[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1606-E1607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ELLIS ISLAND MEDALS OF HONOR AWARDS CEREMONY--NECO CHAIRMAN WILLIAM 
                  DENIS FUGAZY LEADS DRAMATIC CEREMONY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2003

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following:

       Ellis Island, NY, May 17.--Standing on the hallowed grounds 
     of Ellis Island--the portal through which 17 million 
     immigrants entered the United States--a cast of ethnic 
     Americans who have made significant contributions to the life 
     of this nation were presented with the coveted Ellis Island 
     Medal of Honor at an emotionally uplifting ceremony. This 
     year's event was dedicated to our armed forces.
       This year's ceremony date coincides with that of National 
     Armed Forces Day. As such, we would like to pay special 
     tribute to the men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces 
     both here and abroad. Several of our Medalists also serve in 
     the armed forces; many more are honored veterans.
       NECO's annual medal ceremony and reception on Ellis Island 
     in New York Harbor is the Nation's largest celebration of 
     ethnic pride. Representing a rainbow of ethnic origins, this 
     year's recipients received their awards in the shadow of the 
     historic Great Hall, where the first footsteps were taken by 
     the millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. in the latter 
     part of the nineteenth century. ``Today we honor great ethnic 
     Americans who, through their achievements and contributions, 
     and in the spirit of their ethnic origins, have enriched this 
     country and have become role models for future generations,'' 
     said NECO Chairman William Denis Fugazy. ``In addition, we 
     honor the immigrant experience--those who passed through this 
     Great Hall decades ago, and the new immigrants who arrive on 
     American soil seeking opportunity.''
       Established in 1986 by NECO, the Ellis Island Medals of 
     Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise 
     America's unique cultural mosaic. To date, approximately 2000 
     American citizens have received medals.
       NECO is the largest organization of its kind in the U.S. 
     serving as an umbrella group for over 250 ethnic 
     organizations and whose mandate is to preserve ethnic 
     diversity, promote ethnic and religious equality, tolerance 
     and harmony, and to combat injustice, hatred and bigotry. 
     NECO has a new goal in its humanitarian mission: saving the 
     lives of children with lifethreatening medical conditions. 
     NECO has founded The Forum's Children Foundation, which 
     brings children from developing nations needing life-saving 
     surgery to the United States for treatment.
       Ellis Island Medals of Honor recipients are selected each 
     year through a national nomination process. Screening 
     committees from NECO's member organizations select the final 
     nominees, who are then considered by the Board Directors.
       Past Ellis Island Medals of Honor recipients have included 
     several U.S. Presidents, entertainers, athletes, 
     entrepreneurs, religious leaders and business executives, 
     such as William Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald 
     Ford, George Bush, Richard Nixon, George Pataki, Mario Cuomo, 
     Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Michael Douglas, Gloria Estefan, 
     Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Ali, 
     Mickey Mantle, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Barbara Walters, 
     Terry Anderson, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Senator John McCain, 
     Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General Janet Reno.
       Congratulations to the 2003 Ellis Island Medals of Honor 
     Recipients:
         Ruth J. Abram, President, Lower East Side Tenement 
           Museum, Romanian/Irish/Prussian; Danny Aiello, Actor, 
           Italian; Hon. Hagop S. Akiskal, Professor of 
           Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, 
           Armenian; Hon. William Vollie Alexander, Managing 
           Partner, Alexander & Associates, Scottish/English/
           Irish; Menelaos Anastasios Aliapoulios, M.D., Medical 
           Director, General Electric Company, Hellenic; Hon. 
           Hushang Ansary, Parman Group, Iranian; Angela Susan 
           Anton, CEO & Publisher, Long Island Community 
           Newspapers, Czechoslovakian/Italian; William Austin, 
           Chairman & CEO, Starkey Laboratories Inc., English; 
           Robert P. Badavas, Chief Operating Officer, Atlas 
           Venture, Hellenic; Peter Balakian, Professor, Colgate 
           University, Armenian; Roger Ballou, President & CEO, 
           CDI Corporation, English/Scottish/French; Salvatore A. 
