[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1360-E1362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ELLIS ISLAND MEDALS OF HONOR AWARDS CEREMONY
______
HON. DAN BURTON
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 22, 1999
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following:
Ellis Island Medals of Honor Awards Ceremony--NECO Chairman William
Denis Fugazy Leads Dramatic Ceremony
Ellis Island, NY, May 8.--Standing on the hallowed grounds
of Ellis Island--the portal through which 17 million
immigrants entered the United States--a cast of ethnic
Americans who have made significant contributions to the life
of this nation were presented with the coveted Ellis Island
Medal of Honor at an emotionally uplifting ceremony.
NECO's annual medal ceremony and reception on Ellis Island
in New York Harbor is the Nation's largest celebration of
ethnic pride. Representing a rainbow of ethnic origins, this
year's recipients received their award in the shadow of the
historic Great Hall, where the first footsteps were taken by
the millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. in the latter
part of the nineteenth century. ``Today we honor great ethnic
Americans who, through their achievements and contributions,
and in the spirit of their ethnic origins, have enriched this
country and have become role models for future generations,''
said NECO Chairman William Denis Fugazy. ``In addition, we
honor the immigrant experience--those who passed through this
Great Hall decades ago, and the new immigrants who arrive on
American soil seeking opportunity.''
Mr. Fugazy added,'' It doesn't matter how you got here or
if you already were here. Ellis Island is a symbol of the
freedom, diversity and opportunity--ingredients inherent in
the fabric of this nation. Although many recipients have no
familial ties to Ellis Island, their ancestors share similar
histories of struggle and hope for a better life here.
Established in 1986 by NECO, the Ellis Island Medals of
Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise
America's unique cultural mosaic. To date, approximately
1,100 ethnic American citizens have received medals.
NECO is the largest organization of its kind in the U.S.
serving as an umbrella group for over 250 ethnic
organizations and whose mandate is to preserve ethnic
diversity, promote ethnic and religious equality, tolerance
and harmony, and to combat injustice, hatred and bigotry.
NECO has a new goal in its humanitarian mission: saving the
lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
NECO has founded The Children of the World Foundation which
brings children from developing nations needing life-saving
surgery to the United States for treatment. This year alone,
NECO's efforts have helped save the lives of six infants from
around the world.
Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients are selected each
year through a national nomination process. Screening
committees from NECO's member organizations select the final
nominees, who are then considered by the Board of Directors.
Past Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients have included
several U.S. Presidents, entertainers, athletes,
entrepreneurs, religious leaders and business executives,
such as William Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald
Ford, George Bush, Richard Nixon, George Pataki, Mario Cuomo,
Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Michael Douglas, Gloria Estefan,
Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Ali,
Mickey Mantle, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Barbara Walters,
Terry Anderson and Dr. Michael DeBakey.
congratulations to the 1999 ellis island medal of honor recipients
MEDALIST LIST 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Heritage Occupation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph V. Adamec.................................... Slovak Religious Leader.
Roger E. Ailes...................................... English/Scottish Media Executive.
Frank Andrea, Jr.................................... Italian Business Leader.
Karl G. Andren...................................... Finnish Business Leader.
Thomas A. Athens.................................... Hellenic Business Leader.
Inge Auerbacher..................................... German Chemist/Author/Lecturer.
Adrien Barbey....................................... Swiss Restaurateur.
William G. Barry.................................... Irish/Dutch Business Leader.
Hans W. Becherer.................................... German Business Leader.
Marylou Berk........................................ Italian Business Leader.
Morris Biller....................................... Austrian/Hungarian Labor Leader.
Karl L. Boeckmann................................... German Business Leader.
Nicholas J. Bouras.................................. Hellenic Business Leader.
Douglas W. Brandrup................................. Danish Attorney/Business Leader.
Richard L. Bready................................... Irish Business Leader.
David V.B. Britt.................................... Welsh/English Educational Communitor.
[[Page E1361]]
Bard E. Bunaes...................................... Norwegian Business Leader.
Renzo C. Casellini.................................. Swiss Business Leader.
