[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1738-E1739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF ROSANNE S. FOUST

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Rosanne S. Foust for twelve 
years of exemplary service on the City Council of Redwood City, 
including two years as Mayor and Vice Mayor. She leaves with a 
distinguished legacy of leadership, innovation and lasting 
contributions to the residents of Redwood City. I've had the great 
pleasure to work with Rosanne on many occasions and am fortunate to 
call her a good friend.
  Rosanne brought decades of business experience to the council. She is 
the President and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development 
Association, SAMCEDA, the oldest countywide business organization on 
the Peninsula. Before that, Rosanne had a successful 20-year career 
with Alsace Development International USA, an international trade and 
development company.
  During her time on the council, Rosanne served on the San Mateo 
County Transportation Authority. The transportation authority creates 
roads and mass transit infrastructure. Service on the board is 
difficult because there is never enough money to meet the needs of a 
booming economy. While prioritizing local projects and negotiating 
amongst local agencies, Rosanne Foust quickly became known for her fair 
and well-reasoned approach to identifying community transportation 
priorities. Her transportation decisions exemplified the maxim ``Think 
globally, act locally.''
  Her dedication to the community is also demonstrated by her service 
on the city's Planning Commission, the San Francisco Bay Restoration 
Authority, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and through her 
public service programming at Peninsula Television. She is also a long-
time member of the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce 
and the Rotary Club.
  Business cannot survive without water. When the water supply for San 
Francisco and the Peninsula was endangered by an ill-conceived ballot 
measure in San Francisco, Rosanne led the local effort in the 
successful campaign to defeat the measure.
  Rosanne Foust never loses sight of the people left behind by our 
booming economy. She is a champion of affordable housing and 
understands how skyrocketing housing prices and rents are squeezing 
working families out of the Bay Area. Just recently, she led the city 
council to increase the number of affordable housing units within a new 
downtown project of 2,500 housing units from the proposed 250 
apartments to the final agreement--375. More than 125 additional 
working families will now be able to live in downtown Redwood City. 
This is just one of many examples of her advocacy on behalf of equal 
economic opportunity.
  Redwood City is fortunate to have a leader in Rosanne Foust. She has 
served as the treasurer and board member of Casa de Redwood, a low-cost 
housing complex for 136 senior citizens. Rosanne was willing to take 
time from her family and business priorities to serve as a steward of 
housing for these otherwise vulnerable members of our community. In 
Rosanne Foust, the community has had a vocal advocate for social 
justice.
  Her tireless efforts to benefit our community have not gone 
unnoticed. The San Francisco Business Times honored her as one of the 
``Most Influential Women in Business in the Bay Area'' in 2009 and 2010 
and a member of the ``Forever Influential Honor Roll'' for 2011, 2012 
and 2013. Notre Dame de Namur University honored her as the first 
Alumna of Distinction in 2013. The Redwood City Chamber of Commerce 
named her Person of the Year in 2002 and 2013 and Athena Businesswoman 
of the Year in 2002.
  Rosanne was born and raised in Connecticut. She earned an MA in 
Public Administration and a BA in International Studies and Economics. 
She also completed executive management programs at Stanford University 
and UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management. Rosanne is married 
to Jim Hartnett and they are the proud parents of Julia and Lydia Foust 
and Josh and Jake Hartnett.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
thank Rosanne Foust for twelve years of public service on the City 
Council of Redwood City. She will now relinquish to others the duties 
of diligent analysis and thoughtful commentary on the issues that shape 
her city each day. Her example sets a high standard for those who 
follow. Rosanne Foust led Redwood City with her heart, and its 
residents will forever benefit by that remarkable contribution to its 
future.

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