[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E900-E901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO JACK KOSZDIN AND GEORGIA MERCER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2002

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Hillel Councils of 
CA State Northridge University (CSUN) and Valley and Pierce Community 
Colleges in paying tribute to my good friends, Jack Koszdin and Georgia 
Mercer, who are being honored this evening at Hillel's Gala Dinner.
  Jack Koszdin and Georgia Mercer are very special people who have 
generously given their time, effort and dedication to Hillel and to our 
community as a whole. Jack is a practicing attorney with whom I had the 
privilege of practicing law for nearly six years. He is one of the most 
skilled and knowledgeable practitioners in the field of worker's 
compensation in the entire country and is a relentless defender of the 
judicial rights of our labor force. Before entering the legal field as 
an attorney, Jack was a great teacher with a huge heart and a wonderful 
sense of humor. He counts teaching at UCLA and serving as a law a 
professor at the University of West Los Angeles among his many 
accomplishments.
  Jack is continually striving to resolve issues in our educational and 
legal systems. He is a member of the Board of the San Fernando Valley 
Child Guidance Clinic and one of the Board of Directors of the Cerebral 
Palsy Association. He has been a legal advisor to the Valley Labor 
Political Education council and has held numerous prestigious judicial 
positions including Judge pro Tem of the Workers' compensation Appeals 
Board and Municipal Judge Pro Tem for the San Fernando Valley. He also 
participates in the State Insurance Commission Study of Workers' 
Compensation and Medical Benefits.
  Georgia has more than 25 years of experience in education, 
communications and public affairs. Her accomplishments are legion and 
her energy boundless. She now serves as the Chair of CSUN's Hillel's 
Board of Directors as well as on the Boards of the CSUN Foundation, 
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, Valley Trauma Center, Valley 
Alliance of the Jewish Federation Council, and Friends of the Family. 
She is also an elected and distinguished member of the Community Board 
of Trustees. As President of this Board from 2000-2001, she led a 
campaign for a $1.2 billion facilities bond measure for upgrading the 
modernizing all nine college campuses that ultimately won 67% voter 
approval. Georgia is a gifted and dedicated activist who knows how

[[Page E901]]

to get things done and who never fails to take on a challenge.
  During the past several decades, I have been privileged to work with 
Jack and Georgia on issues of concern at local, State and Federal 
levels and have valued their friendship and counsel. It is my distinct 
pleasure to ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Jack Koszdin and 
Georgia Mercer for their outstanding contributions to our community and 
thanking Hillel at CSUN, Valley and Pierce Community Colleges for its 
great work generally, and for making tonight's Gala Dinner a wonderful 
success.

                          ____________________