[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 29631] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov][[Page 29631]] TRIBUTE TO RACHELLE F. JAMERSON ______ HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN of south carolina in the house of representatives Wednesday, November 10, 1999 Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Rachelle F. Jamerson, this year's National Minority Female Entrepreneur as chosen by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency. Ms. Jamerson is most deserving of this award and I am pleased to count her among the constituents of South Carolina's Sixth Congressional District. Before finishing high school, this ambitious entrepreneur put her talent for sewing and fashion design to work. Because no bank would take a gamble on a 16-year-old seeking to start a business, she raised her own capital by designing clothes, producing fashion shows, and creating a line of Greek paraphernalia. She attended Winthrop College in Rock Hill, SC, and graduated with a bachelor of science in Fashion Merchandising. In further developing her entrepreneurial interests, Ms. Jamerson also attended a summer design session at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 1988. By the age of 33, Ms. Jamerson had parlayed her early success in designing and selling women's wear into a diverse business that includes a nail salon, travel agency, financial counseling service and a deli. This ``one-stop shopping'' vision grew out of a need Ms. Jamerson perceived in her hometown of Orangeburg, SC. The name of her business ``Rachelle's Island'' is a reflection of her vision. Her concept is that every visit to her store will seem like a mini-vacation. The idea has caught on and the number of ``vacationers'' visiting Rachelle's Island continues to increase. Ms. Jamerson's reported sales exceeded $500,000 in 1998. I applaud her ingenuity for turning a sewing skill into a diverse business. Such talent and vision are the hallmarks of a successful entrepreneur. Ms. Jamerson has demonstrated that she has an abundance of both. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me today in honoring Rachelle Jamerson for her outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur. Her hard work and dedication should be commended by this House. ____________________