[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6063]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MIKE AND MARIA VASQUEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2009

  Mr CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
two individuals whose dedication and contributions to the community of 
Corona, California are exceptional. Corona has been fortunate to have 
dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly 
give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to 
live and work. Mike and Maria Vasquez are two of those individuals. On 
January 17, 2009, Mike and Maria Vasquez were honored at the Corona 
Chamber of Commerce's 94th Annual Installation and Awards Gala and 
received the 2008 Citizen of the Year Award.
  Mike and Maria Vasquez are wonderful people that have worked their 
way up from humble beginnings and turned one restaurant into a 
successful family empire. In 1973, upon receiving a Corona restaurant 
named Chile Pepper, they entered the restaurant business, renaming the 
establishment ``Miguel's'' in honor of Mike's grandfather. Maria 
developed dishes based on recipes from her childhood in Mexico. They 
focused on exceeding customer service expectations and delivering fresh 
great-tasting food while offering an inviting ambiance and providing a 
culture of integrity and self-responsibility. It was Mike and Maria's 
work ethic and undaunted ambition that has ensured the success of 
Miguel's.
  In 1975, Mike and Maria purchased a fast-food restaurant two miles 
from the original. Miguel's Jr., as they called it, was immediately 
embraced by the community. Today, the original Miguel's has two 
locations in Corona including their newest location at Dos Lagos, and 
Miguel's Jr. has expanded to include seven locations. Following the 
same business philosophies and family traditions that founded the 
business, the Vasquez children are committed to growing Miguel's. Their 
youngest son, Javier, is the President, Michael oversees Miguel's Jr., 
and Carol and Sylvia serve in the corporate offices.
  In a large effort to honor their parents, Javier worked with Corona 
City Councilman Eugene Montanez to create a special park in Corona to 
honor his parents' accomplishments and to be a place they could enjoy 
with their grandchildren. Their vision materialized this past August 
when the Citrus Park splash zone opened to throngs of happy families. 
I'm proud to say that the Citrus-themed playground is Corona's first 
ever water park and was designed based on Corona's proud citrus 
history. The water park is yet another successful venture of the 
Vasquez family and a testament to their continued willingness to give 
back to the community.
  Mike and Maria's tireless passion for community service has 
contributed immensely to the betterment of Corona, California. 
Volunteerism is a major part of the Vasquez's life and from their 
business, they support many non-profit organizations and schools. For 
more than 35 years, the Vasquez family has achieved success by focusing 
on the things that matter: community, family, and tradition. I am proud 
to call Mike and Maria fellow neighbors, Americans and friends. I know 
that many community members are grateful for their service and we 
salute them in their recent award.

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