           Balsamo, Chairman, Tac World Wide Companies, Italian; 
           Peggy L.S. Barmore, Assistant to the President, NYSUT, 
           African/Irish; Peter J. Barris, Managing General 
           Partner, New Enterprise Associates, Hellenic; Anthony 
           J. Bifaro, Assistant to the President, NYSUT, Italian; 
           Michael Bolton, Bolton Music Company, Russian/English; 
           Capt. Craig E. Bone, Commanding Officer & Commander of 
           the Port NY & NJ, Coast Guard Activities, English/
           Irish/German; George Boyadjieff, Chairman, Varco 
           International, Inc., Bulgarian/Russian; Albert A. 
           Boyajian, President & CEO, Global Bakeries, Inc., 
           Armenian; Albert A. Boyajian, President & CEO, Global 
           Bakeries, Inc., Armenian; Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., 
           President Emeritus, Bronx Community College--CUNY, 
           African; Bishop William Brown, Pastor, Founder & 
           Chairman, Salvation & Deliverance Church, South 
           African;
         John A. Canning Jr., President, Madison Dearborn 
           Partners, Irish/Italian; Terrel L. Cass, President & 
           General Manager, WLIW 21--NY Public Television, Irish/
           English; Myron Z. Chlavin, CEO, Desser Tire & Rubber 
           Co., Austrian/Latvian; Msgr. Eugene V. Clark, Rector, 
           St. Patrick's Cathedral, Irish/Dutch; Maj. Gen. Richard 
           S. Colt, Commander, 77th Regional Support Command US 
           Army Reserve, Scottish; Francis X. Comerford, President 
           & General Manager, WNBC, Irish/Italian; Leo P. 
           Condakes, President, Peter Condakes Co., Hellenic; 
           Alexander A. Conti, Financial Representative, 
           Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Italian; Thomas 
           J. Corcoran, Jr., President & CEO, FelCor Lodging Trust 
           Inc., English; Thomas M. Coughlin, President & CEO, 
           Wal-Mart Stores & Sam's Clubs USA, Irish; Hon. Anthony 
           J. Cutrona, Supreme Court Justice--NYS Supreme Court, 
           2nd Judicial Department, Italian;
         Salvatore A. Davino, President, Fidelity Land Development 
           Corp., Italian; Commander Carlos Del Toro, US Naval 
           Forces, Cuban; Vincent DeMentri, Anchor/Correspondent, 
           WPIX-TV, Italian; John E. Durante, President, Rockledge 
           Equities, Italian; Umberto P. Fedeli, Jr., President & 
           CEO, The Fedeli Group, Italian; Charles A. Feghali, 
           President, Interstate Resources, Inc., Lebanese; John 
           J. Flynn, President, IU Bricklayers & Allied 
           Craftsworkers, Irish; Colonel Warren J. Foersch, 
           Commander, First Marine Corps District--US Marines, 
           French/German/Irish; Hon. James S. Gallas, US 
           Magistrate Judge, US District Court--Northern District 
           of Ohio, Eastern Division, Hellenic; Luther R. Gatling, 
           President, Budget & Credit Counseling Services, Inc., 
           African; Richard Goldstein, Chairman & CEO, 
           International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Russian; Hon. 
           Joseph G. Golia, Associate Justice, Appellate Term, 2nd 
           & 11th Judicial District, Supreme Court of the State of 
           NY, Italian; John George Gonis, D.D.S., Chairman & 
           President, Dental Associates, LTD, Hellenic; Andy 
           Granatelli, Former CEO & President (Retired), STP 
           Corporation, Italian;
         James T. Hackett, Chairman, President & CEO, Ocean 
           Energy, Inc., Irish/German; Val J. Halamandaris, Esq., 
           President, National Association for Homecare & Hospice, 
           Hellenic; Thomas E. Hales, Chairman, President & CEO, 
           Union State Bank, Italian/Irish; Taek Sun Han, Founder 
           & CEO, Han Yang Supermarket/Han Yang Cultural Center/
           Morning Glory Stationery World, South Korean; Michael 
           J. Handy, Director, Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs, 
           African/English/Native American; Russell Hotzler, 
           Interim President, York College, CUNY, Italian/German; 
           Sayed Jemal Houssein-Afghani, Inc., Humanitarian, 
           Afghan/English; Ronald C. Jones, Secretary, United 
           Federation of Teachers, Italian;
         Georgia Kaloidis, CEO, Diskal, Inc., Hellenic; Frank S. 
