[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 10, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ROBERT L. OZUNA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 1999

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a heartfelt tribute to 
Robert L. Ozuna, Chief Executive Officer of New Bedford Panoramex 
Corporation from 1966 to date has died. Robert Ozuna died Saturday, 
March 6, 1999 at Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina. He was 
69.
  Robert Ozuna was the oldest of four children born in Miami, Arizona 
to Mexican-American parents. In 1940, after his father's early death, 
the family moved to East Los Angeles where he grew up with his mother, 
brother and two sisters. Robert was required to seek steady work at an 
early age to assist the family in meeting their financial burdens.
  Robert Ozuna emerged as one of the leading Mexican-American 
entrepreneurs in Southern California as Founder and President of New 
Bedford Panoramex Corporation (NBP). He gained his business experience 
on the job and his engineering education by attending night school in 
the California community and junior college system.
  In 1966, Mr. Ozuna began to build his company with a second mortgage 
on his residence, a few electrician's hand tools, hard work and 
entrepreneurial instincts into the thriving electronics manufacturing 
business it is today in Upland, California. NBP engages in the design, 
development and manufacturing of electronic communication systems and 
remote monitoring systems for its primary client, the United States 
Government.
  Mr. Ozuna's hard work and dedication has been rewarded by receiving 
the Department of Transportation Minority Business Enterprise Award for 
1987 and again for 1991. He received the Air Traffic Control 
Association Chairman's Citation of Merit Award in 1994. He continued to 
be an active member of The California Chamber of Commerce for various 
cities and a founder of Casa De Rosa Annual Golf Tournament, which he 
instituted to raise funds for the Rancho de Los Ninos Orphanage in 
BajaMar, Mexico.
  As industrious as Mr. Ozuna has been in business, he has been equally 
involved in sharing his prosperity with many philanthropic activities 
in his community. He is the sponsor of many events in the Hispanic 
neighborhood where he grew up, and he was a founding director in the 
East Los Angeles Sheriff's Youth Athletic Association, which promotes 
educational, athletic and drug awareness programs for more than 60,000 
youths in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.
  Robert Ozuna is remembered by his employees at New Bedford Panoramex 
Corporation as a handsome man who had a passion for life. His concern 
for his employees and their families along with his abundant generosity 
to them was always present.
  Robert Ozuna was married for 35 years to Rosemary, who passed way in 
November of 1998. He is survived by his mother, Amelia Ozuna; his sons, 
Steven Ozuna and Jeff Dominelli; his daughters Nancy DoSilva and Lisa 
Jarrett; his sisters, Lillian Gomez and Vera Venegas and his brother 
Tony Ozuna. He also leaves 8 grandchildren.
  A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, March 12th at 12:00 noon, 
at St. Gregory's Church, 1393 E. Telegraph Rd., Whittier, CA. The 
burial will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
  Mr. Speaker, Robert Ozuna epitomized the American dream. It is a 
dream that promises that any citizen of this country can achieve 
anything to which he or she aspires, as long as they work hard and play 
by the rules. Robert Ozuna achieved that dream and he will be missed.

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