[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 49 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF THE LATE MR. JOSEPH F. UNANUE FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE 
                           HISPANIC COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 12, 1999

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Joseph 
F. Unanue for his extraordinary contributions to the Hispanic Community 
and for the strides he made for Hispanic businesses.
  Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Mr. Unanue moved with his family to my 
home state of New Jersey in his early childhood. Realizing how 
important and significant cuisine is to culture, Mr. Unanue's 
grandparents founded a family business in 1936, designed to bring the 
spices and tastes of their native foods to the New Jersey metropolitan 
area. In the process, Mr. Unanue's business addressed the needs of a 
marginalized consumer market and helped build his company into a 
household name. This business, today known as Goya Foods, is one of the 
largest Hispanic-owned firms in the nation.
  Mr. Unanue continued Goya's commitment to the family and to the 
Hispanic community as he rose through the ranks to eventually become 
Executive Vice President. Armed with a master's degree in business 
administration from the University of North Carolina, Mr. Unanue was 
critical in introducing the art and flavor of traditional Hispanic 
dishes into American homes. He spearheaded Goya's marketing project 
that aimed for the non-Hispanic consumer by implementing an extensive 
English-language campaign. This campaign played an important role in 
Goya's multicultural business success and opened Middle America to 
Hispanic culinary traditions.
  Mr. Unanue's contributions went beyond the kitchen and the boardroom 
and into the realm of art. In 1997, Mr. Unanue sponsored two major 
exhibits which highlighted the contributions of minority artists. The 
first was a Picasso exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a 
compilation of 150 engravings, etchings and woodcuts by the renowned 
Spanish artist dating from 1900 through 1942. The second was an exhibit 
at Museo del Barrio of Taino artifacts--the indigenous people of the 
Caribbean. This project proved to be the first comprehensive art 
exhibit of the ancient Caribbean culture ever presented in North 
America.
  Mr. Unanue's leadership and dedication to promote and support both 
the Hispanic community and Hispanic business is his legacy. Though he 
has passed on, his tremendous efforts and contributions remain to 
remind us of the importance, the necessity, and the benefits of 
multiculturalism. I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to 
publicly praise this man for his many achievements.

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