[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO PAUL H. SNIDER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 9, 2008

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Paul H. 
Snider. Paul is a loyal American and a fine man.
  Paul grew up in Denair, CA and graduated from Turlock High School. 
After high school he entered the U.S. Maritime Service as a radio 
operator. Following his Maritime service, he enrolled in Modesto Junior 
College. While attending Modesto Junior College, Paul and his father 
started Snider Honey, a business in which they marketed and distributed 
honey to retailers. One of those retailers was Tom Raley, who at that 
time had only one store in Placerville, but went on to establish the 
well-known chain of Raley's grocery stores.
  After graduating from Modesto Junior College, Paul joined the 
National Guard. He was sent to Okinawa for 6 months and was honorably 
discharged in January 1953. Upon returning to California, Paul began 
working for his uncle, Stewart Snider, selling Buicks. As was the 
custom in the early 1950s, Paul went door-to-door after dinner 
contacting people who had visited the dealership in order to sell them 
a car.
  In 1956, Paul bought his own Chevy dealership in Patterson, CA. In 
1966, he bought a Volkswagen dealership in Sacramento. Paul's success 
continued, and at one time he owned about one dozen dealerships, 
including Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Chevy, Pontiac, Isuzu, 
Hyundai, and Infiniti. Paul has managed to succeed in business without 
compromising his character; he has remained humble and has cared about 
his many employees. In fact, Paul hated it when he was forced to fire 
someone and agonized over the decision each time it needed to be made.
  Paul has three children: Shelby, Marcus, and Blake. He is an avid 
hunter and has been a member of the Safari Club International, Ducks 
Unlimited, the Lions Club, and the Rotary Club. He has contributed 
generously and repeatedly to the Red Cross, the Shriners, the River Oak 
Center for Children Foundation (for children with developmental 
disabilities), and to Ducks Unlimited and the Safari Club 
International. Paul is a man who puts his energy behind his beliefs, 
and he has been a faithful supporter of many conservative causes. I am 
grateful for his support and friendship and wish him well in the years 
to come.

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