[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 75 (Thursday, June 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1117-E1119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          SALUTING THE 1998 ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR AWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 11, 1998

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday May 9th four of our 
distinguished colleagues together with more than 130 other outstanding 
Americans were awarded the 1998 Ellis Island Medal of Honor at a gala 
ceremony on Ellis Island. The ceremony and the medals are sponsored by 
the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, Inc. (NECO), the 
nation's largest ethnic organization, representing more than 5 million 
families and hundreds of organizations.
  The Ellis Island Medals of Honor have been awarded in each of the 
past twelve years to those Americans who have made outstanding 
contributions to our nation's identity, while preserving the distinct 
values and heritage of their ancestors. This year I am especially proud 
to note that Reps. Gary Ackerman (Eastern Europe), Carolyn Maloney 
(English, Irish/French), Robert Menendez (Cuban), and Patsy Mink 
(Japanese) were among the awardees.
  I am proud to be a Medal recipient, as is President Clinton and five 
other United States Presidents. The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is 
aptly named, for the island is a symbol of the diversity of our 
nation's people--a people whose genius, culture, artistry and thought 
have joined to form a single mosaic of many cultures and ancestral 
backgrounds. It is from this diversity that the United States is still 
a beacon of hope for so many and the greatest democracy the world has 
ever known.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay a special tribute to the one man who 
is responsible for the Ellis Island Medals of Honor and someone who has 
dedicated his life to developing and strengthening bonds between people 
of all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, Willian Denis Fugazy. 
At this point in the Record, I wish to include the entire list of the 
Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients and congratulate each of them.

           Ellis Island Medal of Honor Awards--1998 Medalists

       Anthony S. Abbate, President & CEO, Interchange State Bank, 
     Saddle Brook, NJ--Italian; Gary L. Ackerman, Congressman, 
     United States House of Representatives, Bayside, NY--Eastern 
     European; William H. Adkins, President & CEO, Palanker 
     Chevrolet Inc. West Babylon, NY--African; Antigone Agris, 
     Publisher, Hellenic Chronicle, Framingham, MA--Hellenic; Ace 
     (Armando) Alaga, Publisher, Italian Tribune News, Newark, 
     NJ--Italian; John B. Alfieri, Esq. Senior Partner, Alfieri, 
     Frohman & Primoff, LLP, New York, NY--Italian; John A. 
     Allison IV, Chairman & CEO, BB&T Corporation, Winston-Salem, 
     NC--Scottish/Irish; John A. Amos, President & CEO, Halley's 
     Comet Company, Califon, NJ--African; Ernie Anastos, News 
     Anchor, UPN 9/WWOR-TV, Secaucus, NJ--Hellenic; Thomas V. 
     Angott, Chairman, C.F. Burger Creamery, Detroit, MI--Italian; 
     Michael S. Ansari, Chairman & CEO, MIC Industries, Inc., 
     Reston, VA--Iranian; Norman R. Augustine, Chairman of the 
     Board, retired, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD--
     German; William J. Avery, Chairman & CEO, Crown, Cork & Seal 
     Company, Inc., Philadelphia, PA--Irish/Welsch; Farhad Azima, 
     Chairman, Aviation Leasing Group, Kansas City, MO--Persian;

[[Page E1118]]

