[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 8, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 TRIBUTE TO D. MAE JOHNSON, W. RAY JOHNSON, MYSER JAMES KEELS, PASTOR 
                  CHESTER RIGGINS, AND JAMES E. WALTON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to D. Mae 
Johnson, W. Ray Johnson, Myser James Keels, Pastor Chester Riggins, and 
James E. Walton, Ph.D., for being selected the 1999 Portraits of 
Success program Honorees by KSEE 24 and Companies that Care. In 
celebration of African-American History Month, these five leaders were 
honored for their unique contributions to the betterment of their 
community.
  D. Mae Johnson was a teacher in Fresno and Oakland for twenty years; 
during this time she also obtained a master's degree in both Counseling 
and Guidance from California State University, Fresno (CSUF) and 
Administration from Pepperdine University. For the past 20 years she 
has been executive director of Quality Group Homes one of the Central 
Valley's largest providers of residential treatment care for 
adolescents and children. Mrs. Johnson is involved with many 
professional, church and community organizations, including being a 
lifetime member of the NAACP. In 1997, she helped found the Fresno 
chapter of Links Inc., a nonprofit humanitarian organization that 
provides support services to enrich the quality of life through 
cultural, civic and educational activities. Inspired by her niece's 
long struggle with Sickle Cell Disease, she worked with Fresno Links 
and St. Agnes Hospital, to bring to Fresno, the only Sickle Cell Anemia 
program in the Valley.
  W. Ray Johnson has been a dedicated public servant for three decades. 
He is the Director of Community Resources for the City of Fresno. He 
reports to the City Manager, and works closely with the Mayor and City 
Council members. He was formerly the Fresno Deputy City Manager and 
Director of Human Resources. One of his proudest accomplishments was 
his role in establishing a facility for the African-American Museum for 
which he has helped to secure almost half-a-million dollars in funding 
over the years. He is currently instrumental in setting up the African-
American Multi-Service Center as a one-stop facility to work with youth 
and gang members. Mr. Johnson has served on many boards and 
commissions, including two terms as vice president of the NAACP. His 
many awards include State of California Black Women Organized for 
Political Action, Man of the Year award, United Black Men Community 
Service award, California State Assembly Civic Involvement award, and 
the California State Senate Outstanding Community Contribution award.
  Myser James Keels has long given himself to benefit the Fresno 
community. For 27 years, he was a groundsman with the Fresno County 
Parks and Recreation Department until has retirement in 1995. Along 
with park upkeep and worker supervision, he also provided supervision 
of adult and youth offender programs. He gave ten years to the County 
of Fresno Social Security Board, eight to the County Human Services 
Advisory Board, and two to the Equal Opportunities Commission. Mr. 
Keels also served on the Conservation Corps Commission Community at 
Large Revitalization Board, Southwest Edison Planning Committee, Fresno 
Neighborhood Alliance, as a deacon for St. Joseph's Baptist Church, 
president of the Black Political Council, president of the Coalition 
for Cooperative Development & Community Development Corporation, 
treasurer of King of Kings Center Board of Directors, vice chairperson 
of Westside Fellowship and board member of Central California Legal 
Services. Honors and awards have come from these entities and many more 
including a special Certificate of Appreciation for 11 years of 
assisting alcoholics in their recovery.
  Pastor Chester Riggins has served the St. Rest Missionary Baptist 
Church since 1950 as a Sunday School teacher, Baptist training union 
instructor, church clerk, financial secretary, deacon, chairman of the 
Deacon Board and chairman of the Church Pulpit Committee. For many 
years he was a mail carrier for the Postal Services, but resigned in 
1979 to serve the church full time. Pastor Riggins' activities outside 
the church have included being the temporary chairman for organizing 
the Fresno Model Cities Program, member and officer of the West Fresno 
Interdenominational Ministers' Alliance, charter member of the Fresno 
Police Program, member of the Concerned Citizens for Quality Education, 
secretary-treasurer of the Home Mission Board of the California State 
Convention and 1st Vice Moderator Emeritus of the St. John Missionary 
Baptist Association.
  Dr. James E. Walton, Ph.D., has been teaching since 1967 and has been 
a professor of English at CSUF since 1990. He previously taught at Mt. 
Union College for 20 years and was an exchange professor in Osaka, 
Japan in 1988. Dr. Walton served as a member of Search Committees at 
CSUF for the Dean of Education, Human Relations Director and vice 
president and has been a member of the Committee on Academic Policies 
and the Committee on Faculty and Strategic Planning. Apart from the 
university, he has served as Library Trustee, on the Fair Housing 
Board, and as a Board Member of the American Red Cross, Junior League, 
and the NAACP.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to D. Mae 
Johnson, W. Ray Johnson, Myser James Keels, Pastor Chester Riggins and 
Dr. James E. Walton, Ph.D. for being recognized as the KSEE 24 
Companies that Care 1999 African-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 people many more years of success.

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