Ping Kee Chan....................................... Chinese Community Leader.
Richard F. Chormann................................. German Business/Community Leader.
Hillary Clinton..................................... ........................................ Author, Attorney, Children's Advocate.
John E. Connelly III................................ Irish/English/German Military Officer.
Tony Conza.......................................... Italian Entrepreneur/Business Leader.
Antonia Cortese..................................... Yugoslavian/Italian Educator/Labor Leader.
Richard Clarke Crabtree............................. Irish Entrepreneur.
Robert M. Devlin.................................... Irish Business Leader.
Derek E. Dewan...................................... Lebanese Business Leader.
Arturo DiModica..................................... Italian Artist.
Martin P. Doolan.................................... Irish Business Leader.
Theofanis V. Economidis............................. Hellenic Community Leader.
Peter C. Economus................................... Hellenic US District Judge.
Riad Farah, M.D..................................... Palestinian/Syrian Physician.
Frank A. Fariello................................... Italian Business Leader.
Andrew Farkas....................................... Hungarian/German Business Leader.
Herbert Feinberg.................................... Russian/Polish Business Leader.
Lawrence J. Ferolie................................. Italian Business Leader.
George N. Fishman................................... Russian/Austrian Business Leader.
Joe T. Ford......................................... Irish Business Leader.
M. Irene Fugazy..................................... Irish/Italian Author/Educator.
George N. Fugelsang................................. Danish/English/Swiss Business Leader.
Mark E. Galantowicz................................. Polish Surgeon.
Richard D. Gidron, Sr............................... African Business Leader.
Rosa Maria Gil...................................... Cuban Government Health Leader.
Tom Gleason......................................... Irish Business Leader.
John Glenn.......................................... ........................................ Astronaut/Former US Senator.
Marc Goldman........................................ Russian/Polish Business Leader.
Ernest P. Gonzalez.................................. Nicaraguan/Panamanian Business Leader.
Virginia Hanrahan................................... Irish Community Leader.
Fred Hassan......................................... Pakistani Business Leader.
James A. Henderson.................................. Scottish Business Leader.
William J. Hudson................................... Eng/Welsh/French Business Leader.
H. Wayne Huizenga................................... Dutch Business Leader/Entrepreneur.
Constantine Iordanou................................ Cypriot Business Leader.
Thomas S. Johnson................................... Swedish/Irish Business/Community Leader.
Quincy Jones........................................ African Producer/Composer.
Richard J. Kaminski................................. Polish/Ukrainian Business Leader.
George Kantakis..................................... Hellenic/Italian Business Leader.
Constantine N. Katsoris............................. Hellenic Educator.
Raymond J. Kayal, Sr................................ Syrian Business Leader.
Patrick E. Kelleher................................. Irish Law Enforcement Officer.
Sue Kelly........................................... German Member of Congress.
Jeong H. Kim........................................ Korean Business Leader.
Lila Kim............................................ Korean Artist/Community Leader.
Emanuel M. Kontokosta............................... Hellenic Entrepreneur.
Edward Kopko........................................ Polish Business Leader.
Arthur G. Koumantzelis.............................. Hellenic Business Leader.
Robert Kenneth Kraft................................ Russian/Polish Business Leader/Entrepreneur.
Ute Wolff Lally..................................... German Justice.
Frank Lanza......................................... Italian Business Leader.
Michael D. Lappin................................... Russian Community Leader.
Peter N. Larson..................................... Norwegian/Eng/Ger Business Leader.
Kun Y. Lee.......................................... Korean Community Leader.
Kenneth R. Leibler.................................. German/Austrian Business Leader.
Vernon R. Loucks Jr................................. Dutch/Eng/Welsh Business Leader.
Alex Machaskee...................................... Yugoslavian Publisher.
Paula Madison....................................... Jamaican/Chinese Television News Executive.
Nadine Malone....................................... Irish/German Business Leader.
Nick Mamalakis...................................... Hellenic Community Leader.
Andrew E. Manatos................................... Hellenic Community Leader.
