[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12443-12444]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO RICK MUTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 13, 2009

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of 
Orange County, California are exceptional. Orange County 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. Rick Muth is one of these individuals 
and he is also one of my closest friends. On April 17, 2009, Rick 
celebrated his 60th birthday with friends and family.
  Rick's success in life began with the positive influence from a 
special teacher at Mater Dei High School. Henry Enriquez encouraged 
Rick

[[Page 12444]]

to join the track team where Rick discovered a talent that he never 
knew he possessed. Track built Rick's confidence and steered him in the 
right direction: towards college. Rick attended Santa Ana College where 
he became the Freshman Vice President and won national honors on the 
track team. He transferred to the University of Southern California, 
USC, earned his Bachelor's of Science in Marketing and still holds a 
spot on the track team's all-time three-mile list. Upon graduation from 
USC, Rick went to work for a labor relations firm, then spent two years 
as an administrative trainee in plant construction at Northrop 
Aircraft. Rick continued his education at Chapman University, where he 
earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration.
  In 1975, Rick joined the ORCO Block Company, Inc. a family-owned 
business, as assistant office manager. In many ways, Rick had always 
been a part of the family business. Rick picked up broken pieces of 
block as a kid, and he repaired wooden pallets, in the summer after the 
fifth grade, to earn the new bike that he wanted. In his high school 
and college years, Rick spent his summers making deliveries, taking 
orders and working with customers. Rick learned the business from the 
bottom up, and held almost every position in the company. In 1994, Rick 
ascended to the position of President and currently oversees the day-
to-day operations of the multi-million-dollar company. He has continued 
the development of its extensive product line, directed the company's 
aggressive expansion and helped maintain ORCO's high industry profile 
and leadership role.
  Throughout his career at ORCO Block Company, Inc. Rick also has 
continued the legacy that his father established: service, leadership 
and community. Rick started this legacy in his own community--at ORCO's 
headquarters in Stanton, California. Rick's father, Pete Muth, 
established the Stanton Boys and Girls Club, and Rick continued to 
support the Club by serving as President, assisting with fundraising 
and guiding the increase in children from 100 to 650. Rick also serves 
as a Board Member of the Orange County Performing Arts Center and has 
helped raise approximately $1.8 million in donations and matching 
funds. Rick has also contributed to his own industry by serving as 
former Chairman of the Board for the National Concrete Masonry 
Association, NCMA, and establishing the NCMA Foundation, which has 
raised $6 million to support research and development. Rick and his 
father Pete were the first father-and-son team to both serve as NCMA 
Chairman.
  Rick has also not forgotten to give back to the schools that gave so 
much to him. He was a Capital Campaign Committee Member for Mater Dei 
High School. Additionally, for the past 28 years, as an alumnus for 
Santa Ana College's Track Team, Rick has raised money, assisted with 
coaching and provided jobs for members of the track team. At USC, Rick 
has been a member of the Orange County Planning and Development 
Council, partial annual scholarship provider to architecture students 
and former co-chair for the first USC Symphony Orchestra performance in 
Orange County. Rick also sits on the Business School Advisory Council 
at Chapman University, and he and his family have donated funds to 
support the construction of a new library named in honor of the Muth 
Family and ORCO Block Company, Inc.
  Rick has never expected anything in return for his community service, 
but his contributions have been recognized. Rick was inducted into the 
Santa Ana College Hall of Fame, honored as ``Man of the Year'' by 
Cypress College and awarded the Ethics in Business award by the Freedom 
Foundation. Rick received the California SBA Business Person of the 
Year in 2003. In 2001, the Orange County Business Journal and 
California State University Fullerton presented Rick with the 
prestigious Family Owned Business Award. In the spirit of the ``America 
Way,'' Rick started a group called USA Owned/USA Made, to support 
companies whose products are made in the United States. Rick worked 
with Congress to pass a proclamation called ``Try American Day,'' 
celebrated in conjunction with Labor Day. Many states and cities 
ratified this proclamation and recognized Rick's valuable contribution. 
However, to Rick, what is even more prestigious than awards or 
recognition is that in his personal life Rick is a husband of over 30 
years to his wife Nancy and father to his two daughters, Veronica, 26, 
and Stephanie, 25. Rick also enjoys hobbies like wake boarding, snow 
boarding, being a private pilot and running as a master's track 
competitor.
  Rick's tireless passion for American business and community service 
has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Orange 
County, California. I am proud to call Rick a fellow community member, 
American and close friend. I know that many community members are 
grateful for his work and salute him on his 60th birthday.

                          ____________________