[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 27, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING MAURICE CALDERON OF REDLANDS FOR SERVICE TO THE HISPANIC 
                               COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 27, 2004

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to 
congratulate Maurice Calderon of Redlands, whose efforts to ensure that 
all communities in San Bernardino County have access to financial 
services has been recognized by the Foreign Ministry of Mexico, which 
presented him with the Ohtli Award for public service.
  I have counted Maurice Calderon as a friend for more than 30 years, 
and I have been proud to work with him on many projects to improve our 
communities in San Bernardino County. Maurice was born and raised in 
Banning, California, and served as a school board member there for nine 
years, followed by another nine as a community college trustee.
  He is currently the Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs and 
Community Development at Arrowhead Credit Union in San Bernardino, 
California. In that position, Maurice has been an advocate for 
providing financial services to the large and growing Hispanic 
community, many of them immigrants from Mexico. He was instrumental in 
convincing the credit union to open a new branch in the San Bernardino 
minority community after all other banks had closed their outlets 
there.
  Maurice is truly a community activist, serving as a member of both 
the Inland Empire Hispanic and African American Chambers of Commerce. 
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of both the University of 
California Foundation, and the San Bernardino Valley College 
Foundation. Maurice is also a Director for the Inland Empire Economic 
Partnership, and President of Sinfonia Mexicana.
  His service has been recognized by many honors: ``Father of the 
Year'' from the City of Banning, ``Citizen of the Year'' from the City 
of Beaumont, ``Hispanic of the Year,'' and ``Influential Latino of the 
Year'' in 1998 by the Inland Empire Hispanic Chamber and Hispanic 
Lifestyle Magazine, respectively. Maurice was the inaugural recipient 
of the California Credit Union League Diversity Award, and was named to 
the Southern California Native American and Latino Hall of Fame.
  Most recently, Maurice Calderon has been recognized for his public 
service to the Mexican immigrant community by the Mexican Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, which awarded him the Reconocimiento Ohtli Medal. It 
honors those individuals who are role models for society, and have 
contributed successfully toward building relations with the Mexican 
community living outside of the country.
  Mr. Speaker, a big reason for Maurice Calderon's dedication to his 
community is the support he receives from Dorothy, his wife of more 
than 40 years, and his two children and four grandchildren. Please join 
me in congratulating the entire Calderon family for this honor, and 
thanking him for all the years of public service he has given the 
people of San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

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