     and Brian M. Barefoot, Executive Vice President, Paine Webber 
     Inc. New York, NY-- English/German.
       Archbishop Khajag Barasmian, Primate, Diocease of the 
     American Church of Am., New York, NY--Armenian; George D. 
     Behrakis, Judge, President & CEO, Muro Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 
     Tewksbury, MA--Hellenic; Joseph W. Bellacosa, Judge, New York 
     State Court of Appeals, Albany, NY--Italian; Francis X. 
     Bellotti, Attorney, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & 
     Popeo, PC, Boston, MA--Italian; Eric A. Behamou, President, 
     CEO & Chairman, 3 Com Corporation, Santa Clara, CA--French; 
     Michael Berry, Esq., Attorney, Berry, Francis, Seifman, 
     Salamey & Harris, Dearborn, MI--Lebanese; Albert C. 
     Bersticker, Chairman & CEO, Ferro Corporation, Cleveland, 
     OH--German; Elias Betzios, President, Continental Food 
     Products, Inc, Flushing, NY--Hellenic; Frank J. Branchini, 
     President, & CEO, Group Health Incorporated, New York, NY--
     Irish/Italian; John G. Breen, Chairman & CEO, The Sherwin-
     Williams Company, Cleveland, OH--Scottish/Irish; and Duncan 
     A. Bruce, Author & Community Leader, New York, NY--Stottish.
       Michael G. Cantonis, President, Acme Sponge & Chamois Co., 
     Inc., Tarpon Springs, FL--Hellenic; Louis J. Cappelli, 
     Chairman, Sterling National Bank, New York, NY--Italian; 
     Richard Conway Casey, United States District Court Judge, 
     United States District Court, White Plains, NY--Irish; Robert 
     B. Catell, Chairman, President & CEO, KeySpan Energy Company, 
     Brooklyn, NY--Italian; William Cavanaugh III, President & 
     CEO, Carolina Power & Light Co., Raleigh, NC--Irish; Jerry D. 
     Choate, Chairman & CEO, Allstate Insurance, Northbrook, IL--
     English; Christopher Christodoulou, President, Creative Color 
     Lithographers, Inc./Graphic Arts Laboratory/ELAS Travel, 
     Garwood, NJ--Cypriot; Kenneth A. Ciongoli, President, 
     Neurological Association of UT/NIAF, Burlington, VT--Italian; 
     E. Virgil Conway, Chairman, Metropolitan Transportation 
     Authority, New York, NY--Irish; Takey Crist, President and 
     Medical Director; Honorary Consul, Crist Clinic for Women; 
     Republic of Cyprus, Jacksonville, NC--Cypriot; and Karen 
     Davis, President, Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY--Swiss/
     German.
       Diane H. Dayson, Superintendent, Department of Interior--
     National Park Service, New York, NY--African; Theodore 
     Deikel, Chairman & CEO, Fingerhut Companies, Inc., 
     Minnetonka, MN--Russian; George J. Delaney, President, Summit 
     Resources, Inc., Briarcliff Manor, NY--Irish; Gustave 
     Diamond, United States District Judge, United States District 
     Court, Pittsburgh, PA--Hellenic; Jim Donald, Chairman, 
     President & CEO, Pathmark Stores Inc., Carteret, NJ--Irish; 
     Lewis Robert Elias, MD, Cardiologist, Senior Member, South 
     Florida Cardiology Associates, Bal Harbour, FL--Lebanese; 
     Victor Elmaleh, Chairman, World-Wide Holdings Corporation, 
     New York, NY--Moroccan; Pamela Fiori, Editor in Chief, Town 
     and Country Magazine, New York, NY--Italian; Brian T. Gilson, 
     President, Minnesota Diversified Industries, St. Paul, MN--
     Norwegian/German/Italian; Richard H. Girgenti, Esq., 
     Principal, KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, New York, NY--Italian; and 
     Bernice Gottlieb, President, Hudson Shores Realtors, 
     Irvington, NY--Austrian/Hungarian.
       Charlie N. Hall, Sr., President, Local #108 R, W & D Store 
     Union, Irvington, NJ--African; James F. Hardymon, Chairman & 
     CEO, Textron, Inc., Providence, RI--English; Derek C. 
     Hathaway, Chairman & CEO, Harsco, Camp Hill, PA--English; 
     William Hetzler, President & Owner, Bill Hetzler Holding, 
     Atlantic Beach Estates, NY--German; John A. Holy, President, 
     Slovak American Publishing Co., Clifton, NJ--Slovak; Vahak S. 
     Hovnanian, Chairman & President, V.S. Hovnanian Group & 
     Hovbilth--Armenian; Darrell Edward Issa, President & CEO, 
     Directed Electronics, Inc., Vista, CA--Lebanese; Robert M. 
