[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 140 (Thursday, September 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN MEMORY OF MARK VALENTE III

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 15, 2016

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, when I was first elected 
in 2001, I am grateful Mark and Claudia Valente were among the first to 
give me and Roxanne counsel on service to the public. The following 
obituary is a fitting tribute to his service for American families. I 
especially appreciate his affection for Italian-American heritage with 
my son recently completing a three year tour in Italy with my three 
Italian-speaking grandchildren:
  Former Grosse Pointe Park resident Mark Valente III passed away in 
his home in Springfield, VA on August 3, 2016. Mark was born July 27, 
1956, in Detroit, MI. He graduated in 1974 from University Liggett 
School, earned an accounting degree from his beloved Villanova 
University, class of 1978, then went on to earn a Law Degree from the 
University of Detroit School of Law.
  Mark left Grosse Pointe in 1984 to work in the Office of Public 
Liaison at the White House under President Ronald Reagan. In 1986, he 
became the Director, Coalition Development Department at the Republican 
National Committee. In 1989 Mark worked as Director, in the Office of 
Congressional Relations, at the US Office of Personnel Management for 
President George H.W. Bush.
  After leaving government service, Mark formed a Washington, DC based 
government relations firm, Valente & Associates, providing legislative 
analysis and government relations advice. He worked there until his 
death. Mark was elected to the Grosse Pointe Park city council at age 
24, the youngest in the city's history and was the president of the 
Detroit Young Republicans during that time.
  Most recently Mark, a proud grandson of Italian immigrants who 
emigrated from Abruzzo, Italy, served on the national board of the 
National Italian American Foundation where he held the leadership role 
as chairman of the Public Policy and Government Relations Committee and 
was a board member of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. Also, he 
chaired the Board of the Center for Marketing and Public Policy 
Research at Villanova University School of Business.
  Mark was a long-time supporter of the Baseball Hall of Fame (HOF) and 
a member of its Champions Program. He was a frequent host of and 
participant in the HOF events in Washington, DC and other baseball 
cities. A member of the Detroit Athletic Club, Capitol Hill Club in 
Washington, DC, and Springfield Golf and Country Club in VA. Mark was a 
devoted Detroit Tigers fan and loved to play golf with his friends. He 
also was a coach and umpire for Little League and Grosse Pointe Park 
Babe Ruth league.
  Mark is survived by his wife Claudia (Barker), mother Maria 
(Ballerini), father Marco Jr., brothers: JB, Richard, Dean, and 
brother-in-law Craig Barker, nieces and nephew and twelve godchildren. 
Mark was predeceased by his grandparents Ballerini and Valente.
  A memorial service is planned at St. Clair of Montefalco Catholic 
Church, located at the corner of Mack Avenue and Outer Drive in Grosse 
Pointe Park on August 25th at 10:30 am. Visitation at 10 am. A second 
memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 14th at 2:00 pm 
at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 313 2nd Street SE, Washington, DC. 
Followed by a reception at the Capitol Hill Club. In lieu of flowers, 
contributions can be directed to the scholarship being established in 
the name of Mark Valente III at Villanova University School of 
Business, ATTN: Clay Center at VSB, 800 E. Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, 
PA 19085.

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