[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 146 (Monday, September 12, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Tribute to Francisco J. Collazo

  Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I am pleased this afternoon to commend 
Mr. Francisco J. Collazo of Grant, AL, for his contributions to our 
great country and to the State of Alabama.
  Born in 1931 in Puerto Rico, Mr. Collazo joined the Army at 15 years 
of age. He had an exceptionally distinguished career, serving in the 
Korean and the Vietnam wars and retiring as a chief warrant officer 4.
  While in the Army, Mr. Collazo continually worked to further his 
education. Due to his 30 years of military service, he attended 
numerous Army technical schools and earned sufficient academic credits 
to receive the Department of the Army bachelor's equivalency degree in 
mathematics and computer science.
  After his retirement from the Army, he continued his lifelong 
learning with additional coursework and the study of complex missile 
systems.
  In 2003, the University of Alabama in Huntsville recognized his 
technical achievements and bestowed upon him an honorary degree of 
doctor of science.
  In 1980, Mr. Collazo and his wife Carmen started COLSA Corporation in 
their garage in southeast Huntsville, AL. COLSA is a service-disabled, 
veteran-owned company, and it rapidly grew and received many accolades.
  In 1983, COLSA was certified under the 8(a) Business Development 
Program. The Small Business Administration certified COLSA as a 
socially and economically disadvantaged company.
  In 1988, the SBA selected COLSA as the Regional Small Business Prime 
Contractor of the Year--such an achievement.
  In 1997, COLSA received a Cogswell Award for Excellence in Security 
Operations.
  In 2004, COLSA was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of 
Fame.
  NASA awarded COLSA the Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year 
Award in 2008.
  In 2021, Forbes magazine named COLSA to two of their top lists: Best 
Employers by State--4th in Alabama; and America's Best Midsize 
Employers--17th overall in the United States.
  Today, COLSA has grown to over 1,600 employees--1,600 employees from 
zero--and currently ranks as 76 on Washington Technology's Top 100 
Federal Prime Contractors.
  Frank Collazo has personally received numerous awards and 
declarations, some I have enumerated. In the military--just a few--he 
was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters, 
the Army Commendation Medal with three oakleaf clusters, and a Bronze 
Star with one oakleaf cluster for distinguished service during his time 
in Vietnam.
  As an industry leader, the Huntsville and Madison County Chapter of 
the National Management Association recognized Frank Collazo as the 
manager of the year 30 years ago, 1991. Mr. Collazo has served as 
president of the following: the Air Defense Artillery Association; the 
Air, Space, and Missile Defense Association; the Huntsville Chapter of 
the National Defense Industrial Association.
  In 2018, he received the Davidson Award for his leadership in the 
defense community. In addition to his leadership in industry, Mr. 
Collazo has been exceptionally generous in his contributions to local 
organizations. He funded the Collazo Endowment to retain and recruit 
students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He established the 
Francisco J. Collazo Scholarship Fund at Auburn University and is an 
original Partner in Education at the new Alabama School of Cyber 
Technology and Engineering located in Huntsville.
  He is a routine and substantial contributor to over--yes, over--80 
charitable organizations in the Tennessee Valley--that is including a 
lot of Alabama and a lot of Tennessee--personifying his motto when he 
says ``Character is a matter of what you do when no one is watching.''
  I am pleased this afternoon here in the U.S. Senate to join the 
citizens in Huntsville, AL, and throughout the State of Alabama, in 
offering my sincere thanks and gratitude to Frank Collazo, and I want 
to share my appreciation with his wife, Carmen, and his extended 
family.
  Frank has continually demonstrated his commitment to our country, the 
State of Alabama, and to the community. Basically, Frank Collazo is an 
outstanding American.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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