     Johnson, Chairman & CEO, Bowne & Co., Inc., New York, NY--
     Swedish/English; Mitchell J. Joseph, Chairman & CEO, The 
     Joseph Company, Laguna Niguel, CA--Italian; Thomas Peter 
     Kazas, President, Hometown Coffee Company, Pittsburgh, PA--
     Hellenic; John F. Keenan, US District Judge, U.S. District 
     Court, New York, NY--French Canadian/Irish; Andrew Sokchu 
     Kim, President, LISA Page/Codwell Communications Inc., 
     Roslyn, NY--Korean; A. Eugene Kohn, President, Kohn Pedersen 
     Fox Associates, New York, NY--European; Alexander R. 
     Koproski, CEO, Al Koproski Realty, Stamford, CT--Polish; 
     Haralambos S. Kostakopoulos, Ph.D., President & CEO, First 
     Savings Bank of Little Falls, Little Falls, NJ--Hellenic; and 
     Thomas C. Kyrus, President, Kyrus Enterprises, Naples, FL--
     Cypriot.
       Vincent V. LaBruna, DDS, President, Vincent V. LaBruna DDS, 
     PC, New York, NY--Italian; Lee Liu, Chairman & CEO, IES 
     Industries Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA--Chinese; Dr. Pamela Loren, 
     Chairman & CEO, Loren Communications Intl., Ltd., New York, 
     NY--Argentinean/English; William Losapio, President, 
     Gregory's Restaurant, White Plains, NY--Italian; Alan Barry 
     Lubin, Executive Vice President, NYS United Teachers, Albany, 
     NY--Russian; Leon Machiz, Chairman & CEO, Avnet Inc., Great 
     Neck, NY--English/Irish/French; Carolyn B. Maloney, 
     Congresswoman, United States House of Representatives, New 
     York, NY--English/Irish/French; Joseph L. Mancino, Chairman, 
     President & CEO, The Roslyn Savings Bank, Roslyn, NY--
     Italian; Frank G. Mancuso, Chairman & CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-
     Mayer Inc., Santa Monica, CA--Italian; John Willard Marriott 
     Jr., Chairman & CEO, Marriott Internatinal, Inc., Washington, 
     DC--English; Anthony A. Massaro, Chairman & CEO, The Lincoln 
     Electric Company, Cleveland, OH--Italian; Fernando Mateo, 
     Founder & Chairman, Goods for Guns Foundation, New York, NY--
     Hispanic; and Joseph M. Mattone, Esq., Chairman & CEO, 
     Mattone Group, Ltd., College Point, NY--Italian
       William Surles McArthur, Jr., Colonel, NASA, Houston, TX--
     Scottish; Linda Eastman McCartney, (posthumously) 
     Photographer, Animal Activist, Writer, Singer, Musician, AZ, 
     CA, UK; Michael R. McCoy, Executive Vice President & COO, 
     Geotek Communications Inc., Montvale, NJ--Irish; Bryan N. 
     McGuire, General Manager, ``21'' Club, New York, NY--Irish; 
     Josie Anderson McMillian, President, New York Metro Area 
     Postal Union, New York, NY--African; James R. Mellor, Former 
     Chairman & CEO, General Dynamics, Falls Church, VA--English; 
     Robert Menendez, Congressman, House of Representatives, 
     Washington, DC--Cuban; Arthur L. Mercante, Deputy 
     Commissioner, Town of Hempstead, Garden City, NY--Italian; 
     Lee Miglin, (posthumously) Former Chairman, Miglin-Beitler 
     Company, Chicago, IL--Lithuanian; Alan B. Miller, President & 
     Chairman, Universal Health Service, Inc., King of Prussia, 
     PA--Russian; Patsy T. Mink, Congresswoman, United States 
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC--Japanese; and 
     Senator George Mitchell, Chairman, Peace Talks in Northern 
     Ireland, Washington, DC--Lebanese/Irish.
       Tita Scandalis Monti, President & Founder, Don Monti 
     Memorial Research Foundation, Sands Point, NY--Hellenic; 
     William D. Moses, President & CEO, Recovery Network, Santa 
     Monica, CA--Syrian; Mary Murphy, Anchor and Correspondent, 
     WPIX-TV New York, NY--Irish; Thomas J. Murphy, Chairman, NYS 
     Dormitory Authority, Albany, NY--Irish; John Francis, 
     O'Brien, President & CEO, Allmerica Financial Corporation, 
     Worcester, MA--Irish/Italian; Timothy Stuart O'Leary, USN, 
     Director, United States Navy Office of Information, East, New 
     York, NY--Irish/Croat; Harry J. Pappas, President & CEO, 
     Pappas Telecasting Companies, Visalia, CA--Hellenic; Carl F. 
     Pascarella, President & CEO, Visa, USA, San Francisco, CA--
     Italian; Nicholas Anthony Penachio, President, Nick Penachio 
     Co., Inc., New York, NY--Italian; and James George 
