[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         TRIBUTE TO PAUL HEFNER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 9, 1998

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good 
friend Paul Hefner, who has just completed a remarkably successful 
tenure as President of the Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce. In 
1997, Paul began his one-year term as Chairman of the San Fernando 
Chamber of Commerce. Under Paul's able leadership, the Chamber has 
grown and engaged in a series of successful outreach efforts, which led 
to changing the name to the ``Greater'' San Fernando Chamber. Paul's 
affable personality and business experience proved to be of tremendous 
value in this effort.
  For 25 years, Paul worked with First Interstate Bank of California. 
He began as a branch operations officer, and rose through the ranks to 
hold a number of senior positions, including Senior Vice President and 
Chief of Staff, Los Angeles Metro Division. He played a major role in 
creating the first multi-state First Interstate image and several 
automation projects, including Cirrus, the national automated teller 
machine network.
  In 1989, Paul left First Interstate and formed his own business, 
Words in Motion, which he established in his hometown of San Fernando. 
Words in Motion is a unique business, one that reflects the strong 
spirituality of its founder. Paul's company specializes in the 
resolution of Christian church disputes, offering assistance to those 
seeking to resolve disputes in a biblically faithful manner.
  I don't know whether Paul put this training to work as President of 
the San Fernando Chamber. What I do know is that by common consensus 
1997-98 was one of the most productive years in Chamber history. In 
August, a few weeks after Paul assumed the chairmanship, The Chamber 
entered into a consulting services agreement with the City of San 
Fernando to conduct four key economic development programs for the 
business community. And under Paul's leadership the Chamber has changed 
from a primarily volunteer-based organization to one with a full-time, 
professional staff.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Paul Hefner, a great 
Chamber Chairman, an exceptional businessman and an extremely nice guy. 
I salute him for his extraordinary efforts on behalf of the business 
community of San Fernando and the Northeast San Fernando Valley.

                          ____________________