[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 78 (Friday, May 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO IRWIN KISHNER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2003

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 70th birthday 
of my dear friend, Irwin Kishner. Irwin is a premier captain of both 
industry and philanthropy in my hometown of Las Vegas, beginning his 
career there more than 4 decades ago.
  Like me, Irwin is a native New Yorker, but his family's journey to 
Las Vegas took him on a less direct route to Florida first as a young 
teen. Graduating from the University of Florida in 1954, followed by 
the University of Miami School of Law in 1958, Las Vegas beckoned and 
Irwin relocated there in 1960. Ever since, he has been a leader in the 
Las Vegas community, intricately involved in the professional, civic 
and cultural aspects of not only Las Vegas, but Nevada as a whole.
  Joining the Junior Chamber of Commerce upon his arrival in Las Vegas, 
Irwin was soon selected by the State of Nevada as one of the 
Outstanding Young Men of America. He served with distinction on the Las 
Vegas Chamber Board of Directors for 13 years, chairing committees and 
as Vice President of the Chamber. In 1999, his efforts on behalf of the 
Chamber were recognized when he was awarded the Greater Las Vegas 
Chamber of Commerce Community Achievement Award for Tourism.
  Long before receiving that award, however, Irwin had been--and still 
is--at the forefront of the hotel/motel industry in Nevada, expanding 
an industry that provides so many jobs. In 1962, only two years after 
arriving in Las Vegas, Irwin opened the Somerset House Motel--a three 
story ``high rise'' with an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Also in 1962, 
he joined the Rocky Mountain Hotel and Motel Association, which later 
evolved into the Utah-Nevada Hotel and Motel Association.
  Irwin's forward thinking role with this Association enabled him to 
become one of the founding members of the Nevada Hotel and Motel 
Association (NH&MA), passionately developing the NH&MA through a 
variety of roles including Committee Chairman, Vice President and 
Member of the Board of Directors. Within the framework of NH&MA, Irwin 
has been a tireless champion for the Americans With Disabilities Act, 
working actively to ensure compliance of this Act by smaller 
properties. Irwin's many awards with the NH&MA include being named 
``Hotelier of the Year'' and NH&MA's first Lifetime Service Award. 
Governor Kenny Guinn of Nevada has recently appointed Irwin to serve on 
the Governor's Commission on Tourism.
  Irwin's accomplishments in this industry have not been limited to Las 
Vegas and Nevada. He has been very active in the American Hotel and 
Motel Association (AH&MA) over the years, serving on its Board of 
Directors representing Nevada since 1993. Also since the mid-1990s, he 
has been a member of the National Tourism and Travel Committee and was 
a founding member of the National Gaming Task Force. Irwin was also the 
Nevada Representative to the White House Conference on Tourism. He has 
represented both the AH&MA and the NH&MA in drafting a national tourism 
strategy for the 21th Century. Recognizing Irwin's outstanding 
contributions to the advancement of the lodging industry, the AH&MA 
presented Irwin with their prestigious Lawson A. Odde Award in 1997 and 
the Most Valuable Volunteer Award in 1999.
  Irwin's commitment to his community does not stop at the industry and 
professional level. Through his time and generosity, he has provided 
community leadership and service to many civic and philanthropic groups 
throughout the city and the state. Irwin was a founding member of 
several organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of Clark County 
and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Center for the Performing Arts. 
The United Way of Southern Nevada utilized his services on their Board 
of Directors and Board of Trustees and he held many positions with the 
National Conference of Christians and Jews. Irwin has chaired a variety 
of committees for Child Haven and Opportunity Village over the years, 
and has worked as a volunteer administrator for the Clark County 
Juvenile Court Services, a Charter Member on the Board of Directors of 
Secret Witness and on the Board of Directors of the Southern Nevada 
Drug Abuse Council.
  Irwin is a man of tremendous talent and energy! He is dedicated to 
his family. He has two lovely daughters, Joanna and Sharon, both of 
whom have followed in their father's footsteps as attorneys, and four 
grandchildren who adore him. I thank Irwin for all he has been to Las 
Vegas, Nevada, our country, his family and to me personally, and wish 
him the happiest of birthdays and many, many more in the best of 
health.




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