[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16756]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              WISHING GEORGE HAYDEN A HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY

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                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 12, 2016

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Mr. George 
Hayden as he celebrated his 80th birthday on December 11, 2016. 
George's commitment to his family, employees, and neighbors has been 
nothing short of inspiring, and his lasting impact in my hometown of 
Hazleton will be felt for generations to come.
  Countless Hazleton residents call George Hayden a personal friend, 
and I am certainly among them. People at home know that I am a big fan 
of the New York Yankees, and that George is a fan of their arch-rival 
Boston Red Sox. Despite this, George and I remain friends to this day, 
and enjoy claiming bragging rights based on which team won the last 
game they played against each other.
  George graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in 
electrical technology in 1960 and later put that expertise to use as an 
electrician with the Coast Guard and Navy Reserves. Later, while 
working as a plant engineer, George and his wife, Florence, began to 
realize a lifelong dream of owning their own business. While Florence 
managed the finances, George assembled a small crew of electricians and 
started Hayden Electric, which eventually grew to include a team of 
sixty professionals that work both across the country and 
internationally.
  When his family was young, George developed a habit of taking them to 
Wendy's restaurants, which they enjoyed tremendously. So in 1987, he 
opened a new Wendy's near Laurel Mall in Hazleton, later expanding to 
three additional Wendy's in downtown Hazleton, Drums, and Mt. Pocono. 
After seeing the positive impact on his business and the community, 
George and Florence started Citiscape, Inc. in 2004 with the goal of 
revitalizing downtown Hazleton by buying and restoring office and 
retail spaces for new and expanding businesses.
  George is most known for his unwavering commitment to his family and 
the community at large. He has been active throughout the years with 
the American Cancer Society, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, 
the Hazleton Rotary Club, and the Holy Trinity Church. George has also 
served on the boards of Security Savings, First Federal Bank, and Penn 
State Hazleton, among many others. To support their strong belief in 
the value of education, he and his wife established The Pennsylvania 
State University Florence L. and George J. Hayden Scholarship Fund, so 
that the next generation of aspiring students can achieve their dreams 
of receiving a college degree.
  Mr. Speaker, with so many successful undertakings throughout his 
life, it is my honor to recognize Mr. George Hayden as he celebrates 
his 80th birthday with his wife, Florence, five children, George, 
Marybeth, Theresa, James, and Alicia, and his 17 grandchildren. On 
behalf of my constituents, I wish him and his family all the best as 
they continue to hold such a special place in our Northeastern 
Pennsylvania community.

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