[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  A TRIBUTE TO FRANK REYES FOR A LIFETIME DEDICATION TO EDUCATION AND 
                             PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 26, 2009

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute 
to my good friend Frank Reyes, an exceptional educator who has helped 
the San Bernardino Community College District become a national leader 
in programs designed to meet a diverse student body.
  Frank Reyes has been involved in education in San Bernardino County 
for more than three decades, beginning with receiving a bachelors and 
masters degree from California State University, San Bernardino, and 
culminating in his current position as Executive Director of 
Governmental Affairs for the 16,000-student San Bernardino Community 
College District.
  Prior to joining the district management team, Frank worked as a 
counselor, professor, Director of Community Services and Director of 
the Counseling Department. He has shown a dedication to his hometown, 
and the students there, which has paid huge dividends for the community 
college district. He is part of the team that has helped keep costs 
down, while improving the campuses and their quality of education. This 
has helped make the two colleges--Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, and 
Valley College in San Bernardino--among the most diverse in the Nation.
  In his current role in administration, Frank has been extremely 
successful at winning competitive government grants for the community 
college district. After a major earthquake in 1992 made nearly all of 
the buildings at the Valley College campus unsafe, Frank led a team 
that secured Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to build a new 
library, health and human services building, administration and student 
services building. Most recently, the campus has added a 37,000-square-
foot campus center, a new art building and modern gallery.
  I was proud to work closely with Frank in bringing funding to 
deserving projects for the colleges. Thanks largely to his hard work, 
the Federal Aviation Administration provided $12.6 million for a new 
state-of-the-art fire academy that focuses on commercial aviation 
fires. Located at the San Bernardino International Airport, the 
facility attracts students from all over the country for real-life 
training on a jet fuselage. Most recently, I was delighted to work with 
Frank in winning the donation to Crafton Hills College of the swimming 
pool used in the 2004 Olympic Trials, which will be part of a 
recreation facility used by both the students and the community.
  Frank has developed a national reputation for education excellence, 
serving on the International Development Team in Spain in May 2006, as 
well as the Defense Department's partnership with the Hispanic 
Associations of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Frank was also 
selected to be part of the U.S. Delegation to China in February 2006. 
The delegation continues its work on business, education and cultural 
exchanges. He has been a national leader with HACU, ensuring a 
significant federal funding increase for schools with significant 
Hispanic student bodies.
  His community involvement beyond the colleges has been widely 
recognized--he has been listed in the Inland Empire Magazine as one of 
The Most Influential Hispanics and was named Latino of the Year by the 
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He has been Chairman of the Board for the 
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Foundation for two years, and is an 
active Board member of the Hands of Mercy, an organization which builds 
loft houses for the indigent.
  Madam Speaker, after three decades of service to the students and 
people of San Bernardino County, Frank Reyes is retiring from the 
community college district. Please join me in thanking him for his hard 
work and dedication, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

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