[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO STEVE DiGERLANDO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHRISTOPHER COX

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a close, personal 
friend, Steve DiGerlando, on his last day as Chief of Staff in my 
California office. It is with deep gratitude--and more than a little 
sadness--that today my staff and I wish Steve farewell. I would like to 
take this opportunity to thank him for his twelve outstanding years of 
dedicated service to my office and to the residents of the 48th 
district of California.
  For more than a decade, Steve has been a tireless advocate on behalf 
of Orange County residents. Since first joining my staff in 1991, Steve 
has personally handled more than 5,000 cases and he has helped 
literally thousands of people resolve their problems with Federal 
agencies. After a brief leave from my office a few years back, Steve 
returned in 2003 to take the post of Deputy District Director. Soon 
thereafter he was promoted to California Chief of Staff, where he 
demonstrated superb leadership and management skills. Steve has been a 
loyal and capable director, and his expertise, endless patience and 
imperturbable spirit have guided the office through the most hectic of 
times. All of us who have been fortunate to work with Steve over the 
years are deeply grateful for his generosity, his thoughtfulness and 
his friendship.
  Steve was born and raised in Orange County, and his entire family 
still resides in Southern California. He is a staunch supporter of his 
alma mater, California State University, Fullerton, where he earned his 
undergraduate and graduate degrees. Upon completing his Masters in 
History at Cal State Fullerton, he went on to become a professor of 
world history and American history at Cypress Community College and Mt. 
San Antonio College. Thankfully for us, Steve's vast knowledge of 
history includes that of Orange County. He has been most helpful in 
educating members of my Washington staff who have not been personally 
familiar with the district, and he could often be found behind the 
wheel of a car giving his famed Orange County tour to visiting staff.
  Though he is an Orange County native, Steve is somehow, mysteriously, 
an ardent Dodgers fan. As a big Angels fan myself, this has created a 
friendly baseball rivalry in the office, even though Steve always 
trumps me in baseball trivia regardless of the team we're discussing. I 
know he'll be missing those Dodger dogs once he leaves California.
  Steve is a scholar and historian in the truest sense. Beyond 
academia, his wealth of knowledge ranges from the most important to the 
most trivial of facts. After working with him for more than twelve 
years, I am now ready to audition for Jeopardy. One particular anecdote 
I'll always remember relates to the statue of a rather obscure hero in 
California history that stands in the United States Capitol. Whenever I 
lead tours down this particular hall, I always bet my visitors that 
they cannot name the two statues that represent California. Invariably, 
most are able to name the most famous statue, Father Junipero Serra, 
the founder of the California missions. To this day, not a single one 
has correctly identified the second statue--except, of course, for 
Steve. Not only did he know the name, but he was an expert on the 
legacy of Thomas Starr King, the little known leader whose eloquent 
speeches and brave action saved California for the Union during the 
Civil War. In fact, Steve's knowledge of Thomas Starr King has even 
made its way to the pages of Orange County's local newspaper.
  My staff and I are not the only ones who will miss Steve after he 
departs the office. A void will be felt throughout the county and the 
state when he and his family move to their new home in Houston, Texas. 
While we will miss having him in Orange County, we're excited for the 
great opportunities that await Steve, his wife Rita, and their daughter 
Samantha in the Lone Star State.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing 
Steve DiGerlando on the occasion of his last day as my California Chief 
of Staff. He will be greatly missed, and I wish him every success in 
his future endeavors.

                          ____________________