[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 23064] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO MR. KEVORK S. HOVNANIAN ______ HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. of new jersey in the house of representatives Wednesday, December 6, 2006 Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a most deserving business and community leader, Mr. Kevork S. Hovnanian. On Saturday, November 18, 2006, Kevork was honored as the Honorary Life Chairman and founder of the Fund for Armenian Relief at the New York Public Library. Kevork has been a benefactor in his community for decades. His business successes have always been interposed by examples of community leadership in both the United States and Armenia. He has exemplified the pursuit of business consciousness and never compromised his commitment to providing ``homes'' and not just housing. Kevork will leave a personal legacy marked by numerous accomplishments. In the 1980s, he partnered with the city of Newark to rejuvenate the areas impacted by the riots some thirteen years before. In 1996, the New Jersey Institute of Technology awarded him a President's Medal for ``Distinguished Achievement to an Outstanding Entrepreneur.'' Not three years later, his carer ethic earned him a place among other greats like Thomas Edison and George Gallup on the list of ``Twenty Five Top New Jersey Business Leaders of the Century.'' The achievements he has earned since his immigration to the United States have not made him forget his roots. Kevork has loyally contributed to the Armenian people in times of celebration and need. The Diocese of the Armenia Church and the New Jersey Council of Christians and Jews both named him Man of the Year in recognition of his aid to earthquake victims in Armenia. He currently serves as the chairman of the Armenian Church Endowment Fund and Fund for Armenian Relief, which works for international development. This organization pledges to provide short and long-term plans for the economic and social development in Armenia. It is responsible for a variety of programs, ranging from soup kitchens to educational scholarships and implementing agricultural technology. There is a special focus on preparing Armenian youth as the future of their nation. As much as he is an active part of the Armenian community, Kevork remains vigilant in providing available health services to children and families in the local community. In 2002, Mr. Hovnanian helped establish the K. Hovnanian Pavilion and the Alton A. Hovnanian Emergency Care Center at Riverview Medical Center. The expansion of Riverview provided the facility with a new pavilion and emergency care center, which now houses the most advanced emergency and critical care centers in the area. Earlier this year, he funded the first state- designated children's hospital in New Jersey's Monmouth and Ocean counties, named The K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in his honor. Here, families can find dedicated and personal health professionals who treat their patients as if they were their own children. Mr. Speaker, Kevork embodies the American dream. He came to America to escape political turnmoil in Iraq, and through hard work and unwaving motivation, he is now able to realize that dream in others through his service to the community. His dedication and passion deserves the utmost recognition. ____________________