E2294 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 20, 2008 

THE CONCUSSION TREATMENT 

AND CARE TOOLS (CONTACT) ACT 

HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR. OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, it is my 

pleasure today to introduce the Concussion 

Treatment and Care Tools (ConTACT) Act. 

This bipartisan legislation provides our schools 

and coaches with the tools needed to ensure 

that student athletes receive the proper care 

for sports-related concussions. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation as soon as 

possible. 

On October 16, 2008, Ryne Dougherty, a 

16-year-old from Montclair, New Jersey, tragically died from a brain hemorrhage after returning to play football without fully recovering 

from a concussion sustained earlier in the 

season. Unfortunately, this is not the first story 

of a young athlete losing his or her life early 

to a head injury. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, as many as 3.8 million concussions related to sports and recreation are estimated to occur in the United 

States each year. After sustaining one concussion, an athlete becomes as much as four to 

six times more likely to sustain a second concussion, and if an athlete is allowed to return 

to play without fully recovering from a concussion, they may face tragic consequences. 

Repeat concussions can result in cumulative 

neurological damage and have been shown to 

significantly worsen long-term outcomes including depression and other psychological 

problems. In rare cases, a repeat concussion 

can trigger ‘‘second impact syndrome’’ which 

can be marked by the swelling of the brain, 

permanent brain damage, or even death. Because damage to a maturing brain can be catastrophic, it is even more important to ensure 

that the proper care is provided to young athletes. 

Fortunately, repeat concussions and ‘‘second impact syndrome’’ are highly preventable 

if sensible guidelines and procedures are 

adopted. Many college and professional athletic associations—including the National Collegiate Athlete Association, NCAA, the National Football League, NFL, and the National 

Hockey League, (NHL)—and other national 

provider organizations—including the American Academy of Neurology, the American 

Academy of Family Physicians, the National 

Athletic Trainers’ Association, and the Brain 

Injury Association of American—have all 

adopted guidelines for the management of 

concussions. Despite education efforts by 

CDC, however, much of this information has 

not made its way to our local middle schools 

and high schools. 

Furthermore, pre-season and post-concussion testing technologies are widely used in 

college and professional sports to provide a 

baseline against which coaches and providers 

can determine when athletes are ready to return to play. These technologies are widely 

available and fairly affordable at as little as 

$500 a year. Unfortunately, these tests are not 

commonly used in middle and high school 

sports. 

By providing coaches, athletes, and parents 

with the tools and information needed to identify and understand the signs, symptoms, and 

implications of concussions, we can help to 

prevent needless deaths and countless injuries. The ConTACT Act will convene experts 

and stakeholders to establish a consensus set 

of concussion management guidelines and 

provide states with the resources to adopt, 

disseminate, and ensure the implementation of 

concussion management guidelines for student athletes. 

Madam Speaker, Congress must act now to 

pass this vital piece of legislation, so that we 

may provide our young athletes with the safety 

and protections that they deserve. 

f 

HONORING THE TOP DOG ALUMNI 

HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to congratulate all of the 2008 Top Dog 

Award recipients from California State University, Fresno. All award winners were honored 

on Friday October 10, 2008 at the Awards 

Gala at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. 

The Top Dog Award is a great tradition for 

CSU Fresno. It allows the University to honor 

alumni that continue to give back to the University. There are three award categories: Distinguished Alumnus Award, Outstanding Alumni Awards and the Arthur Safstrom Service 

Award. 

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the 

highest honor given to an alumna of the University. The award is based on scholarship, 

leadership and service to CSU Fresno, the 

San Joaquin Valley and the State of California. It has been established to provide special recognition to an individual who has distinguished themselves through outstanding 

achievement during their post-collegiate career. The University President and the Alumni 

Association present the award. 

For 2008 the Distinguished Alumnus Award 

is being given to Nat DiBuduo, class of 1972. 

Mr. DiBuduo has strong roots in the Central 

San Joaquin Valley as a vineyard and winery 

owner. He attended CSU Fresno where he 

earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant 

Science/Viticulture and a minor in Business. 

He is also a graduate of the California Ag 

Leadership Program, holds a Certified Pest 

Control Advisor’s license and a Department of 

Real Estate sales license. He has worked as 

an independent consultant overseeing farm 

management of 24,000 acres of winegrapes, 

nuts and vegetables. Today, he is President of 

Allied Grape Growers; a local organization that 

works with over 500 grower members from 

throughout California to competitively market 

the crops. During his time at CSU Fresno, he 

was student body vice president, but his service to the commundy did not stop there. He 

generously gives to his alma mater, and 

serves on the boards of the Ag One Foundation and the Fresno State Alumni Association. 

