[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 95 (Monday, July 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TO HONOR MR. VINCENT ROIG FOR HIS MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

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                             HON. ED PASTOR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 15, 2002

  Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise before 
you today and take this opportunity to recognize the meritorious 
achievements of an outstanding Arizonan and American, Mr. Vincent Roig.
  Mr. Roig has distinguished himself as a leader in the essential work 
of providing educational opportunities for qualified citizens. From his 
early years as an educator and financial aid administrator at a number 
of universities, he dedicated himself to helping young people gain the 
knowledge and skills that they would need throughout their life.
  In 1982, he was one of the founders of the Arizona Educational Loan 
Marketing Corporation, the state's secondary market for Federal student 
loans, which is now an affiliate of the Southwest Student Services 
Corporation.
  Although the Congress of the United States had the foresight to 
create the Federal Family Education Loan Program, it takes the 
leadership and dedication of a person such as Mr. Roig, Chairman and 
Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Student Services Corporation, to 
effectively implement the Congress' intended goal. The Southwest 
Companies initially supported only students at Arizona colleges and 
universities. However, to date, they have provided more than $3 billion 
to more than one million parents and students nationally in support of 
providing financial access to post-secondary education.
  Under the initiative and leadership of Mr. Roig, not only have the 
Southwest Companies facilitated the availability of student financial 
support, they have reduced costs to the borrowers and provided the 
critically important informational services that ensure that low-income 
families understand that educational opportunity is available to them. 
Mr. Roig has worked tirelessly with the U.S. Department of Education, 
Congressional Subcommittees and the many organizations supporting 
student financial assistance to bring about useful change and 
modernization to improve service to educational institutions and 
students alike. In recognition of his efforts, in 2001 he was awarded 
the Jean S. Frohlicher Outstanding Service Award by the National 
Council of Higher Education Programs. This is a prestigious award for 
which he was chosen by his peers for his exceptional service.
  Today, on the occasion of the celebration of Southwest Companies' 
20th Anniversary, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our 
heartiest congratulations to Southwest Student Services Corporation and 
to Mr. Vincent Roig for his 20 years of leadership and dedication.

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