[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 163 (Friday, October 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING ARIS MELISSARTOS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2022

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary 
Greek American--Aris Melissartos. Aris was born to Greek parents in 
Galatz, Romania, on December 3, 1943. The following year the Soviet 
Union occupied Romania and implemented a process of Sovietization. In 
1950 the Melissaratos family fled to Greece as refugees. In 1956 they 
emigrated to the U.S., settling in Baltimore where Aris worked in, and 
later ran, a bakery with his father. He earned a Bachelor of Science 
degree in engineering at the Johns Hopkins University and a Master of 
Science in Contents Early life and education engineering management at 
George Washington University and completed the Graduate Program for 
Management Development at Harvard University and graduate research in 
international relations at Catholic University of America.
  In 1966, Aris joined Westinghouse Electric Corporation and soon began 
work as its chief operating officer for defense electronics and 
aerospace. He left Westinghouse as its vice president of science and 
technology after 32 years with the company. In 1998, he became Thermo 
Electron Corporation's vice president of research and development. He 
also worked as CEO of Coleman Research Corporation, Thermo Coleman 
Corporation and Thermo Information Solutions. In 2001, Aris founded 
ArMel Scientifics, a technology incubation venture capital entity 
investing in more than 30 technology ventures. He also chairs the ArMel 
Scientifics Center for Technology and Public Policy and wrote 
``Innovation: The Key to Prosperty--Technology and America's Role in 
the 21st Century,'' which he considers a great accomplishment.
  On top of all of his successes in the private sector, Aris found 
great success in Government service. In 2003 Aris, a lifelong Democrat, 
was appointed Business and Economic Development Secretary of Maryland 
in the administration of Republican Robert Leroy ``Bob'' Ehrlich, Jr., 
who became Maryland's Governor in January that year after defeating 
Democratic candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Ehrlich said Aris' 
department would be the cornerstone of his administration. Explaining 
his willingness to work in a Republican Cabinet, Aris said he saw 
himself as ``a bridge-builder''. He said the basis of his economic 
policy would be a focus on Maryland's universities, which he regarded 
as potential economic powerhouses because of their research innovation 
capabilities. Aris was popular in the business community and when 
Ehrlich was defeated in his bid for gubernatorial re-election, his 
successor, Democrat Martin O'Malley, came under pressure to retain Aris 
in his Cabinet. The Baltimore Sun newspaper reported that at a 
conference in the boardroom of First Mariner Bank, ``business leader 
after business leader'' urged O'Malley to reappoint Aris, who was 
described as ``the best marketing manager the state has had in recent 
memory'' and as a ``visionary''.
  Aris has lived a life of great success and service. Even with all of 
his own personal success, Aris says that it's his work mentoring and 
developing employees under his various leadership roles that has 
brought him the most career satisfaction.
  As Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Affairs, I am 
pleased to honor this great Greek-American, Aris Melissartos, and offer 
my sincere gratitude for his many years of service to his community. 
Axios.

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