[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 116 (Thursday, July 23, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S5513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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               SAMUEL SHAPIRO & COMPANY 100TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to Samuel 
Shapiro & Company, a Baltimore-based customs broker and freight 
forwarder, on the occasion of the firm's 100th anniversary. Founded by 
Samuel Shapiro in 1915, Shapiro & Co. has since become one of our 
country's leaders in domestic and international shipping, with 
locations across the eastern seaboard.
  From navigating the intricacies of international cargo management to 
providing client consultation on import and export compliance, Shapiro 
& Co. has distinguished itself as a center of innovation, extensive 
business acumen, and creativity. Strong family and community ties lie 
at the real heart of the company, which has been family-owned since its 
founding.
  Samuel Shapiro, a son of Russian immigrants, founded Samuel Shapiro & 
Company at age 20 just as our Nation was beginning to emerge onto the 
global stage, economically, politically, and socially. Our European 
allies were in the midst of war, driving the need for American-made 
goods ever higher. Designated by the U.S. Government as the Port of 
Baltimore's distribution broker for grain exports, Shapiro & Co., 
though small, began to build a reputation for effectiveness and 
reliability among European businesses during the postwar reconstruction 
period. Throughout the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, Shapiro & Co. continued 
to expand, helping to cement the city of Baltimore as one of the 
Nation's premier commercial ports.
  In the 1950s, Shapiro & Co., driven by the strong leadership of 
Samuel and his son Sigmund, emerged as an influential force in lobbying 
for the establishment of the Maryland Port Authority in 1956 and in 
advocating for the growth of the port, supporting the construction of 
the Dundalk Marine Terminal in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Shapiro 
& Co. continued to serve as an economic force through some of 
Baltimore's most difficult times, throughout the eras of upheaval and 
relocation in the 1960s and 1970s.
  After a lifetime of devotion to the city of Baltimore, Samuel Shapiro 
passed away at the age of 92 in the mid-1980s. Today, the company is 
headed by president and CEO Marjorie Shapiro, Samuel's granddaughter. 
Shapiro, as the company is known today, has evolved from a one-room 
office with a $5 roll-top desk to a well-respected and highly regarded 
industry leader and Baltimore institution. The Port of Baltimore is 
more vibrant than ever, due in part to the stewardship of Shapiro & Co. 
In 2014, the Port brought in 29.5 million tons of foreign exports at a 
value of $52.5 billion. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating 
the legacy of this outstanding company, which embodies the values that 
we honor most as Americans: hard work, a commitment to family, and 
tireless dedication.

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