[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 121 (Friday, September 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1698-E1699]
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, September 4, 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 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 culture 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 life-threatening medical conditions. 
     NECO has founded The Forum's Children Foundation, which 
     brings children from developing nations in need of 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 of 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/Russian; Danny Aiello, Actor, Italian; Hon. 
     Hagop S. Akiskal, M.D., 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; 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, Int'l 
     Union of 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 A. 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;

[[Page E1699]]

     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; 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 Associatesn PC Architects, Hellenic; Frank 
     Pellegrino, Sr., CEO, Rao's Specialty Foods, Italian; Stan 
     Pelofsky, M.D., President, Neuroscience Speciahsts, 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 Carrin on Real Estate & Investment Group, 
     Italian; Lewis S. Ranieri, Founder & 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, 
     Pubhsher, 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. Shitn, Chairman CEO, 
     Riverside Park, Inc./Kiku Restaurant Inc., Korean; Richard 
     Silverman, Vice-Chairman, Fleet National Bank N.A., Romanian/
     English; Hon. Nirmal K. Sinha, Commissioner Ohio Civil 
     Rights, Assistant Director Department of Pubhc Utilities, 
     Columbus, Ohio, Indian; Curtis Shwa, Founder and President, 
     The Alliance of Guardian Angels, Itahan/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, Afiican; Nicholas S. Vidalakis, 
     CoFounder, 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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