[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1757-E1758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO JULIA BALDERAS, LT. JOSE L. MORALEZ, DANIEL GARCIA PAYNE, 
                DENNIS J. SANCHEZ AND DR. ROBERT SEGURA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 18, 1998

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Julia 
Balderas, Lt. Jose L. Moralez, Daniel Garcia Payne, Dennis J. Sanchez 
and Dr. Robert Segura for being selected 1998 Portraits of Success 
program honorees by KSEE 24 and Companies that Care. In celebration of 
Hispanic-American Heritage Month, these distinguished individuals were 
honored for their unique contributions to the betterment of their 
community.
  Julia Balderas is a lifetime educator who has made significant 
contributions to her profession, her community and family. She is 
currently employed as a business and computer science instructor at 
Edison High School where she graduated in 1958. In 1962, Julia Balderas 
earned a baccalaureate degree in business from California State 
University Fresno. That same year, she returned to Edison High School 
and began her career in education, providing instruction in a variety 
of business and vocational development courses. During the early 
1970's, Ms. Balderas furthered her professional career by completing 
her Masters Degree in Business at California State University, Fresno. 
She also worked as a cultural consultant, business instructor and 
administrator for various educational entities, including Fresno City 
College, Clovis Adult School and the California State Department of 
Education. In 1976, Ms. Balderas became an owner and partner of the 
Hacienda de Los Amiguitos Child Development Center. It became the only 
private bilingual preschool in the San Joaquin Valley. During the late 
1970's and early 1980's, Ms. Balderas served as a lecturer at 
California State University, Fresno for the School of Business 
Administrative Sciences. She also lectured for the Chicano Leadership 
Conference for five years. Julia Balderas has been recognized not only 
for her outstanding leadership in education, but also for her 
passionate work on behalf of the poor. She is a founding member of MAPA 
(The Mexican American Political Association), an active member of El 
Concilio de Fresno, the League of Mexican American Women and dozens of 
other civic action groups that have made a real difference in the lives 
of thousands of people.
  Lt. Jose L. Moralez began his law enforcement career with the Fresno 
Police Department as a cadet in 1974 and was sworn in as a police 
officer in 1977. In 1985, Lt. Moralez was promoted to the rank of 
Sergeant, followed by his promotion to Lieutenant in 1995. Lt. Moralez 
is currently assigned to the Southeast Policing District as its Field 
Commander. He oversees the evening operations of the unit as well as 
other city-wide operations. In addition to his patrol assignments, Lt. 
Moralez serves as Administrative Assistant to Chief of Police Ed 
Winchester. Lt. Moralez also participates as an instructor for the 
Advanced Officer Academy Courses at the Fresno Police Department. On 
the community front, Lt. Moralez is actively committed to working and 
expanding the Neighborhood Watch Association. Residents say they find 
him kind and approachable and turn to him often for his expert advice 
on home and neighborhood safety issues. Lt. Moralez also cares about 
and is involved with young people in our community. He has been very 
active in getting local merchants and residents to support inner city 
youth through the Boys and Girls Club. He recently spearheaded an 
effort to have the Boys and Girls Club repainted, after the facility 
started showing signs of a badly needed facelift. A source of pride for 
Lt. Moralez was coordinating and instructing at the Hispanic Residents 
Academy. This organization works to improve the working relationship 
between the police and the local residents. He and his wife Yolanda are 
blessed with two children.

