[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            DR. PEDRO CELIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 22, 2009

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a 
distinguished constituent and, according to Hispanic Business Magazine, 
a man considered one of the most influential Hispanic Americans in the 
entire nation.
  Dr. Pedro Celis, a celebrated Microsoft engineer and an engaged and 
informed individual living in my congressional district, was honored 
earlier this month as one of 100 influential Hispanic Americans. 
Alongside well known Hispanic Americans such as Supreme Court Justice 
Sonia Sotomayor and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar, Dr. Celis is one 
of the most respected Hispanic American trailblazers in our great 
nation.
  Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Dr. Celis graduated from 
Monterrey Institute of Technology and earned his Ph.D. at the 
University of Waterloo in Canada. Aside from being a vital and 
innovative part of Microsoft's SQL Server Group, Dr. Celis served on 
President George W. Bush's Presidential Information Technology Advisory 
Committee. Further, Dr. Celis has served on a number of civic-minded 
organizations such as the Washington State Hispanic Chamber of 
Commerce, Families Northwest, Hispanic Alliance for Progress and many 
more. It is no surprise, then, that Dr. Celis has been a trusted 
advisor on many issues since I was elected to serve in this body.
  I want to thank Dr. Celis for his spirit of service and innovation, 
his commitment to community and family and his outstanding 
representation of Hispanic Americans. I am so proud Dr. Celis has taken 
his rightful place among the most influential Hispanic Americans in the 
nation, I encourage him to continue using his intellect and perspective 
to drive America in the right direction, and on behalf of the House of 
Representatives, congratulate him on this prestigious recognition.