[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2318-S2319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                 REMEMBERING WILLIAM H. ``MO'' MARUMOTO

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I wish to express my deepest 
condolences and warmest aloha to the family and friends of William H. 
``Mo'' Marumoto, who passed away last November.
  Mr. Marumoto was an inspiration to all of those who came in contact 
with him. Those who knew him well knew of his selflessness and 
commitment to the public good.
  During World War II, Mr. Marumoto and his family spent 3 years in the 
Gila River internment camp in Arizona. This experience did little to 
deter Mr. Marumoto's pursuit of excellence and service to his country. 
He served as student body president of his high school, Santa Ana High 
School, and later graduated from Whittier College.
  His remarkable career spanned over five decades. He arrived in 
Washington, DC, in 1969 to serve as assistant to the secretary of the 
Department of Health, Education and Welfare, responsible for recruiting 
senior executives for the Office of Education. A year later, Mr. 
Marumoto became the first Asian American to serve at the executive 
level in the White House as an aide to President Richard Nixon 
responsible for filling Cabinet and sub-Cabinet level positions.
  In 1973, he founded The Interface Group Ltd., a Washington, DC-based 
executive search firm which specialized in placing women and minorities 
in senior executive positions. He is fondly remembered for his efforts 
to ensure diversity within the most senior levels of government.
  He was a remarkable leader as president and CEO of the Asian Pacific 
American Institute for Congressional Studies and received numerous 
national professional awards for his work in higher education, 
fundraising, direct mail, events management, and publications.
  My thoughts and prayers go out to Mo's loved ones. He will be deeply

[[Page S2319]]

missed and his generosity will forever be remembered. May he rest in 
peace.

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