[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 117 (Friday, July 15, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE LIFE OF RODRIGO ``ROD'' GARCIA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 15, 2022

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, 
achievements, and legacy of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, a respected 
visionary, leader, and advocate, for his lifelong dedication to 
empowering the Hispanic community to achieve educational excellence, 
economic opportunity, and social equity.
  Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia was born on March 29, 1943, in Los Angeles, 
California to Genevieve Hernandez and Rodrigo Garcia. He earned an 
Associate's Degree in Engineering from East Los Angeles College, and a 
Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering from California State 
University, Los Angeles.
  Rod served as a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles and worked 
in Public Works, Building and Safety, and at the Port of Los Angeles. 
Additionally, Rod Chaired the City of Monterey Park Planning 
Commission, and served on the Advisory Board for the Dean of 
Engineering at California State University.
  Rod was one of the few Hispanic engineers amidst a tech boom in 
California in the early seventies. Despite being in the minority in the 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field, he gathered a 
cohort of fellow Hispanic engineers determined to contribute and 
diversify the STEM industry.
  In 1974, Rod founded and incorporated the Society of Hispanic 
Professional Engineers (SHPE) with the mission of ensuring networking 
and education opportunities for Hispanic students and professionals in 
the Southern California region. Not too long after and with the 
collaboration of Administrators, professors, and students at California 
State University, East Los Angeles College, and the University of 
Southern California, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers 
established its first collegiate chapters.
  The result of five decades of Rod's high-spirited and fearless 
leadership propelled the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to 
reach 13,000 members and 286 chapters nationwide. His unique ability of 
uniting community partners and leaders around the country will serve as 
evidence that closing the STEM education gap and increasing the number 
of Hispanics in STEM can and will be done.
  Rod is remembered by his colleagues and thousands of current and 
former SHPE students and professionals for his devotion and service to 
expanding awareness, access, support, and development opportunities to 
Hispanics in STEM to realize their fullest potential and positively 
impact society. His legacy of empowering the Hispanic community to 
achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity 
will guide many generations to come.
  Mr. Garcia is survived by his wife, Cynthia Cathy Wong, and his 
children Marlene Tomasina Zamora, Marianne Pilar Garcia, and Rodrick 
Fitzgerald Garcia.
  Madam Speaker, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, 
colleagues, and friends of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, and I urge all my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing his incredibly life of service for 
others.

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