  Daniel Garcia Payne is a highly decorated and retired Marine Corps 
Officer. During the latter part of his 23-year career with the 
military, he managed a half a billion dollar budget and earned numerous 
commendations for his outstanding service. He holds a degree in missile 
munitions from John C. Calhoun College in Alabama and a degree in law 
enforcement from San Jose City College. More recently, Mr. Payne has 
devoted much of his time and efforts to local organizations that are 
working to better our community. As a licensed ordained minister, he 
was very instrumental in

[[Page E1758]]

the establishment of the Valley Community Church. The Church targets 
its ministry work toward Hispanics who are not attending church and who 
need spiritual and civic growth. I have the pleasure of having Mr. 
Payne serve as a co-chairman on my Congressional Hispanic Advisory 
Committee. He has served as Vice Chairman of the Republican Central 
Committee and the California State Republican National Hispanic 
Assembly. Because of his military background, Mr. Payne also volunteers 
his time to several local veteran organizations. He is the past 
commander and currently an officer of the American Legion Post 4. He is 
also an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American 
G.I. Forum, and the Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Payne is also 
active with youth. For the past five years he has served as co-
coordinator of the popular Toys for Tots Christmas effort, which 
provides 20,000 gifts to needy children. He also co-founded ``Drug 
Dilemma'', a life drama project that is working to discourage high 
school students from experimenting with drugs. He and his wife Mary 
Lynn have two daughters.
  Dennis J. Sanchez was born in Hanford, California where he attended 
local schools. After high school he attended College of the Sequoias 
and later graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in 
agronomy. After college Mr. Sanchez returned to Hanford, and along with 
his brother Peter, began farming operations in the early 1950's. At the 
same time, he enlisted into the California National Guard 2nd Battalion 
49th Infantry Division, and received an honorable discharge in 1964 as 
a First Lieutenant. In 1968 he co-founded Sanchez & Sanchez Grain. In 
1974 he opened Sanchez Feed & Seed. Today he continues to work on the 
farming side of the business, while juggling a very busy civic 
schedule. Throughout his adult life, Mr. Sanchez has volunteered and 
contributed to several organizations--namely, the League of United 
Latin American Citizens, the Kings County Farm Bureau, the State Fair 
Board, the Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber and the San Joaquin Valley 
Latino Vote Coalition. In 1994, Dennis Sanchez was elected to the 
Hanford City Council. As an elected official, he has furthered efforts 
in the areas of crime and juvenile delinquency prevention, job 
creation, and attracting new business into the Hanford area. Mr. 
Sanchez is the father of four children, and the proud grandfather of 
ten children. It is for these reasons that he was selected as a 1998 
Portrait of Success.

  Dr. Robert Segura is a professor of education at California State 
University Fresno, a position he has held since 1980. Dr. Segura earned 
a baccalaureate and masters degree from New Mexico Highlands University 
at Las Vegas, New Mexico. He attained a doctoral degree in curriculum 
and instruction from Washington State University in Pullman, 
Washington. In his current position, Dr. Segura provides instruction in 
the social and cultural foundations of education. Previously, he was 
responsible for the development, implementation and administration of 
federal and state projects that service the university and public 
schools in Fresno. Dr. Segura has also served as an educational 
presenter, evaluator and consultant to the U.S. Department of 
Education, California's Department of Education and dozens of 
universities across the country. He has assisted in such areas as 
bilingual education, the education of gifted minority students, 
desegreation policy, migrant programs and a myriad of other issues. Dr. 
Segura has also published a series of bilingual children's books which 
are based on the characters of ``Chato'' and ``Sapo.'' Dr. Segura's 
delightful and intriguing collection follows Chato and Sapo on many 
adventures, discoveries and pitfalls that they experience in school. 
Dr. Robert Segura is also recognized for his involvement in the 
political arena. I have the pleasure of having Dr. Segura serve as both 
a community representative for me in Fresno County and a as co-chairman 
on my Congressional Hispanic Advisory Committee. In addition, he is a 
member of the Hispanic Task Force and has served as President of the 
Fresno Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Association. 
Additionally, he chairs the Human Relations Commission for the City of 
Fresno.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Julia 
Balderas, Lt. Jose L. Moralez, Daniel Garcia Payne, Dennis J. Sanchez 
and Dr. Robert Segura for being recognized as the KSEE 24 and Companies 
that Care 1998 Hispanic-American Portraits of Success honorees. I 
applaud the contributions, ideas, and leadership they have exhibited in 
our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing these fine 
individuals many more years of success.

                          ____________________