[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING GEORGE K. LAI ON BEING NAMED 2005 GUAM SMALL 
    BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2005

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and commend 
Mr. George K. Lai on being named 2005 Guam Small Businessperson of the 
Year by the United States Small Business Administration. George Lai's 
hard work and perserverance embody the spirit of the American Dream, 
and the SBA could not have selected a more worthy recipient.
  Like many of this Nation's great entrepreneurs, George came to the 
United States as an immigrant. Having grown up in Hong Kong with very 
little formal education in the English language, he worked hard to take 
advantage of opportunities for formal secondary education in Guam. 
After graduating from Guam's John F. Kennedy High School with honors, 
George gained admission to Texas Agriculture and Mining University, 
where he earned a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering in 1982. After several 
years of working for Dower Schlumberger, a Houston-based oil service 
company, he and his wife, Deborah Larsen Lai, moved back to Guam and 
established Quality Distributors in 1986. Quality Distributors has 
since become the largest food wholesaler on the island.
  George has provided sound leadership for Quality Distributors, which 
led to its awarding as ``New Contractor of the Year'' by the Defense 
Logistics Agency in 2002. Quality Distributors was subsequently awarded 
``Prime Vendor of the Year'' by the Defense Supplies Center of 
Philadelphia in 2003 in recognition of its outstanding performance in 
the Pacific Region. Under George's leadership, Quality Distributors has 
continued to provide efficient wholesale services to local retailers 
and value to Federal procurement officers. Because of this sound 
business leadership, Quality Distributors helps foster local economic 
growth and new jobs.
  In addition to providing business leadership, George is an active 
participant in local trade organizations that work to enhance the 
overall competitiveness of firms located in Guam. He has served on the 
Board of Directors for the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association and 
for the Guam Environmental Protection Agency; as Vice President of the 
Chinese Merchant Association; and has maintained an active role in the 
Guam Chamber of Commerce and Guam Visitors Bureau. He has also 
supported the Guam community by serving as Treasurer and Director of 
Finance for the Guam Football and Soccer Association and as Chairman of 
the Women's National Soccer Team. George has also been generous in 
providing corporate sponsorships for important programs supporting 
public education, youth sports, and disaster relief in the Pacific 
Region.
  George is a business leader, an inspiration for us all, and an 
individual deeply committed to utilizing his talents for the benefit of 
the entire Guam community. I congratulate George for being selected as 
the 2005 Guam Small Businessperson of the Year. Our island celebrates 
his national recognition with his wife Deborah and daughters Samantha 
and Breanna. George, we are all proud of you and we wish you continued 
success.

                          ____________________