[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 25, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING AN OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN OUR COMMUNITY: MICHELE IANNELLO-WARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 25, 2013

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Michele Iannello-
Ward, an outstanding woman in our community who has had an incredibly 
successful career leading and taking part in many organizations for the 
betterment of the Western New York region.
   Michele grew up in Tonawanda and graduated from Kenmore West Senior 
High School. She then went on to achieve great success academically as 
she completed her undergraduate degree, became a Certified Paralegal 
and a graduate of the New York State Association of Counties--Dennis 
Pelletier Institute.
   She has dedicated many years of service to the community where she 
started as a two-year Trustee in the Village of Kenmore. She was then 
elected to the Erie County Legislator in 2006 where she had many 
accomplishments over her two terms.
   As Legislator, Michele chaired the Community Enrichment Committee 
and the Green Actions Community Committee and was also a member of both 
the Energy and Environment and Public Safety Committees. She has made 
an unmatched commitment to the public and created the first and only 
community wide focus group with citizens, business owners and non-
profit activist to assist individuals or groups with their needs within 
her district.
   Michele was also the first elected official to support the efforts 
of the Clean Air Coalition where she worked hand-in-hand with the 
founder against Tonawanda Coke that eventually led to a successful 
guilty verdict.
   Michele is also an active member in a number of many other 
organizations where her leadership has undoubtedly left a positive and 
long-standing impression on anyone involved. She is a member of NYS 
Women Inc., the Kenmore Village Improvement Society and the Romulus 
Women's Club. As part of the Romulus Women's Club, Michele has even 
chaired two major charity events to help raise money for cancer 
research and Loaves and Fishes.
   A strong proponent and advocate of women's rights, Michele was 
honored by the YWCA of the Tonawandas with the Marybeth Lawton 
Leadership Award in 2009.
   There is no doubting how lucky our community has been to have her, 
and how appreciative we remain that she still has an influence through 
her work as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister of the St. John the 
Baptist Church in Kenmore.
   It is with great pride that I stand today to recognize the 
achievements of Michele Iannello-Ward, an incredibly dedicated and 
outstanding woman in our community.

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