S6536 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2012 

Officer Kenyon Youngstrom, like all 

those who serve in law enforcement 

across California, put his life on the 

line to protect his community. He is 

survived by his loving wife Karen and 

four children: Alexander, Madison, Andrew, and Kennedy. My heart goes out 

to his family and loved ones, and my 

thoughts and prayers are with them. 

We are forever indebted to him for his 

courage, service, and sacrifice.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO ALVIN ROHRS 

∑ Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I am on 

the Senate floor today to honor Alvin 

Rohrs for his 30 years of leadership and 

dedication to SIFE, Students in Free 

Enterprise. SIFE brings together today’s business leaders and thinkers 

with enterprising college students on 

every continent who develop small 

businesses to solve local problems and 

create wealth and hope where there 

was little of either. SIFE is a hands-on 

business leadership opportunity, and 

Rohrs directs this unique business gospel toward those who want to live a financially, personally, and environmentally sustainable life. 

While Rohrs has carried the title of 

president and CEO of SIFE, he has also 

been known as the enabler, chief cheerleader, and director of SIFE over these 

many years. Alvin Rohrs is an educator, motivator, guidance counselor, 

spiritual leader and the wizard behind 

the curtain at SIFE, working with 

other captains of business and industry 

to bring new opportunities to campuses 

around the globe. The list of American 

and international corporate titans that 

have brought their energy, insight and 

resources to SIFE is extraordinary. 

Even the United States State Department recognizes the value of SIFE in 

developing ‘‘more effective, socially responsible business leaders.’’ 

SIFE has been a key sponsor of sustainable business practices on every 

continent for three decades. SIFE educates students about the virtues of the 

risk-reward system known as free enterprise. SIFE applies free enterprise 

principles to lift people out of poverty 

and give them new opportunities for 

personal enrichment and service to 

their neighborhoods and communities. 

Among many examples, SIFE teams 

have shown poor single mothers how to 

start their own small businesses that 

boost their incomes and provide for 

their families. Farmers and small business people are given instruction about 

turning their ideas into companies that 

solve problems and provide jobs in disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is the 

free market system at its best. It is 

SIFE. It is Alvin Rohrs. 

Rohrs heads a staff of more than 60 

professionals at the headquarters in 

my hometown of Springfield, MO. Dozens of staffers help with SIFE’s efforts 

to spread the positive word about business development and how it can influence initiatives through which scores 

of students develop projects to lift others out of despair. More than 1,600 

teams on college campuses—more than 

57,000 students—are active in 39 counties, including China and Russia, demonstrating the power of local business 

to solve local problems and create 

wealth. SIFE is a powerful force for enlightenment and good works. 

Rohrs has led SIFE’s development 

into a megaphone for the positive 

power of business in the world community. This year he reaches a milestone—30 years at the helm. He has 

earned many awards and accolades for 

his works in the charity community 

and in the business world. He has an 

unwavering belief in the work of SIFE 

and the message it carries into energizing entrepreneurs and creating new 

wealth. 

I congratulate Alvin Rohrs and SIFE 

on their growth, accomplishments and 

good work providing the world community with personal understanding of 

free enterprise and the rewards it offers 

to people in all walks of life and all 

economic ranks. My hope is that SIFE 

and Alvin Rohrs continue this critical 

work for many years to come.

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∑ 

REMEMBERING JOHN FRANCIS 

DIGNAM 

∑ Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts. Mr. 

President, I rise today to pay tribute 

to an extraordinary Bay State resident 

and patriot, John Francis Dignam, who 

passed away on March 18, 2012, at the 

age of 78. 

John Francis Dignam’s life story is 

truly an American story. Born in Lawrence, MA, John attended St. Mary’s 

Grammar School and graduated from 

Central Catholic High School at the 

age of 16, in 1950. He attended Tilton 

Prep School and Holy Cross, before enlisting in the Army in 1953, where he 

received numerous commendations. 

Upon his discharge from the Army, 

John attended Northeastern University 

in Boston, and earned a degree in physics and Applied Science in 1962. He returned to Northeastern many years 

later, and earned a degree from the executive MBA program. 

John is best known for his work as a 

civil servant at the Watertown Arsenal 

from 1966–1996, where he served with 

and led a core team of national experts 

focused on the development of advanced materials and structures to 

meet the highly challenging requirements of United States ground and 

space-based defense systems. At the 

time of his retirement, he served as the 

Chief of the Ballistic Missile Defense 

Materials Program Office; Physical 

Science Administrator in the Materials 

Directorate; and Director of the Hardened Materials Program. 

Following the closure of Watertown 

Arsenal in 1996, John retired from government service and founded a small 

company named Mentis Sciences. At 

Mentis Sciences, John and his team 

have conducted cutting-edge materials 

research, engineering and manufacturing support for the Department of 

Defense on many high priority tactical 

and strategic missile defense programs. 

John Francis Dignam loved our great 

country, and his record of academic 

and professional achievement is both 

substantial and impressive. But it tells 

only part of the story. Alongside of his 

beloved wife of 49 years, Rita, he was a 

life-long resident of Massachusetts who 

was active in his community and his 

church. Throughout his decades of 

service to the country, John never lost 

sight of his Massachusetts roots, and 

he always made time to support his 

community and his church. He led others through his example. And today he 

lays at rest along the hillside at the 

Immaculate Conception Cemetery in 

Lawrence. 

I am proud to rise today to honor his 

service to the Nation, and to recognize 

his profound contributions to Massachusetts, the greater Lawrence community, and his family.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO MOIRA MCCARTHY 

STANFORD 

∑ Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts. Mr. 

President, today I wish to recognize 

Ms. Moira McCarthy Stanford, who has 

contributed enormously and tirelessly 

to the cause of fighting diabetes. 

Moira’s support for diabetes research 

stems from her personal journey learning about diabetes. Her daughter, 

Lauren, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly after her sixth birthday. 

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disorder 

that occurs when the pancreas does not 

produce enough insulin to properly 

control the body’s sugar levels. We can 

all agree that navigating through diabetes management for both parents and 

children is extremely difficult, and 

with no cure for this disease, Moira’s 

advocacy for research is essential. 

Now, you may be familiar with the 

ongoing clinical trials for an artificial 

pancreas, which will dramatically improve the quality of life for individuals 

living with diabetes. This device has 

the potential to improve diabetes control by automatically providing the 

amount of insulin an individual needs 

to maintain healthy glucose levels. I 

am encouraged by these developments, 

which Moira has strongly supported. 

Her daughter Lauren will participate 

in these trials, and I am impressed that 

she is following in her mother’s footsteps to help others living with diabetes. 

I would also like to mention that 

Moira will be riding in this year’s Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s 

Ride to Cure Diabetes. She will be bicycling 105 miles through Death Valley to 

raise money for the foundation. An 

avid cycler myself, I understand the 

dedication required to train for this 

type event. I am also impressed that 

she is the second highest fundraiser in 

the Nation for this race. Moira has 

worked tirelessly for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF. She 

has served as president of the JDRF 

and was named JDRF International 

Volunteer of the Year in 2007. 

I would like to thank Moira McCarthy Stanford for her tremendous work 


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