[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN TRIBUTE TO BERT BOECKMANN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2003

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Bert Boeckmann, a 
close friend, who is being honored tonight for his many years of 
service to the Los Angeles Police Department and a lifetime of service 
to the community.
  Bert Boeckmann proved his business acumen at an early age. He began 
selling automobiles at Galpin Ford in 1953 and by age 26 was general 
manager of the company. As vice president in 1960, he began purchasing 
company stock. Four years later he became president and majority 
stockholder. By 1968, the buyout was complete. Galpin Motors now 
employs more than 835 people and includes not only Ford, but also 
Saturn, Jaguar, Mazda and Volvo dealerships.
  Bert also owns, partners or serves as board chairman in a slew of 
other companies spanning the spectrum from real estate development, to 
ranching, to mining to communications.
  As anyone who has had dealings with one of Bert's companies can tell 
you, he has built his success on a recipe of moral character and 
ethical standards that are rewarded at every level. It works. For 30 of 
the past 34 years, he has been the Number One profitmaker for Ford 
Motor Company. For the past 11 years, he has ranked Number One 
nationally in Ford retail car and truck sales. About 87 percent of 
Galpin's sales are to customers who are either repeat customers, 
referrals from customers, or heard about the Galpin reputation.
  Bert has given equal energy to bettering his community. He set a 
precedent by being appointed as a Los Angeles Police Department 
commissioner by three consecutive mayors. In addition to his Police 
Department service, which spans three decades, he served as a State of 
California New Motor Vehicle Board director, on the Mayor's Select Blue 
Ribbon Committee on Budget & Finance, and is president of the Municipal 
Improvement Corporation of L.A. He donated a major collection of 80,000 
volumes of Spanish language books to the University of Southern 
California, including the complete history of Central and South 
America, and created an annual endowment to catalog and maintain the 
collection.
  He has served on the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America 
since 1965, as a director of the San Fernando Valley Business and 
Professional Association since 1972, and supported Chambers of 
Commerces, universities and high schools, and many, many more civic, 
educational, church and business organizations.
  Not surprisingly, Bert Boeckmann has won numerous prestigious awards 
for his business acumen and community service. To highlight only a few: 
the Jack Webb Award presented by the Los Angeles Police Department 
Historical Society, the Albert Schweitzer Award from the Hugh O'Brian 
Youth Leadership Foundation, and the Presidential Citation for Private 
Sector Initiatives, presented by President Reagan and Vice President 
Bush at a special Rose Garden Ceremony.
  Mr. Speaker, Bert Boeckmann's life and success proves that ethical 
and moral capitalism is not only good business, but benefits everyone 
in the community. I know my colleagues will join me in paying tribute 
to Bert Boeckmann and thank him for a lifetime of service.

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