[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 177 (Friday, October 16, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E962-E963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HALL OF FAME 
                             CLASS OF 2020

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 16, 2020

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with great respect and admiration 
that I commend several remarkable leaders who have been honored as the 
Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2020. 
This year's inductees include Edward Garza, Nick Popovich, Dr. Edward 
Williams, and Janice Wilson. Additionally, Cimcor was presented with 
the Enterprise of the Year Award.
  Edward Garza is the president and owner of El Popular, Inc., which 
holds the distinction of being the oldest Mexican-owned business in the 
state of Indiana. Edward is the third generation of the Garza family to 
carry on the Mexican food corporation, which was started by his 
grandfather, Vincente Garza, in 1925, in East Chicago, Indiana. In 
2001, Edward purchased the company and downsized the product line to 
four items: chorizo, mole paste,

[[Page E963]]

mole powder, and chocolate. While the business remains in East Chicago, 
Edward opened a second facility in Valparaiso. Under his leadership, El 
Popular has thrived and is looking forward to many years of continued 
success. Edward also gives much of his time to various charitable 
organizations including the Valparaiso YMCA, the League of United Latin 
American Citizens, and the Northwest Indiana Hispanic Chamber of 
Commerce.
  Nick Popovich is the founder and president of Sage-Popovich, a global 
aviation and asset management firm located in Valparaiso and includes a 
hangar at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. The company, founded 
in 1979, has repossessed over 1,800 planes and helicopters throughout 
the years. Danger and risk are a part of the job, and Nick has seen his 
fair share. In 1986, he was seized by Haitian troops and spent seven 
days in prison after trying to repossess a plane for a bank in Port-au-
Prince. Over many years, Nick continued to grow his business and adding 
services including consulting, asset management, expert witnessing, and 
part sales. In addition, the company is a licensed appraisal firm that 
does valuation for over 200 organizations. Sage-Popovich is currently 
expanding into Michigan, managing private planes for corporations and 
individual owners. The company gives back to the community in many ways 
including the transport of wounded combat veterans to medical 
facilities or to reunite them with their units. Sage-Popovich also 
sponsors scholarships for aviation and criminal justice students.
  Dr. Edward Williams has been a pillar of the community of Northwest 
Indiana for many years. He is the president of OptiFormance Consulting 
Services, LLC. Working with people on personal development and customer 
service, Dr. Williams enjoys helping people reach their potential. 
Unofficially, he started his consulting business in 1988, providing 
services within churches, schools, and non-profits, before establishing 
the business as a formal entity in 1999. Dr. Williams is passionate 
about mentoring young people, and through his business and charitable 
endeavors, he has served as an inspiration to the youth of our 
community. He gives his time and support to the Boys and Girls Clubs of 
Greater Northwest Indiana, serving as a board member for over thirty 
years and two terms as board president. In addition, he is involved 
with the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana and the Laini 
Fluellen Charities for breast cancer initiatives, among others.
  Janice Wilson is the founder and retired CEO of NorthShore Health 
Centers. NorthShore was founded in 1995 in a high school as a clinic 
for teenagers, providing medical services while the students continued 
their studies. It has grown over the years to eight health centers and 
includes a dental clinic and behavioral health services, as well as 
three teen clinics throughout Northwest Indiana. The flagship clinic in 
Portage is now named in honor of Janice Wilson, and today, NorthShore 
serves more than 50,000 patients each year in Porter, Lake, and LaPorte 
counties. The organization continues its fundamental mission of serving 
the uninsured and underinsured. David Hall is the current CEO of North 
Shore, while Jan remains a consultant for the business. For her 
outstanding contributions to healthcare in Northwest Indiana, Janice 
has been named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Portage Chamber of 
Commerce, and she is truly deserving of each and every honor bestowed 
upon her.
  The recipient of the Enterprise of the Year Award is Cimcor, a global 
cybersecurity company located in Merrillville, Indiana. The company was 
founded by CEO Robert E. Johnson III and provides CimTrak software, 
offering intrusion detection and real-time remediation for their 
client's information technology systems and files. Some of Cimcor's 
reputable clients include NASA, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the United 
States Air Force, Cornell University, Nikon, and Zoom, among many 
others. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, Zoom has been imperative 
for families, businesses, schools, and government entities. Cimcor has 
provided security and compliance software to these organizations, 
proving to be a tremendous asset during these trying times. In addition 
to the United States, Cimcor serves twenty-seven countries in Europe, 
Africa, and Southeast Asia. Due to the outstanding leadership and 
employees at Cimcor who continue to innovate and develop new 
technologies, the organization continues to grow and expand worldwide.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you and my other colleagues to join me in 
commending these dedicated leaders and organizations upon their 
induction into the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of 
Fame. They are truly deserving of this honor, and for their exceptional 
leadership and dedication to the region and beyond, each of them are 
worthy of the highest praise.

                          ____________________