[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5641-5642]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING KATHLEEN THOMAS BENAVENTE ON RECEIVING THE U.S. SMALL 
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION'S 2017 HOME-BASED BUSINESS CHAMPION OF THE YEAR 
                             AWARD FOR GUAM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2017

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate 
Kathleen Thomas Benavente on her selection as the U.S. Small Business 
Administration's 2017 Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Award 
for Guam. This award honors individuals who have experienced the 
rewards and difficulties of owning a home-based business and have 
worked voluntarily to improve the climate for other home-based 
businesses.
  Kathleen is the Founder and President of The Occasion-Event 
Coordination and Decorating Co. Kathleen started the business as a side 
job to supplement her family's household expenses ten years ago and it 
grew into a fulltime success. Kathleen has since created over 200 
events for people from all walks of life. Kathleen has always been 
known to have talent for organizing creative and successful events and 
was encouraged by friends and family to charge for her services. 
Kathleen and her family made substantial sacrifices and worked as the 
first employees to get the business going and they began to grow from 
word of mouth referrals. In 2011, Kathleen took a year off from the 
business for reflection after her foster mother passed away. She used 
the time to take a class at the University of Guam Small Business 
Development Center and began to make changes. Kathleen changed the name 
of the business and created a website for the business. She also sought 
out a long time event planner to be her mentor. In 2015, she began to 
see profits and she now

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employs 8 part time employees and purchases supplies from local 
companies. Additionally, Kathleen uses the knowledge and tools she has 
gained from the University of Guam's Small Business Development Center 
and the Pacific Island Network SBDC in her business and shares them 
with her employees and networks.
  Kathleen is also an active member of our community. Inspired by her 
experience as a foster child from the age of 4 to 16, Kathleen is now 
the President of Guam Foster Families Association. Kathleen is also the 
Vice-President of Soroptimist International Guam working to transform 
the life of women and girls. She has also served as a board member of 
Payu-ta, Guam's umbrella organization of non-governmental organizations 
since 2011.
  I join the people of Guam in congratulating Kathleen Thomas Benavente 
on her selection as the SBA's 2017 Home-Based Business Champion for 
Guam. I commend her for her many contributions to our island and 
community.

                          ____________________