[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1804-E1805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ART CANTU: 2005 LABOR LEADER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 8, 2005

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, today I acknowledge a great friend of labor, 
Art Cantu--

[[Page E1805]]

named the 2005 Labor Leader of the Year. Art is currently the 
Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer of the 
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 36, which represents 
Building Material, Construction, Industrial, Professional and Technical 
Employees.
  Art is a native San Diegan and graduated from Chula Vista High School 
in 1975. Art also attended San Diego City College where he completed 
the Business and Labor Studies Program.
  Art began his career working at Nabisco Company for Teamsters Local 
316 in Syracuse, New York in May of 1976. In December 1977, he 
transferred to Local 36 and began driving for Oberg Construction and 
later at Bechtel Power Corporation at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating 
Station and then moved to Hubbard Construction Company. In January 
1990, Art began working at Teamsters Local 36 as an Organizer and 
Business Agent, and in May of 1995 was elected as the Recording 
Secretary on the Executive Board of Teamsters Local 36. In August of 
2000, Art was appointed Secretary-Treasurer. He has since been re-
elected twice.
  Art serves as co-chair for San Diego County Teamsters Construction 
Trust for Health and Welfare, Pension, Vacation and Training Trusts, as 
well as Alternate Trustee of the San Diego County Teamsters Employers-
Insurance Trust Fund. Art currently serves on the Advisory Committee of 
the Industrial Relations Research Association (IRRA), and the Executive 
Board of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council as well as being 
the Treasurer and Executive Board member of The San Diego County 
Building and Construction Trades Council. His newest position is with 
the San Diego County Chamber of Commerce Transportation Sub-committee.
  Art also serves as the Recording Secretary of the California 
Teamsters Hispanic Caucus and the Executive Director of the National 
Teamsters Hispanic Caucus. Art is extremely proud of organizing the 
Annual Teamsters Hispanic Golf Tournament held at Torrey Pines every 
year. The event has raised over $300,000 in scholarships for the sons 
and daughters of Teamsters. Since 2000, Art and Kris Hartnett have co-
chaired the John S. Lyons Memorial Banquet which has raised over $1.2 
million.
  Art currently resides in Carmel Mountain Ranch in San Diego. Art has 
2 sons, Art Jr., 26, and Wesley, 24. Art Jr. currently works in 
Seattle, Washington and is a software engineer for Marchex Corporation. 
Wes works for the City of Santa Monica in the Engineering Department. 
Art's proudest moment was seeing Art Jr. graduate from Berkeley and 
Stanford and Wes from the University of California at Santa Barbara. 
Art enjoys golf, tennis and traveling.
  I am proud to salute Art Cantu--Labor Leader of the Year.

                          ____________________