[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 51 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          A FALL RIVER PRINCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 2006

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I have had the pleasure 
during my years of representing Southeastern Massachusetts to work with 
Fernando Garcia. Fernando Garcia is a leader in the business community 
of Southeastern Massachusetts, and has been particularly active in 
affairs of the large Portuguese-American Community that contributes so 
much to that part of the state and indeed to the state as a whole. I 
had the pleasure a few years ago of visiting the Azores in the company 
of Mr. Garcia and the then Mayor Fred Kalisz of the City of New 
Bedford, and I have worked with Mr. Garcia on a number of occasions 
since then on matters of particular interest to the Portuguese-American 
Communities. At a time when we are talking about immigration, it is 
important to note that Mr. Garcia, like so many others who have been 
such important contributors to the life of Southeastern Massachusetts, 
is an immigrant who was born in the city of Sao Miguel, in the Azores. 
I note that he knew no English when he arrived here at the age of 11, 
and like the overwhelming majority of immigrants, strove to become 
proficient to the point where he is now a significant community 
leader--in English while of course retaining his facility in 
Portuguese.
  Mr. Speaker, the sort of civic activity that Fernando Garcia 
exemplifies is a very important asset and I was pleased to read the 
excellent article about him in the Fall River Herald News, 
appropriately in the Business section since as the owner of Fall River 
Ford he is a significant leader in that segment of the life of his 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, as an example of the important positive contribution 
made by immigration to this country, I ask that the article from the 
Fall River Herald News about Fernando Garcia be printed here.

                 [From the Herald News, Apr. 14, 2006]

                          A Fall River Prince

                          (By Kathleen Durand)

       Fernando Garcia said it's easy to be a good corporate 
     citizen in a wonderful environment and community like Fall 
     River.
       The owner of Fall River Ford, Garcia will be recognized by 
     the Prince Henry Society tonight for his many acts of charity 
     and service to the community. The Fall River chapter as its 
     Portuguese-American of the year. Similar honors will be 
     bestowed on Thomas Alves, a plumber, by the New Bedford 
     chapter, and Joseph de Melo, an attorney, by the Taunton 
     chapter. The three will receive their awards at a dinner at 
     the Century House in Acushnet.
       Garcia said the Prince Henry Society is made up of people 
     of Portuguese heritage, including both immigrants and native-
     born Americans. The primary function of the society is to 
     promote education, he said, and it has given hundreds of 
     scholarships worth thousands of dollars to deserving 
     students.
       A member of the Fall River chapter, Garcia said he was 
     totally surprised to learn it has named him Portuguese-
     American of the year. ``Every member of the chapter is 
     deserving of the award. It's a small chapter but it gives 
     constantly,'' he said. ``It's the first chapter that has 
     women members who have added to the vision of the society and 
     made it better by their input and views.''
       Garcia came to New Bedford from Sao Miguel, Azores, in 1957 
     at age 11. He said he knew no English. ``One of the things 
     I've tried to do over the years is to never forget the 
     hardships and sacrifices immigrants must make,'' he said. 
     ``We try to instill that in others and make their journey 
     easier by avoiding the pitfalls we had.''
       The New Bedford schools had no bilingual program at that 
     time, so Garcia learned English at Our Lady of Mount Carmal 
     School. After four years there he said he was able to 
     navigate through the public schools. He went on to the 
     University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he was president 
     of his class as a sophomore and a junior. He majored in 
     business and foreign languages and his class, the Class of 
     1969, was the first to graduate from the Dartmouth campus.
       ``Then it was out into the business world, and I haven't 
     stopped since,'' he said.
       In October 1998 he said he saw a great business opportunity 
     in Fall River. Ford Automotive Co. was about to close a 
     dealership due to prior failures. Garcia said with proper 
     management and dedicated employees, he was able to 
     restructure it so that it now ranks in the top 10 Ford 
     dealerships in New England, employs about 100 people and 
     generates annual sales of more than $75 million.
       ``I'm delighted with the growth I've been in the 7\1/2\ 
     years I've been here,'' Garcia said. ``There are so many good 
     people. I find it impossible to say no to worthy causes.''
       In business and in life, Garcia said he believes in 
     integrity, character and in always keeping his word.
       Garcia said Fall River Ford is most grateful for the 
     courtesy and patronage of the community.
       ``I am very proud to be Portuguese,'' he said. ``On the day 
     I received my citizenship papers I was as equally proud to be 
     a Portuguese-American.''
       Garcia is involved in numerous activities aimed at 
     improving the quality of life in this region. He is chairman 
     of the Executive Business Council at Charlton Memorial 
     Hospital, a member of the board of the President's Council at 
     the hospital, a member of the board of the local chapter of 
     the American Heart Association, a member of the community 
     advisor board of the Diabetes Association and a board member 
     of the development council for HealthFirst Family Care 
     Center.
       Before he bought Fall River Ford, Garcia was a national 
     sales manager for Rusty Jones, an automotive appearance 
     maintenance program. He than founded All-Neads Insurance of 
     New Bedford. When he bought Fall River Ford, he gave his co-
     workers at All-Neads the opportunity to buy the business. 
     Without them, he said, the business would not have achieved 
     the success it did.

                          ____________________