[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 138 (Saturday, October 28, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JOE GARCIA III

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 27, 2000

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to congratulate a very good friend, Joe Garcia Sr., who 
celebrated his 75th birthday on October 21, 2000.
  The Mexican revolution left Mexico devastated with little food and 
medication. Joe's father was deathly sick and a relative in El Paso, 
Texas wrote them to let Joe's parents know that they had the medication 
that would help Joe's father. Joe Garcia's parents packed up their 
belongings and came to Texas at the end of the Mexican Revolution. On 
October 21, 1925, Joe Garcia was born in El Paso, Texas.
  At the age of nineteen, Joe joined the army and proudly served the 
United States of America during World War II as a paratrooper in the 
503rd. After the war, Joe became a publisher and started one of the 
first bilingual magazines covering Latinos in politics, sports, 
education, and entertainment. Joe was not only on a mission to report 
and inform the public of the impact and influence of Latinos in this 
country, he was also instrumental in helping shape the political 
landscape. He was very active working with numerous campaigns ranging 
from Roybal to Rockefeller, and he helped to elect the Honorable Leo 
Sanchez, the first Mexican-American Municipal court judge in 
California.
  Not satisfied with his numerous accomplishments, he turned his 
attention to starting El Rey, a Mexican food company in the late 70's 
producing one of the first pre-packaged chorizo (Mexican sausage). Ever 
the entrepreneur, Joe and his wife Virginia started Reynaldo's Mexican 
Food Company in 1993.
  Today, Renaldo's Mexican Food Company is a leader in Mexican food 
manufacturing. His products reach eleven states with warehouses in Los 
Angeles, San Diego, Texas, Arizona, Chicago, and Las Vegas. The company 
continues to set new standards for the manufacturing and processing of 
Mexican food and enjoys continued growth.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like all my colleagues to join me in saluting 
Joe Garcia Sr. who at the age of 75 shows no signs of slowing down. Mr. 
Garcia, Sr. is truly a testament to the American Dream. Through his 
hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm and community service he 
continues to serve as a role model for Latinos and all Americans.

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