           Kamberos, Former VP Operations, Treasure Island Foods, 
           Inc., Hellenic; I. Pano Karatassos, Founder/President, 
           Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Hellenic; Bruce E. 
           Karatz, Chairman & CEO, KB Home, Russian; Elaine 
           Kaufman, President, Elaine's Restaurant, Russian; 
           Stella Kim, Executive Vice President, By Design L.L.C., 
           South Korean; Michael B. Kitchen, President & CEO, CUNA 
           Mutual Group, Canadian; Thomas M. Lamberti, Esq., 
           Partner, Putney, Twonbly, Hall & Hirson, LLP, Italian; 
           Lou Lamoriello, President, CEO & General Manager, New 
           Jersey Devils, CEO, NJ Nets, Italian; Henri Landwirth, 
           Founder & Chairman, Give Kids the World & Dignity-U-
           Wear Foundation Inc., Belgian/Polish; Stewart F. Lane, 
           President, Theatre Venture, Inc., Russian/Polish; A. 
           Alexander Lari, Founder & Chairman, Claremont Group, 
           LLC, Iranian; Denis Leary, President, The Leary 
           Firefighters Foundation, Irish;

[[Page E1607]]

            Chung Wha Lee, President, Lee Chung Wha Diamond 
           Corporation, Korean; Howard H. Lee, President & CEO, 
           World Journal, Chinese; Simon S. Lee, CEO & President, 
           STG, Inc., South Korean;
         James P. Lemonias, Chairman & CEO, Whitman Company, Inc., 
           Hellenic; Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox, Jr., 
           Superintendent US Military Academy, Scottish/Irish; 
           Hon. Phil Leventis, State Senator, State of South 
           Carolina, Hellenic; Michael Yi-Sheng Liao, VP/Chief 
           Information Officer, GM Asset Management, Chinese; Tony 
           Lo Bianco, Actor, Director and Producer, Italian; 
           Richard A. Loughlin, Vice Chairman, Willis, Irish; 
           Constantine S. Macricostas, Chairman, Founder, 
           Photronics, Hellenic; Sheldon Harris Malinou, DDS, 
           Assistant to the Director, Cabrini Medical Center, 
           Russian/Ukrainian; Anastasios E. Manessis, President, 
           Manessis Marketing Corp., Hellenic; Puzant A. 
           Markarian, Principal (Retired), Arlington Textiles, 
           Inc., Armenian; John L. Marks, Chairman & CEO, Mark IV 
           Realty, Inc., Hellenic; Patrick F. Martin, Chairman, 
           President & CEO, StorageTek, Irish; Stanley Matthews, 
           Founder, Matthews Diner & Pancake House, Hellenic; Hon. 
           Roslynn R. Mauskopf, US Attorney, Eastern District, New 
           York, Czechoslovakian; Hon. James E. McGreevey, 
           Governor--State of New Jersey, Irish; Raymond Melville, 
           Assistant Business Manager, Local Union #3, I.B.E.W., 
           Irish; Robert G. Miller, Chairman & CEO, Rite Aid 
           Corporation, Russian/English; Veronica Montgomery-
           Costa, President, Local 372 NYC Board of Education 
           Employees Union, African; Patrick J. Moore, President & 
           CEO, Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Irish/
           Scottish/Swedish; Donal J. Murphy, President, D.J. 
           Murphy Assoc, Irish;
         Albin D. Obal, President, Condor Contracting Company, 
           Inc., Owner, Midland Enterprises, Polish; James E. 
