[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF THOMAS TESHARA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 2010

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Tom Teshara, a San 
Francisco native who has been responsible for mentoring and recruiting 
hundreds of women and men for admission to the United States Naval 
Academy. Starting in 1966 as a volunteer Tom personally recruited 82 
young men who were accepted by the Academy during a 4-year period. In 
1972 the Academy's Candidate Guidance Office established a West Coast 
branch office and named Tom as its first director with responsibility 
for ten Western states. At one time there were 1,049 Midshipmen 
enrolled at the Academy from these ten Western States. Before his 
recent retirement Tom led a network of 125 Academy Information Officers 
who counseled about 6,000 candidates annually.
  Tom Teshara's work involved many evenings and weekends where he 
represented the Academy at area school events. He founded the USNA 
Parents Club and coordinated all club activities. When midshipmen 
returned home for the holidays, it was Tom who arranged for new 
candidates and their parents to sit down and discuss the Academy 
experience with the midshipmen. It is commonly accepted that no other 
person in the country has recruited more candidates for the Naval 
Academy than Tom Teshara.
  Tom, born in 1927, was drafted out of high school by the U.S. Army 
where he served for 13 months before another draft of sorts--he signed 
a baseball contract with the San Francisco Seals where he played second 
base in the minor league system. His interest in sports has continued 
through the years. He founded the PeeWee Training League in the South 
San Francisco/San Bruno area and was athletic director at St. 
Veronica's School for nine years while playing semipro baseball.
  Tom Teshara and his wife, Jeannine, were married in October 1949. 
They have a son, Steve, and a daughter, Debra, and two granddaughters. 
Madam Speaker, Tom's family has every right to be proud of his efforts 
of the past 50 years to bring the best and the brightest young women 
and men into service for our country. He deserves a big salute from all 
of us.

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