[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN TRIBUTE TO YOSHI HONKAWA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 3, 2001

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate an 
extraordinary individual, Yoshi Honkawa, who will be honored on April 
17th as the recipient of the Allen and Weta Mathies Award for Vision 
and Excellence in HealthCare Leadership. This prestigious award is 
presented by the Partner in Care Foundation, an organization dedicated 
to creating new methods of dealing with long term health care needs.
  This innovative foundation could never have found a more perfect 
individual to honor for leadership in health care policy. Yoshi's 
career in this extremely important field--as an advocate, 
administrator, and mentor--spans decades and has been recognized by 
most of the leading health care organizations in California and in the 
nation.
  In 1964, Yoshi joined the staff of the Los Angeles County/University 
of Southern California Medical Center. Many years later, he and his 
wife, May, endowed a fellowship fund in health policy and management at 
the University of Southern California. This act is typical of Yoshi's 
generosity with all of his resources, including his precious time, with 
young people entering the health care field. As mentor and teacher, 
there is no greater friend of graduate medical education than Yoshi 
Honkawa.
  He took special note of the need to increase diversity in health care 
professionals, serving as a founding member of the Board of the 
Institute for Diversity in Health Care Management. He is also a member 
of the Board of Directors of the Japanese American Cultural and 
Community Center, and works with that organization to preserve and 
promote an appreciation for Japanese and Japanese-American heritage and 
cultural arts.
  Yoshi's expertise in health care policy led to his appointment as a 
Commissioner on California's Health Policy and Data Advisory 
Commission. From this post, where he served from 1987 to 1997, he 
helped shape California's health policy.
  It was while he served at Cedars-Sinai that I really came to know 
Yoshi well and to appreciate his integrity, his knowledge, his ability 
and his humanity. As the vice-president for government and industry 
relations, and then as consultant for health care advocacy, I was 
privileged to visit with Yoshi both in Los Angeles and during his trips 
to Washington, where he was a tireless advocate for this prestigious 
medical center.
  Yoshi is, to put it simply, a wonderful person and I am honored to 
express the gratitude of the community for his tireless service and to 
congratulate him on this recognition of his outstanding leadership.

                          ____________________