advocacy Council and 
have testified on behalf of New Mexico businesses to the Senate Small 
Business Committee. The Christiansen family can be proud of their 
efforts in small business and I congratulate them for receiving this 
award.
  Mr. President, small businessowners and entrepreneurs in New Mexico 
can also count on receiving the most up-to-date and insightful business 
information from Michael G. Murphy, the assistant business editor for 
the Albuquerque Journal. The SBA has chosen this former editor of the 
New Mexico Business Times as this year's New Mexico and Region VI 
Advocate of the Year. Mr. Murphy understands the importance of keeping 
small business-owners informed of the issues, and has worked tirelessly 
to provide the tools they need to survive. I know I speak on behalf of 
all of New Mexico's small businesses when I congratulate Mr. Murphy on 
receiving this award.
  The New Mexico Women in Business Advocate of the Year is Jennifer A. 
Craig, regional manager of the Women's Economic Self Sufficiency Team 
Office in Las Cruces. I have worked very closely with WESST Corp. to 
build a better environment for New Mexico's women business-owners and 
entrepreneurs. I believe it is only fitting that the SBA highlights the 
tremendous success story being played out in Las Cruces. This city has 
one of the highest unemployment rates in the State, yet over the last 2 
years, WESST Corp has provided technical and business assistance to 
over 250 women entrepreneurs and has helped create 50 new women-owned 
businesses. I congratulate not only Jennifer Craig for being recognized 
for her hard work, but also WESST Corp. for attracting a person of her 
caliber to manage the southern regional office.
  Mr. President, I would also like to honor Teresa O. Molina, winner of 
the 1997 Financial Services Advocate Award for New Mexico. Mrs. Molina 
is a New Mexico native who attended Deming High School and graduated 
from New Mexico State University. She has worked with small business 
for over 14 years helping obtain loans at the First New Mexico Bank in 
Deming. Currently serving as the bank's vice president, Mrs. Molina has 
been involved with SBA lending programs since she issued the first ever 
SBA 504 loan in New Mexico's history. Mrs. Molina works hard to meet 
the banking needs of her community and I congratulate her for her 
success.
  Mr. President, as you are aware, this Nation is a melting pot of 
people with diverse ethic and social backgrounds. In New Mexico, we 
have hundreds of small and large minority owned and operated 
businesses. One person that I have always turned to for advice not only 
on minority business issues but general economic and business issues is 
Anna Muller, the proprietor of NEDA Business Consultants in 
Albuquerque.
  Anna is a member of my Minority Small Business Advocacy Council and 
has gained the respect and admiration of her peers when it comes to 
minority business issues. She has been chosen as the SBA's Minority 
Small Business Advocate for New Mexico, and I am hard pressed to think 
of anyone who better deserves recognition for her services to minority 
small businesses. Anna Muller is a true leader on minority business 
issues not only in the State of New Mexico, but the entire nation and I 
congratulate her on this award.

  I would also like to congratulate the SBA 1997 Prime Contractor of 
the Year for Region VI, Armando De La Paz, president and CEO of Vista 
Technologies, Inc., of Albuquerque. Mr. De La Paz founded his company 
on the notion that hard work and determination are the foundation for 
developing a successful business. Mr. De La Paz's company has provided 
high-technology solutions to the Federal Government for the last 8 
years and has been recognized as one of the fastest growing Hispanic 
business firms in the Nation for the period of 1993 to 1996.
  I would like to recognize Mr. Dennis A. Reasner, president of Darco 
Products, Inc., for being selected as the SBA Region VI Subcontractor 
of the Year for 1997. I recently had the opportunity to meet Mr. and 
Mrs. Reasner here in Washington and can tell you that they are truly 
one of the best examples of American entrepreneurship in action. 
Starting out of their garage, Dennis and Enid Reasner have worked for 
the past 25 years to develop a company worth millions of dollars which 
currently employs over 30 employees in Albuquerque, NM. Darco Products 
is a company we can all be proud of in New Mexico, for not only has a 
Darco product been used in the space shuttle, but the firm also 
produced a component part for the first ever American space station.
  Mr. President, New Mexico is witnessing an explosion in the growth of 
our exports and I believe it is important to recognize those who have 
helped bring about this change. One woman active in this area for New 
Mexico is Kimberly de Castro, owner of Wildflower International Ltd., a 
Santa Fe based export company. De Castro's business provides essential 
services to foreign buyers by researching various foreign markets and 
providing her clients with options they need to survive in a foreign 
marketplace. Wildflower International Ltd. exports to China, Egypt, 
Israel, and Italy, and is currently negotiating with sales in Taiwan 
and other Asian countries. Kimberly de Castro is clearly one of the 
people responsible for New Mexico's phenomenal growth in foreign trade, 
and I congratulate her for receiving the 1997 Exporter of the Year 
Award from the SBA.
  In closing, I would like to point out that these people deserve 
praise and recognition for striving to build a better New Mexico for 
our future generations. I personally extend my gratitude to these 
winners, and to others involved with small businesses in New Mexico. I 
am proud to stand here and recognize these hard-working individuals for 
creating new jobs and economic opportunities for the people of New 
Mexico.

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