Charles Marangoudakis............................... Hellenic Entrepreneur.
Victor Marrero...................................... Puerto Rican Ambassador.
Rose Mattus......................................... Irish/Russian Business Leader/Entrepreneur.
John M. Mavroudis................................... Hellenic Business Leader.
H. Carl McCall...................................... African NYS Comptroller.
Richard D. McCormick................................ Irish Business Leader.
Marianne McDonald................................... Irish Educator/Author.
James M. McGuire.................................... Irish Attorney.
Robert Merrill...................................... Polish Opera Baritone.
Barbara A. Mikulski................................. Polish United States Senator.
Edward D. Miller.................................... Lithuanian/Italian Business Leader.
Jolene Moritz Molitoris............................. Polish/Slovakian Administrator/Federal Railroad Adminis.
William T. Monahan.................................. Irish Business Leader.
Angelo R. Mozilo.................................... Italian Mortgage Industry Leader.
Joseph T. Mullen.................................... Scottish/Irish Business Leader.
Arthur Nadata....................................... Danish Entrepreneur.
Vincent J. Naimoli.................................. Italian Business Leader.
Carolann S. Najarian, MD............................ Armenian Physician.
Robert C. Nakasone.................................. Japanese Business Leader.
Wayne Newton........................................ Native American/Irish/German Entertainer/Actor.
Raymond T. O'Keefe, Jr.............................. Irish/English/Dutch Business Leader.
Thomas D. O'Malley.................................. Irish Business Leader.
Peter L. O'Neill.................................... Irish Business Leader.
Nicholas P. Papadakos............................... Hellenic Jurist.
Tom Pappas.......................................... Hellenic Educator/Labor Leader.
Poozant Piranian.................................... Armenian Community Leader.
John J. Pomerantz................................... Polish/Austrian Business Leader.
Lois Berrodin Pope.................................. French/Welsh Community Leader/Philanthropist.
Charles G. Preble................................... Eng/French/Irish Business Leader.
Heinz C. Prechter................................... German Business Leader/Entrepreneur.
Richard B. Priory................................... Irish/Eng/Dutch Business Leader.
Rodney R. Proto..................................... Italian Business Leader.
Max Recone.......................................... Ukrainian/Polish Business Leader.
William Rehnquist................................... Swedish Chief Justice.
Victor M. Richel.................................... Italian Business Leader.
Richard Dean Rockwell............................... Austrian Business Leader.
Eric A. Rose, MD.................................... Russian/Austrian Physician.
Jack Ryan........................................... Irish Labor Leader.
Edward San Luis..................................... Filipino/English Business Leader.
Michael Sawruk...................................... Ukrainian Entrepreneur.
Lewis D. Schiliro................................... Italian Law Enforcement Officer.
Irving Schneider.................................... Russian Business Leader.
Berge Setrakian..................................... Armenian/Lebanese Community Leader.
Richard C. Shadyac.................................. Lebanese/Irish Non-Profit CEO.
Clarence O. Smith................................... African Entrepreneur.
Joseph A. Spinelli.................................. Italian Business Leader.
Nicholas J. St. George.............................. Italian Business Leader.
Dickran Tevrizian................................... Armenian Judge.
Charles F. Thomas................................... Irish/English Business Leader.
[[Page E1362]]
Marlo Thomas........................................ Lebanese/Italian Actress, Producer, Social Activist.
John M. Tsimbinos................................... Hellenic Business Leader.
Nicholas A. Tzimas, MD.............................. Hellenic Physician.
Louis V. Varone..................................... Italian Real Estate Broker.
George R. Wackenhut................................. German Business Leader.
Chrsitine M. Warnke................................. Hellenic/German Community Leader.
Mark H. Willes...................................... English Business Leader.
Susan J. Willis..................................... Russ/Eng/Pol/Aust Community Leader/Entrepreneur.
John Wren........................................... Irish Business Leader.
Alejandro Yemenidjian............................... Armenian Business Leader.
George Younan, MD................................... Lebanese Diplomat in Internal Medicine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------