[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 41 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED COMMUNITIES OF SAN ANTONIO, INC.'S BROTHERHOOD/
               SISTERHOOD HUMANITARIAN AWARDS RECIPIENTS

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                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 9, 2007

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the United 
Communities of San Antonio, Inc., and the USCA Humanitarian Awards and 
Lifetime Humanitarian Award recipients, on the occasion of the 
celebration of their 53rd Brotherhood/Sisterhood Awards Dinner on March 
8, 2007.
  The mission of the United Communities of San Antonio, Inc. (USCA) is 
to create safe and inclusive communities, particularly among our young 
people, by promoting understanding and respect among all races, 
religions and cultures through dialogue, education and awareness. This 
year's USCA Humanitarian Award recipients and Lifetime Humanitarian 
Award recipient embody the goals of USCA with their numerous civic and 
professional contributions to the San Antonio community. They are all 
well known and respected members of their community known for their 
personal and professional integrity. They are committed to such 
democratic values as equality of opportunity, tolerance and human 
rights, values which form the basis for any diverse community. It is 
for these achievements that I rise today to honor these outstanding 
members of the San Antonio community.
  USCA Humanitarian Award recipient Charlie Amato is the chairman and 
co-founder of Southwest Business Corporation (SWBC), a recognized 
leader in the financial services industry. Mr. Amato's civic 
involvement recognizes the importance of giving back to the community 
where he has prospered, and he is an active participant in various 
charities and corporate leadership activities. His community service 
achievements include serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of 
the Christus Santa Rosa Health Care Corp., Board Member of the Greater 
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and Executive Committee Member of the 
United Way. Mr. Amato has also been recognized by the Arthritis 
Foundation as a ``Humanitarian of the Year'' (2002) and the San Antonio 
Business Journal as ``One of the Most Influential San Antonians'' 
(2004). He has also been inducted in the San Antonio Business Hall of 
Fame (2005) and most recently the College of Business Hall of Honor--
Sam Houston State University (2006).
  USCA Humanitarian Award recipient J. Russell Davis is a founding 
member and chief executive officer of Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc., a 
law firm with a diversified practice. Mr. Davis has distinguished 
himself through his deep commitment and involvement in the San Antonio 
community. He has served on the board of directors of such 
organizations as the Community Guidance Center, the Barshop Jewish 
Community Center, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and 
the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Corporation. His unwavering 
dedication as a community leader is reflected in his work as the first 
president of the campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community and as 
director and later chairman of the Holocaust Memorial of San Antonio. 
Mr. Davis has also served as director and later president of the Jewish 
Federation of San Antonio.
  USCA Humanitarian Award recipient Aaronetta Hamilton Pierce is 
president of Premier Artworks, Inc., a company which promotes African-
American artists throughout the country in public exhibits, museums, 
corporations, government buildings, businesses and homes. Mrs. Pierce 
has distinguished herself through her extraordinary work as an advocate 
for multi-cultural education and artistic development. In 1985, she 
became the first African-American woman appointed to the Texas 
Commission on the Arts. She was also a founding chair of the San 
Antonio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. Mrs. Pierce's leadership 
achievements include serving on the Executive Committee and Board of 
Trustees for United Way of San Antonio, the University of Texas San 
Antonio--Development Board and the Texas Cultural Trust Council. Mrs. 
Pierce has also been inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame 
(1984) and the Texas Women's Hall of Fame (1993).
  USCA Lifetime Humanitarian Award recipient Jimmy Toubin is president 
of Toubin Insurance Company, but his real work is as a distinguished 
civil leader and a passionate advocate for San Antonio's hungry. Mr. 
Toubin's notable civic involvement has earned him much deserved 
recognition. He has been named ``Outstanding Young Man of the Year'' by 
El Campo, TX Jaycees and was nominated for the Governor's Award for 
outstanding achievement in the volunteer community in 2001. His 
community service portfolio includes serving on the board of trustees 
for Temple Beth-El for 6 years, on the board of the Jewish Federation 
for 8 years and currently as Vice-President and membership Chairman of 
Temple Chai Congregation. He also served for 10 years on the United Way 
of San Antonio review and allocation panel. In recognition of his past 
service as both a board member and chairman for 2 years, the Board of 
the Alamo Area Council of Governments Bexar County Agency on Aging 
elected Mr. Toubin as Emeritus member of the board.
  Mr. Toubin's true achievement has been as a tireless advocate against 
hunger. He is a longtime member and past-president of the San Antonio 
Food Bank's board of directors. In 2001, it was through his tenacious 
work to rally Congress and the Department of Agriculture to make 
available peanut crops to make peanut butter for nonprofit 
organizations who work with low-income populations. Mr. Toubin also 
worked as the chairman of the fundraising committee for the San Antonio 
Food Bank's capital campaign which went on to raise $8.5 million over 
the course of 2 years for a new warehouse facility. His determination 
to help the San Antonio Food Bank meet its goals is evident in his work 
to identify members of the community who could help aid in this effort. 
Jimmy also helped organize the San Antonio Food Bank's Second Serving 
Program which makes use of excess prepared foods from hotels, 
restaurants, and caterers and directly delivers it to agencies that 
serve hot meals. He has embraced his role of helping San Antonio's 
hungry so profoundly that Jimmy, like other board members, would 
sometimes take a hands-on role; he could be found out on a truck with a 
driver or gleaning in a south Texas field. Jimmy is a person who 
believes in change and knows what it takes to actually make those 
changes happen through advocacy and legislative work, and the power of 
long-term policy efforts.

  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the United 
Communities of San Antonio, Inc., as it celebrates and honors the 
outstanding contributions to the San Antonio community of all of its 
2007 Humanitarian Award recipients. Their dedication to the community 
is remarkable and I wish them all continued success in all their future 
endeavors.

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