[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 5, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14026-S14027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT MONTE AHUJA

 Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and 
pay tribute to Mr. Monte Ahuja of Hunting Valley, OH as an Ellis Island 
Medal of Honor recipient.
  The prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor award is presented 
annually to ``remarkable Americans who exemplify outstanding qualities 
in both their personal and professional lives,'' and ``who have 
distinguished themselves as citizens of the United States, while 
continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage.'' 
Monte Ahuja was selected to receive this honor in 2001.
  Mr. Ahuja is a distinguished American who immigrated to the United 
States from India in 1969. He received a bachelor of science degree in 
mechanical engineering in India and pursued his graduate education at 
Ohio State University where he received his masters degree in 
mechanical engineering. He moved to Cleveland, OH in 1972 and received 
his masters in business administration at Cleveland State University in 
1975 while working full time.

[[Page S14027]]

  While pursuing his MBA, Mr. Ahuja began to dream about creating a 
global parts distribution network solely dedicated to providing 
transmission rebuilders the highest quality products and services. He 
pursued his dream by undertaking considerable research and hard work 
developing his idea, and he established Transtar Industries, Inc. in 
1975.
  Over the past 28 years, Transtar Industries has grown from a two-
person, one-location operation to a company with over 25 locations 
nationwide and over 500 dedicated employees that services the 
automotive transmission aftermarket in over 60 countries.
  Transtar Industries, Inc. is headquartered in Cleveland, OH and 
distributes the world's largest and most comprehensive line of 
automotive transmission replacement parts and kits. The company's 
products are the result of proactive product research and development. 
Transtar also has outstanding business systems. Its sales forecasting 
system is state-of-the art and its level of customer service 
consistently exceeds 95 percent. All of Transtar's distribution centers 
are electronically linked, which makes it possible for Transtar to ship 
virtually every order the same day.
  Mr. Ahuja has provided outstanding leadership at Transtar Industries 
and he has received numerous awards for his achievements, including the 
Arthur Anderson 2000 Leadership Award, the Inside Business NEO Success 
Award and the Association of Corporate Growth Deal Makers Award.
  As Governor of Ohio, I was proud to recognize Mr. Ahuja on two 
occasions as recipient of the ``E'' Award for Excellence in Export.
  In 2002, Mr. Ahuja was chosen the World Trade Center Cleveland 
International Executive of the Year.
  Monte Ahuja is also extremely involved in the community and he 
demonstrates generously his philosophy of contributing to the community 
that has given him so much.
  He has a passion for education which is demonstrated by his years of 
commitment to his alma mater where he began to envision and create his 
company. At Cleveland State University, he has served as director of 
the Cleveland State University Foundation and he has established the 
Ahuja Endowed Scholarship Fund in business administration and 
engineering.
  He also established the Distinguished Scholar in Comparative Indian 
and Western Philosophy--which is so important today as we strive to 
appreciate the richness of this country's cultural diversity.
  I was so impressed with Monte's devotion to education that when I was 
governor of Ohio I appointed him to Cleveland State's Board of Trustees 
in 1991. From 1992 to 1998, he served with distinction as chairman of 
the Board of Trustees.
  He also served as chairman of the Cleveland State University Task 
Force, part of a statewide project I initiated as governor of Ohio, the 
``Ohio Task Force for Managing Future Higher Education in the State of 
Ohio'' to challenge the universities to conduct private sector 
management audits to work harder and smarter and do more with less. 
Under Monte Ahuja's leadership, Cleveland State University's audit was 
one of the best in the State and saved the University $8.5 million a 
year.
  Monte Ahuja's commitment to education is relentless and he has 
dedicated himself to the advancement of quality education at Cleveland 
State and in Ohio.
  He is the embodiment of the achievements that a quality education can 
help facilitate. In 1990, Mr. Ahuja was named one of Cleveland State 
University's 25 most distinguished alumni. In 1999, he received Harvard 
University Business School's Dively Award and that same year his alma 
mater recognized him again by naming the Business School building at 
Cleveland State University Monte Ahuja Hall.
  Mr. Ahuja has served on the boards of many civic, business and 
philanthropic organizations, including the Greater Cleveland 
Roundtable, The National Conference, World Trade Center Advisory 
Council, and Ohio Export Promotion and Trade Council.
  Currently, Mr. Ahuja serves on the boards of the Cleveland Cuyahoga 
County Port Authority, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Greater 
Cleveland Growth Association, United Way, WVIZ/PBS, Enterprise 
Development, Inc., and the Cleveland Council on World Affairs.
  In addition to his significant contributions to the community, Monte 
has a wonderful sense of family. He is a loving husband to Usha, his 
wife of 30 years, a tremendous father to his two daughters and a caring 
son.
  Monte Ahuja is a remarkable American and someone I am privileged to 
call friend. He has the highest integrity in both his personal and 
professional life and he has made many outstanding contributions to the 
Asian Indian community, to his local community in Cleveland, OH and to 
American society.
  I am proud to recognize my friend Monte Ahuja and congratulate him on 
this wonderful honor.

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