[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 147 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        WILLIAM ``BILL'' FUJIOKA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 4, 2014

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Representatives Xavier 
Becerra, Julia Brownley, Tony Cardenas, Janice Hahn, Alan Lowenthal, 
Grace Napolitano, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Linda Sanchez, Adam Schiff, 
Brad Sherman, and Henry Waxman to recognize a dedicated leader and 
public servant, William ``Bill'' Fujioka, on his retirement as the 
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the County of Los Angeles. His 
retirement marks the end of a remarkable four decades in public service 
for the Los Angeles city and county governments.
  Bill Fujioka is a third-generation Japanese-American born to parents 
William and Linda Fujioka and raised in Boyle Heights and Montebello, 
California. His grandfather, Fred Jiro Fujioka, first arrived in Kansas 
City from Japan in the early 1900s and became a successful businessman 
and esteemed member of his community in California. Tragically, during 
World War II, the family was sent to an internment camp and all their 
possessions were confiscated during one of the darkest moments of U.S. 
history. Decades later, Bill has honored the Fujioka name as a faithful 
public servant for local government. He began his career as a janitor 
at UC Santa Cruz, and steadily rose to high-level positions within the 
city and county offices, including the city of Los Angeles' coveted 
seat as the City Administrative Officer. Seven years ago, he became the 
CEO of the County of Los Angeles with unanimous praise from the County 
Board Supervisors and many public officials. He broke bathers as the 
first person of color in this prestigious position, managing the 
largest county in the nation with over 100,000 employees and a budget 
of approximately $27 billion. As CEO, he diligently oversaw the 
delivery of programs and services to the county's more than 10 million 
residents, including public safety and municipal services as well as 
programs for health, recreation, culture, and the arts.
  Although he initially agreed to serve five years as CEO, Bill's 
dedication to the community compelled him to stay and help guide the 
county through the Great Recession. The county benefited immensely from 
his decision; during the Great Recession, no county employee was laid 
off or furloughed and many critical services were maintained and 
provided. His ability to stabilize the county during the worst economic 
downturn since the Great Depression is truly an extraordinary 
accomplishment.
  Bill's success in managing the County of Los Angeles and his 
exceptional career as a public servant is a true inspiration for all of 
us. We thank him for his service, his leadership in the community, and 
for being a role model for so many.

                          ____________________