[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 RECOGNITION OF MS. SMITA N. SHAH, P.E.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2007

  Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Smita N. 
Shah, P.E., a prominent Indian-American businesswoman, activist, and 
philanthropist, who was one of a select few to receive the prestigious 
2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Over the years, I have had the honor 
to befriend this young woman and seen firsthand her good works and 
intelligence that makes her so worthy of this award.
  The Ellis Island Medal of Honor award is presented to influential 
leaders of various fields and ethnic backgrounds who have greatly 
contributed to American society. Established in 1986 by the National 
Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, NECO, the Ellis Island Medal of 
Honor pays tribute to the heritage of those individuals that compromise 
America's unique cultural mosaic and extraordinary individual 
achievement. Past medalists include six U.S. Presidents as well as 
Nobel Prize winners and leaders of industry, education, the arts, 
sports and government.
  As the daughter of two immigrants from India, Ms. Shah grew up in 
Chicago where she excelled as a student and is still remembered fondly 
as an active member of her community. Through her constant study and 
hard work she earned an undergraduate degree from Northwestern 
University. Ms. Shah continued her education when she received a 
masters of science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 
completed an advanced management program at Oxford. Upon completion of 
school, she started her own engineering firm. Though the firm started 
off with just 3 employees, it has since expanded to 55 in just 9 years.
  Ms. Shah has also set herself apart through her commitment to public 
service, which started with an internship in the Office of the Chief of 
Staff to the President of the United States in the summer of 1994 and 
continued with her service as a member of the White House advance team 
from 1993 to 2001. She went on to become a member of the White House 
Millennium Council to Save America's Treasures from 1998 to 2001. In 
1996, she was the youngest delegate to the Democratic National 
Committee, DNC, from the State of Illinois and participated in the 2004 
DNC as well.
  In Chicago, because of her strong belief in community building, Ms. 
Shah goes out of her way to work with organizations that help to 
promote ethnic diversity. She serves as chair of the Delhi-Chicago 
Committee, a part of the city of Chicago's Sister Cities International 
Program, where she works to expand relations between Chicago and New 
Delhi, helping to preserve and encourage her own cultural ties to 
India. In 2004, Senator Barbara Boxer presented Ms. Shah with a Women 
Making History Award for her dedication to her community, to her 
culture, and to the preservation of American ideals.
  Madam Speaker, Ms. Shah is an asset to the United States and her 
efforts are deserving of this prestigious award. Ms. Shah fully 
embodies the commitment and values that the Ellis Island Medal of Honor 
represents. It is an honor for me to recognize this great American and 
a good friend.

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