[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 41 (Monday, March 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E445]]



                      A TRIBUTE TO HOWARD CLASSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 26, 2001

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Howard 
Classen as he celebrates the end of his tenure at the Natividad Medical 
Center in Monterey, California. Mr. Classen retired from his position 
as Chief Executive Officer last month, and will be honored by his 
colleagues, friends and admirers in a dinner on Sunday, March 11, 2001.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to join these people in saluting Mr. 
Classen's enormous contributions to the Monterey community. Natividad 
Medical Center is Monterey County's public hospital, and its obligation 
to both serve the residents of the county and continually restructure 
its caregiving operation has proved a daunting challenge to all 
involved in its operation. Mr. Classen, however, has embraced the 
recent changes in medical care and administration, and in the process 
has strengthened Natividad's scope and presence in the Monterey Bay 
area.
  Howard Classen was raised in Chicago, Illinois, and obtained his 
Master's Degree in Hospital Administration at Cornell University in New 
York. Before coming to Natividad, he worked in a number of acute care 
hospital administration positions, including chief executive officer 
positions with National Medical Enterprises, Inc., and San Mateo 
General Hospital in San Mateo, California. Mr. Classen has also been 
active on State committees in California regarding the issues that have 
arisen with the changes in Medicaid, which is known as Medi-Cal in our 
State. He has also consulted on major managed-care plans and has been 
involved in the design, financing and construction of several major 
hospital projects.
  One of the many projects in which Mr. Classen was instrumental was 
the remodeling and modernization of the Natividad Medical Center and 
its facilities in 1998. This state-of-the-art facility will no doubt 
continue to facilitate treatment well into the 21st Century, and much 
of the credit for this goes to Howard.
  Beyond the scope of large projects such as this, Mr. Classen has also 
shown his dedication to the day-to-day operation of Natividad Medical 
Center. He is truly committed to the Center's mission of providing 
high-quality, cost-effective healthcare to all residents of Monterey 
County, and has worked hard to reach out and collaborate with others on 
major projects and minor details.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that we have lost an inspirational member of 
the Monterey County healthcare profession with Mr. Classen's 
retirement. I am sure that I speak for many when I say that his 
tireless work will not soon be forgotten, and we are all thankful. I 
would like to personally wish him well in this new stage of his life, 
and hope that he continues to be a presence in the Monterey Peninsula 
healthcare community.

                          ____________________