[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 29, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING GEORGE LES, THE OAK LAWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S BUSINESS PERSON 
                              OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2014

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor George Les, a 
longtime restaurateur and community institution in Oak Lawn, Illinois. 
For the last 40 years, Mr. Les and his brother, Angelo, have run the 
famous Les Brothers restaurant at 87th Street and Ridgeland Avenue. On 
January 18, Mr. Les was recognized by the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce 
as its ``Business Person of the Year.''
   Mr. Les embodies the quintessential American success story. In 1968, 
when he was just 10 years old, he came to the United States with his 
family from Greece. He grew up in Chicago's Marquette Park community, 
landing his first restaurant job bussing tables at age 12. In 1974, he 
and Angelo went to work for their father, Bill, when he opened the 
original Les Brothers at the same Oak Lawn location the restaurant is 
at today.
   Anne Marie Casey, past president of the Oak Lawn Chamber of 
Commerce, noted in her remarks before Mr. Les was awarded ``Business 
Person of the Year'' that Les Brothers is an ``Oak Lawn institution'' 
and ``a place where George treats every customer that comes into his 
business like they are friends and family, even if they are first-time 
customers.''
   Through hard work and perseverance, Mr. Les has opened other Les 
Brothers restaurants in Hickory Hills, New Lenox and Homer Glen--all in 
Chicago's south suburbs.
   Mr. Les and his family are active in all of the communities they 
serve, sponsoring and supporting many local causes and events. In Oak 
Lawn, he is particularly passionate about Westside Baseball, the league 
his sons Bill and Jim played in growing up.

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