[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   BOY SCOUTS HONOR STEPHEN BARROUK WITH DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 24, 2004

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and 
colleague, Mr. Stephen Barrouk, native of Wilkes-Barre, in Luzerne 
County, in my district, who is being honored by the Boy Scout Council 
of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
  I ask that my colleagues pay tribute to him as he is awarded the 
Distinguished Citizens Award at a dinner tonight at Genetti's in 
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
  Steve has served as President and CEO of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of 
Business and Industry since 1989. In this capacity, he manages three 
organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Committee for Economic 
Growth and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund, Inc.
  Steve attended E.L. Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 
Upon graduation, he went on to the University of Pittsburgh, where he 
received his bachelor of arts degree in urban studies and economics and 
his master's degree in public administration.
  Prior to his appointment in Wilkes-Barre, Steve worked in the 
Pittsburgh Department of City Development in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
He later worked as Deputy Director of the Allegheny County Department 
of Development and Executive Director of the Allegheny County 
Industrial, Hospital and Higher Education Authorities. On behalf of all 
of Northeastern Pennsylvania, I offer my gratitude to our colleagues in 
the western part of the state for educating Steve on economic 
development. At our first opportunity, we stole him back.
  Steve is a current Board member and past Chairman of the Pennsylvania 
Economic Development Association. He serves on the Boards of the 
Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, the United Way of the Wyoming 
Valley, the Ethics Institute and Blue Cross of Northeastern 
Pennsylvania.
  I am especially proud of the leadership Steve has shown as an 
original member of the Board of the Earth Conservancy; non-profit, 
charitable organization that I helped to establish to restore, 
preserve, and develop more than 17,000 acres of land throughout Luzerne 
County previously owned by a bankrupt coal company. We worked very 
closely together on this project, which I believe will have a profound 
impact on present and future generations of Northeastern 
Pennsylvanians. Especially in the earliest days of the organization, we 
endured a great deal of criticism and controversy.
  Like the Earth Conservancy, the Luzerne County Convention Center 
Authority generated a great deal of controversy in its early days and 
has since been recognized as an overwhelming success for the entire 
region. Steve Barrouk served as chairman of this authority and 
continues to serve on the board. It is for his willingness to step 
forward and lead efforts that may be controversial but serve the long-
term interests of the community that Steve deserves the greatest 
commendations.
  Steve is also a member of the American Chamber of Commerce 
Executives, Northeast Economic Development Association and the 
International Research Council. He has also served on the Board of the 
Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic Society and was a member of the 
Osterhout Free Library Long-Term Planning Committee and Downtown Task 
Force.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to represent a man who has tirelessly 
served our community. Northeastern Pennsylvania is a stronger community 
because of the service of Steve Barrouk, and I can think of no higher 
compliment for a man. I am pleased to join the Boy Scouts in honoring 
this man who has worked so earnestly to improve the quality of life in 
Northeastern Pennsylvania.

                          ____________________