The Outstanding Alumni Awards recognize 

CSU Fresno alumna for outstanding accomplishments in their field and to present such 

alumni to current CSU Fresno students as examples of exceptional achievement. The 

Alumni Association works in conjunction with 

the deans of CSU Fresno’s eight schools/colleges, as well as the dean of student affairs 

and the athletic director to identify and select 

candidates for the awards. 

This year there are twelve Outstanding 

Alumni Awards from the various schools, colleges and divisions. The honorees are: 

Dr. Robert C. Cannell (class of 1986) from 

the College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology. Dr. Cannell is the supply chain director 

for McDonald’s USA and is responsible for the 

quality and safety of the restaurant chain’s 

beef and pork. 

Brad Lewis (class of 1980) from the College 

of Arts and Humanities. Mr. Lewis is a Pixar 

Animation Studios producer, whose movie 

‘‘Ratatouille’’ received Oscar, Golden Globe 

and Clio awards. 

Kern Donis (class of 1991) from the Athletics Department. Ms Donis is a former Bulldog softball star; she played for two national 

titles. She is now deputy chief for the Fresno 

Fire Department. 

Steve Heinrichs (class of 1968) from the 

Craig School of Business. Mr. Heinrichs is a 

managing partner of Bulldog Capital Partners, 

a venture fund that invests in new business 

ideas and companies with potential to contribute to the Central San Joaquin Valley 

economy. 

Darlene Spano (class of 1969) from the 

Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Ms. Spano has been an elementary school teacher in Fresno for 32 years. 

She had embraced computer technology early 

enough to educate and assist her students 

and colleagues. 

Dr. Vida Ilderem (class of 1982) from the 

College of Engineering. Dr. Ilderem is the vice 

president of physical and digital realization research at Motorola Laboratories, the applied 

research arm of Motorola. 

Mabelle Selland (class of 1950 and 1972) 

from the Division of Graduate Studies. Ms. 

Selland’s community service includes the 

preservation of the old Administration Building 

at Fresno City College, the Veterans Memorial 

Auditorium restoration and active participation 

in numerous organizations. 

Pamela Loewen (class of 1966) from the 

College of Health and Human Services. Ms. 

Loewen has followed a career in military and 

public health nursing with extensive service to 

the University’s Department of Nursing as it 

celebrates its 50th anniversary. 

Kendall Manock (class of 1951) from the 

Henry Madden Library. Mr. Manock is a local 

attorney and has been instrumental in obtaining materials for the Library’s Central Valley 

Political Archive. He has also worked on many 

other library initiatives. 

Dr. Roy James Shlemon (class of 1958) 

from the College of Science and Mathematics. 

Dr. Shlemon has a consulting geological practice that focuses on sites for nuclear power 

plants, waste facilities, large dams and residential developments throughout the world. 

Thomas Williams (class of 1970) from the 

College of Social Sciences. Mr. Williams is the 

chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and 

Resorts, part of the NBC Universal division of 

GE. 

Ambassador Phillip Sanchez (class of 1957 

and 1972) from the Division of Student Affairs. 

Ambassador Sanchez retired as a newspaper 

publisher after government services included 

two ambassadorships and directing the War 

on Poverty as the nation’s highest-ranking 

Latino government official. 

The third award is the Arthur Safstrom Service Award; it is awarded to an alumna or 


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November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2295 

friend of CSU Fresno who has given outstanding service to the Alumni Association 

and/or the University. This year the award is 

presented to Dr. Arnold and Dianne Gazarian. 

The Gazarians’ generous donations to the university have included a gift to the Smittcamp 

Alumni House, the Friends of the Madden Library, the President’s Fund and the Craig 

School of Business to establish the Arnold and 

Dianne Gazarian Real Estate Center. The 

couple has also provided incentives to attract 

others’ gifts for the Haig and Isabel Berberian 

Endowed Chair in Armenian Studies. Beyond 

the campus, the Gazarians are benefactors of 

the Berberian Community Hospice Patient 

Services Center as well as the Homeless and 

Transitional Living Center in Modesto, California. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend 

and congratulate all of the Top Dog Award recipients for their individual contributions. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing the 

honorees many years of continual success. 

f 

RECOGNIZING DR. JAMES NAVIN 

OF HONOLULU, HAWAII 

HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE OF HAWAII

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to recognize Dr. James Navin, MD, 

FCAP. Dr. Navin, a resident of Honolulu, has 

made many valuable contributions to the field 

of medicine not only in Hawaii, but throughout 

the United States. 