     Petheriotes, Co-Owner, Petheriotes Brothers Coffee Company, 
     Houston, TX--Hellenic.
       William G. Poist, President & CEO, Commonwealth Energy 
     System, Cambridge, MA--German; Dith Pran, Photojournalist, 
     The New York Times, Woodbridge, NJ--Cambodian; Leslie C. 
     Quick, III, President, United States Clearing Corporation--
     Fleet Securities Inc., New York, NY--Irish; Bradford J. Race, 
     Jr., Secretary to the Governor, State of New York, Albany, 
     NY--Irish/English; John G. Rangos, Sr., USA Waste Services, 
     Pittsburgh, PA--Hellenic; Michael T. Reddy, Chairman & CEO, 
     EDS Global Securities Industry Group, New York, NY--Irish; 
     Ronald K. Richey, Chairman, Torchmark Corporation, 
     Birmingham, AL--Swedish/Scottish/Irish/German; P. Anthony 
     Ridder, Chairman & CEO, Knight-Ridder, Miami, FL--German/
     French; John J. Rigas, Chairman, President & CEO, Adelphia 
     Communications Corporation, Coudersport, PA--Hellenic; Eddie 
     Robsinson, Senior Advisor to the President for Institutional 
     Advancement, Grambling State University, Grambling, LA--
     African; and Edward J. Robson, Chairman, Robson Communities, 
     Sun Lakes, AZ--English.
       Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, Ph.D., Chief of Surgery, National 
     Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD--Eastern European; Robert J. 
     Rotatori, Esq., Attorney, Gold, Rotatori & Schwartz Co., 
     Cleveland, OH--Italian; Dr. John W. Ryan, Chancellor, State 
     University of New York, Albany, NY--Irish; Philip Adeeb 
     Salem, MD, Director of Cancer Research, St. Luke's Episcopal 
     Hospital, Houston, TX--Lebanese; Joseph D. Sargent, CLU, 
     President & CEO, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 
     New York, NY--Irish/English; George D. Schwab, PH.D., 
     President, National Committee on American Foreign Policy, New 
     York, NY--Latvian; Steven Seagal, President, Seagal-Nasso 
     Productions, Inc., Los Angeles, CA--French Canadian/Italian; 
     Tosano J. Simonetti, Vice President of Security, MacAndrews & 
     Forbes, New York, NY--Italian; Richard Sklar, United States 
     Representative for United Nations Management, United States 
     Mission to the United Nations, New York, NY--Russian/
     Hungarian; Orin R. Smith, Chairman & CEO, Engelhard 
     Corporation, Iselin, NJ--English; and Philip J. Smith, 
     President, The Shubert Organization, Inc., New York, NY--
     Irish.
       William S. Stavropoulos, President & CEO, The DOW Chemical 
     Company, Midland, MI--Hellenic; Michael R. Steed, Senior Vice 
     President ULLICO, Inc., Washington, DC--Irish, Pergrouhi 
     (Najarian) Svajian, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Brooklyn 
     College, Brooklyn, NY--Armenian; Laszlo N. Vauber, M.D., 
     F.A.C.S., F.I.C.S., Clinical Professor of Surgery, Chairman 
     Emeritus of Surgery, Jefferson Memorial Hospital, Alexandria, 
     VA--Hungarian; Nicholas Tsoucalas, Senior Judge, United 
     States Court of International Trade, New York, NY--Hellenic; 
     1998 United States Olympic Women's Hockey Team, USA; and 
     Vincent Viola, Owner & CEO, Pioneer Group, New York, NY--
     Italian.
       Randi Weingarten, President, United Federation of Teachers, 
     New York, NY--Russian/German; Melvyn I. Weiss, Esq., Senior 
     Partner, Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes &

[[Page E1119]]

     Lerach LLP, New York, NY--Russian/Hungarian; H. Daniel 
     Wenstrup, President & CEO, CHEMCENTRAL Corporation, Bedford 
     Park, IL--Danish; Siggi B. Wilzig, Chairman & CEO, The Trust 
     Company of New Jersey, Jersey City, NJ--German/Prussian; 
     Margaret W. Wong, Managing Partner, Margaret W. Wong & 
     Associates Co., Cleveland, OH--Chinese; John B. Yasinsky, 
     Chairman & CEO, GenCorp, Fairlawn, OH--Lithuanian; Zachariah 
     P. Zachariah, MD, Director of Cardiology, Holy Cross 
     Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, FL--Asian Indian; and Robert 
     Thomas Zito, Senior Vice President of Communications, New 
     York Stock Exchange, New York, NY--Italian.

     

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