[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 10, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E395-E396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT OZUNA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID DREIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 1999

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Robert Ozuna, a 
businessman, philanthropist, and friend, who truly lived the American 
dream. The son of Mexican-American parents, Mr. Ozuna was a self-made 
success story. He worked his way through school, and started New 
Bedford Panoramex, a firm that has become an important regional 
employer and leading supplier of advanced electronics equipment to the 
FAA and other agencies. Through his career Mr. Ozuna came to be 
respected by many as a leading entrepreneur, and a supporter of 
charitable causes through Southern California. Mr. Ozuna's passing on 
Saturday is a major loss to the community, and he will be missed.
  Robert Ozuna was born in Miami, Arizona, the oldest of four children, 
and he lost his father when he was only about ten years old. After his 
father's death, Mr. Ozuna's family moved to East Los Angeles, where he 
began working to help support his mother, brother, and two sisters. 
Through his years on the job he acquired important business experience, 
and he both supported himself and paid for his education in electrical 
engineering.
  In 1966 Mr. Ozuna founded New Bedford Panoramex. Under his leadership 
as CEO for the last 33 years, NBP has grown into a thriving 
electronics-manufacturing business, a leader in the development and 
manufacture of electronic communications systems and remote monitoring 
systems. For his work Mr. Ozuna earned the Air Traffic Control 
Association Chairman's Citation of Merit Award, and was twice honored 
with the Department of Transportation's Minority Business Enterprise 
Award.
  Over the years Mr. Ozuna ensured that his community benefitted from 
his success. He sponsored many philanthropic activities, and was a 
founding director in the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Youth Athletic 
Association.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ozuna will be missed. I want to take this 
opportunity to extend my heartfelt condolences to his mother Amelia 
Ozuna, his sons Steve Ozuna and Jeff Dominelli, his daughters Nancy 
DeSilva and Lisa Jarrett, his sisters Lillian Gomez and Vera Venegas, 
his brother Tony Ozuna, and his eight grandchildren.

                  Upland Entrepreneur Ozuna Dies at 69

                             (By Joan Kite)

       Upland.--Robert L. Ozuna, a Mexican-American entrepreneur 
     who turned a garage-based electronics manufacturing business 
     into one of the largest companies in Upland, selling 
     instrument landing systems to the American government, died 
     Saturday. He was 69.
       Mr. Ozuna, president and CEO of New Bedford Panoramex 
     Corp., died of cancer at Queen of the Valley Hospital in West 
     Covina, months after his wife died of leukemia, said Mr. 
     Ozuna's daughter-in-law, Gina Ozuna.
       ``He was a real fighter. He was only given two months to 
     live, but he lasted six months,'' Gina Ozuna said. ``He 
     worked up until the day before he went into the hospital.''
       That was two weeks ago.
       Mr. Ozuna was born to Mexican-American parents in Miami, 
     Ariz.

[[Page E396]]

       In 1940, his father died of cancer, and Mr. Ozuna assumed 
     much of the responsibility for his brother and two sisters 
     while his mother worked.
       Taking out a second mortgage on his Whittier home, Mr. 
     Ozuna used that money to start his business in 1966. He built 
     that business up and attended community college to learn 
     about electronics engineering.
       The business took off. Mr. Ozuna's most important customer 
     was the American government. He flew back and forth from 
     Washington, D.C., hobnobbing with politicians.
       At the peak of the company's growth, Mr. Ozuna had about 
     500 employees working for him at 1037 W. Ninth St.
       Mr. Ozuna was married twice. His first wife, Yolanda, died 
     of cancer when Mr. Ozuna's son, Steve, was 8.
       Gina Ozuna's husband, Steve, will now take over New Bedford 
     Panoramex Corp.
       A humanitarian as well, Mr. Ozuna founded the East Los 
     Angeles Sheriff's Youth Athletic Association, which promotes 
     healthy living and smart choices for about 60,000 young 
     people.
       Mr. Ozuna is survived by his mother, Amelia Ozuna; sons 
     Steven Ozuna and Jeff Dominelli; daughters Nancy DeSilva and 
     Lisa Jarrett; sisters Lillian Gomez and Vera Venegas; brother 
     Tony Ozuna; and eight grandchildren.
       A memorial service will be noon Friday at St. Gregory's 
     Church, 13935 E. Telegraph Road, Whittier. Interment will 
     follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Rowland heights.
       The family requests donations to Make a Wish Foundation, 
     Rancho de Los Ninos Orphanage and City of Hope.

     

                          ____________________