           O'Connor, Chairman & CEO, Republic Services, Inc., 
           Irish; James F. Orr, Chairman, President & CEO, 
           Convergys Corporation, Scottish/Irish/English/German; 
           Nacy Panzica, Chairman, Panzica Construction Company, 
           Italian; Steven Peter Papadatos, President, Papadatos 
           Associates PC Architects, Hellenic; Frank Pellegrino, 
           Sr., CEO, Rao's Specialty Foods, Italian; Stan 
           Pelofsky, M.D., President, Neuroscience Specialists, 
           Polish; James Tung Chiang Pi, President, Pi Trading 
           Company, Inc., Chinese; John Politis, President & CEO, 
           Apartment Realty Group, Inc., Hellenic; Gerry Puccio, 
           Sr., Founder, Rockleigh Country Club/CEO Carrington 
           Real Estate & Investment Group, Italian;
         Lewis S. Ranieri, Chairman, Hyperion Partners, LLP, 
           Italian; Subash Razdan, Advisor, Procurement Advisory 
           Council, Coca Cola Company, Indian; Paul V. Reilly, 
           President, Chairman & CEO, Mail-Well, Inc., Irish; Mary 
           Lou Retton, U.S. Olympic Gold Medallist, Italian; 
           Richard Romanoff, President, Nebraskaland, Inc., 
           Russian; E. John Rumpakis, Owner, N.E.W.S., Hellenic; 
           Michael Schenkler, Publisher, Queens Tribune, Russian/
           Polish; Martin Scorsese, President, Cappa Productions, 
           Italian; Myron P. Shevell, Chairman & CEO, New England 
           Motor Freight Inc./The Shevell Group, Russian/German; 
           David J. Shim, Chairman & CEO, Riverside Park, Inc./
           Kiku Restaurant Inc., Korean; Richard Silverman, Vice-
           Chairman, Fleet Bank N.A., Romanian/English; Hon. 
           Nirmal K. Sinha, Commissioner Ohio Civil Rights, 
           Assistant Director Department of Public Utilities, 
           Columbus, Indian; Curtis Sliwa, Founder and President, 
           The Alliance of Guardian Angels, Italian/Polish; Thomas 
           A. Smith, President & CEO, Oglethorpe Power 
           Corporation, Norwegian/Scottish/German; Ralph 
           Snyderman, M.D., Chancellor for Health Affairs, 
           President and CEO, Duke University Health System, 
           Russian; Rajesh K. Soin, Chairman & CEO, Soin 
           International, Indian; Hon. Maria Sotiropoulos, 
           Protocol Officer, The White House/US Department, of 
           State, Cypriot; Sy Sternberg, Chairman & CEO, New York 
           Life Insurance Company, Romanian/Polish/Lithuanian;
         Nicolas Tabbal, M.D., F.A.C.S., Plastic Surgeon, 
           Manhattan Eye Ear & Throat Hosp-NYU, Lebanese; Hon. 
           Patrick N. Theros, Ambassador, President & Executive 
           Director, US Qatar Business Council, Hellenic; 
           Demetrios E. Tsintolas, President, Tsintolas Realty 
           Company, Hellenic; Ben Vereen, Vereen Productions, 
           African; Nicholas S. Vidalakis, Co-Founder, Chairman & 
           CEO, VFP LLC, Hellenic; Vuksan Vuksanaj, President, New 
           York Travel Agency, Inc., Albanian; Mike Wallace, 
           Senior Correspondent, CBS News/60 Minutes, Russian; 
           Donald Washkewicz, President & CEO, Parker-Hannifin 
           Corporation, Polish/Czechoslovakian; Hon. Jim Wright, 
           Speaker of the House 1987-1989, Texas Christian 
           University, Australian/Irish/Scottish; Jeffrey Yarmuth, 
           President & COO, Sonny's Franchise Co., Russian/Polish; 
           Pan A. Yotopoulos, Distinguished Professor, University 
           of Florence, Hellenic; Xenophon Zapis, Radio 
           Broadcaster, Zapis Communications Corporation, 
           Hellenic; Detective Sergeant Wallace R. Zeins, 
           Commanding Officer, Manhattan Night Watch, NYPD, 
           Russian.

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