[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE LIFE OF MS. MARIA LOURDES GUTIERREZ

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2016

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, Mr. 
Becerra to honor the life of Ms. Maria Lourdes Gutierrez of Los 
Angeles, California. Maria passed away on May 19, 2016 after a year-
long battle with cancer. She led a prolific career and will be greatly 
missed by her family, friends, and entire community.
  Maria L. Gutierrez was born on September 23, 1954, in Los Angeles, 
California to Jose and Manuela Gutierrez. As the only child of 
immigrant parents, Maria's story is a testament to the American Dream. 
She grew up in East Los Angeles, graduated from Loyola Marymount 
University with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science, 
and did graduate work at the University of Southern California. She 
worked for a short time as a station manager of KMEX in Los Angeles 
before moving to Fresno in 1998, to serve as the General Manager for 
KFTV. Her hard work and determination allowed her to rise quickly to 
the position of Senior Vice President and Regional Director of Local 
Media for Univision until her retirement in 2012.
  Under Maria's leadership, KFTV became a leading force in local news. 
She worked to raise the level of the local Spanish-language television 
stations during her career and she never stopped working to do so. With 
her guidance, KFTV won several awards for outstanding journalism, 
becoming the leading Spanish-language television station in the San 
Joaquin Valley and earned recognition and honors from various news 
associations.
  After her retirement, Maria continued to serve her community. Maria 
served on the boards of the Fresno State Bulldog Foundation, Fresno 
State Art and Humanities, the San Joaquin Debate Committee, the 
National Parks Conservation Advisory Board, and El Agua es Asunto de 
Todos, highlighting the importance of having a reliable and secure 
water supply in California. She was also the chairman for the Complete 
Count committee for Census and was the President for both the Loyola 
Marymount University Latino Alumni Association and the National 
Association of Broadcasters Board.
  Maria's faith and love for family, public service, and her community 
was guided by her strong belief in shining a light on issues that 
impact the quality of life in the Central Valley. Her hard work led her 
to be honored by several groups, including the Girls Scouts of Central 
California South, The National Women's Political Caucus of Fresno 
County, and The Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Maria 
received various awards, including ``Women of Influence,'' 
``Humanitarian Award,'' ``Hispanic Woman of Promise Award,'' and the 
American Advertising Federation's Silver Medal Award. Maria was 
passionate about her work and was a fantastic leader, mentor, and 
friend.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that Mr. Becerra and I ask our 
colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to honor the life of 
Ms. Maria Lourdes Gutierrez. The positive difference Maria made in the 
lives of others and her community will never be forgotten.

                          ____________________