[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 30, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING NATTY ELIAS

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                         HON. DONNA E. SHALALA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 30, 2019

  Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
accomplishments of Ms. Natty Elias, the founder and President of 
Healthtex Distributors.
  Over 30 years ago, Ms. Elias, took special interest in the large 
influx of Hispanics arriving to South Florida from Latin America. 
Having immigrated herself in the early 1960's from her native Cuba, Ms. 
Elias understood immigrant desire and nostalgia for products from their 
homeland. It was with this understanding and with the goal to fill that 
need that she launched Healthtex Distributors.
  Despite initial push back from American retailers, Ms. Elias 
eventually grew her business from one product line into nearly 2,000 
products imported from over a dozen countries around the world. Today, 
Healthtex Distributors is the largest distributor of Hispanic products 
in the state of Florida and her products are sold at over 4,000 stores 
across the country.
  Through years of hard work and dedication, Ms. Elias has 
distinguished herself as one of the leading business women in our South 
Florida community.

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