[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 78 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF ELAINE JANSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2014

  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the retirement of Elaine Janson, a true leader in our community who has 
served China Lake for over thirty years and the past ten years of her 
life to the students of the Sierra Sands Unified School District in 
California.
   Receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration 
and a Masters in Public Administration from California State 
University, Bakersfield, Elaine began work as a clerk for the Naval Air 
Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, located in Ridgecrest, California. 
In 1974, she became an administrative officer in the School of 
Education and the Department of Physics at the University of Southern 
California, but returned to NAWS China Lake in 1978 to head the 
Corporate Budget Division in the Office of the Comptroller where she 
was responsible for formulating and executing the base's budget of $1 
billion.
   Through the Office of General Counsel, Elaine founded the Commercial 
Applications and Transfer Office, which was responsible for negotiating 
patent license agreements, as well as cooperative research and 
development agreements. She was awarded the Commander's Award in 1993 
for these efforts. She negotiated landmark agreements in both the 
intellectual property and educational partnership areas as well for 
NAWS. Elaine is also a founding member of the NAWS Business Development 
Office, which works to expand the base's work and bring additional jobs 
and business to our community. During this period, she was a founding 
member of the China Lake Chapter of the American Society of Military 
Comptroller, serving as its Vice President, and has been members of 
multiple other organizations, including the Federal Laboratory 
Consortium, the Technology Transfer Society and the Association of 
University Technology Managers. Not only did Elaine dedicate time 
serving NAWS, she also plays a leadership role in the Ridgecrest 
community, serving on the Ridgecrest United Way of California board and 
the Indian Wells Valley Concert Association. She retired after 33 years 
in Federal service with the United States Navy, but Elaine's passion 
for service did not end there.
   Elaine has spent the last ten years with Sierra Sands Unified School 
District where she began in 2003 as the Chief Financial Officer. Later, 
she moved on to serve as the school district's Assistant Superintendent 
for Business and Assistant Superintendent for Construction. Over the 
period of her tenure, she not only oversaw the district budget, but 
also supervised maintenance and operations, transportation, food 
service, and warehouse departments. Her work with Superintendent Joanna 
Rummer also helped secure significant Federal funds to replace Murray 
Middle School and modernize Burroughs High School to ensure our 
students are able to obtain a world-class education in modern 
buildings. Additionally, during a period in which the entire nation 
experienced one of the worst economic climates, Sierra Sands Unified 
School District remained fiscally solvent and maintained the integrity 
of its outstanding academic programs.
   If anything personifies Elaine's service, it is her passionate 
advocacy for her students in the school district. I have enjoyed 
working with Elaine to promote Sierra Sands Unified School District, 
its students, and our Ridgecrest community. I will miss our frequent 
visits and the See's Candies that Elaine always brings with her, but I 
know she is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, 
James, and their 14 children and grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, on behalf 
of a grateful community, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking 
Elaine for her outstanding service and wishing her a happy retirement 
as she begins this next chapter of her life.

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