Dr. Navin began his medical career with the 

United States Army and has also served in the 

United States Army Reserve as well as the 

Hawaii Army Reserve National Guard, serving 

both Tripler General Hospital and Fort 

DeRussey. Dr. Navin is a recipient of the 

Bronze Star, as well as the Army Commendation Medal. 

He is the current president of the Hawaii 

Society of Pathologists, and a member of a 

variety of pathology related specialties, including the Hawaii Medical Association, the Honolulu County Medical Society, the College of 

American Pathologists and the American Society of Cytopathologists. 

I came to know Dr. Navin as a passionate 

healthcare advocate in the 1990s. I worked 

closely with him and the national pathology organizations to increase the reimbursement for 

a common but vital medical test. With his 

commitment, tenacity, and capacity to bring 

people together we succeeded legislatively. 

More importantly, we ensured that life saving 

medical testing was conducted according to 

best practice. 

An accomplished author, Dr. Navin has 

been published in over 30 medical publications, including the Hawaii Medical Journal. He 

has been recognized by the American Pathology Foundation as the American Pathologist 

of the Year, 2000, and has been recognized 

several times as one of the Best Doctors in 

Hawaii. 

Dr. Navin will be stepping down as a member of the College of American Pathologists’ 

Political Action Committee, but we are confident he will continue to be a strong voice for 

pathology. I urge my colleagues to join me in 

recognizing this outstanding physician for his 

commitment to patient care. 

HONORING AND REMEMBERING 

THE LIFE OF JOSEPH R. BURNS 

HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor and remember the life of an exemplary American citizen, a friend, a comrade in 

arms during our service together on the 

frontlines of the Korean war, and a true hero— 

Joseph R. Burns, who passed away on November 9, 2008. 

Joseph R. Burns was born on August 21, 

1930, in Charity Hospital, New Orleans, LA. 

Joe dedicated his life to protecting the freedom of this great country through his many 

years of public service. Joe served in the U.S. 

Army during the Korean war conflict and underwent extreme hardships as a prisoner of 

war for 33 months and 11 days. 

After his service in the U.S. Army, Joe continued to build his career in public service by 

obtaining a position as El Paso’s Deputy Sheriff and creating programs to help children. 

Joe’s faith in his religion and love for service 

manifested itself when he performed his duties 

and responsibilities of a deacon at the Unity 

Missionary Baptist Church, and when he 

served as a senior usher for the church. 

Although Joseph R. Burns has passed, his 

legacy in public service will not go unnoticed. 

His calm demeanor and quiet spirit will never 

be forgotten. He was a great influence to his 

family, his community, and our country. Joseph R. Burns is a national hero who will be 

greatly missed. 

He is succeeded by his beloved son 

Tyronne J. Burns, his family, and friends. 

f 

RECOGNIZING CHIEF VERNON A. 

LOSH II OF SONOMA COUNTY, 

CALIFORNIA 

HON. MIKE THOMPSON OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam 

Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, 

Congresswoman LYNN WOOLSEY, to honor 

Chief Vernon A. Losh II, who is retiring this 

month as chief/department director of the 

Sonoma County Department of Emergency 

Services. He has held the position since June, 

1999, and also served concurrently for over 5 

years as fire chief of Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District. 

Chief Losh has had a long and distinguished career in fire and emergency services, starting in 1974 with the South Placer 

Fire Protection District where he eventually 

held every rank from volunteer firefighter to 

full-time battalion chief. He came to Sonoma 

County in 1995 as deputy chief/fire marshal 

for the Department of Emergency Services 

and became Chief a few years later with responsibility for all aspects of the Department’s 

work. He deftly managed 23 full time employees, over 350 volunteers, and a budget of 

$7.5 million. 

With extensive education in emergency 

management, including being one of the first 

12 people certified in the State of California as 

a fire chief, Chief Losh has shared his expertise for years as a community college fire 

service instructor and also as chair of the 

Santa Rosa Community College Fire Tech Advisory Committee. A long list of professional 

affiliations—from local to international—is a 

testament to both his spirit of community volunteerism and the high regard with which he 

is held by his peers. He has been president of 

the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association, 

Sonoma County Department Heads Association, and the Northern California Firefighters 

Association, to name a few. 

Shortly after the anthrax and 9–11 terrorist 

attacks on our country, we met with Vern Losh 

and other Sonoma County officials. We were 

particularly impressed by the level of emergency preparedness as well as by plans to 

continuously upgrade and improve equipment 

and procedures. These efforts, directed by a 

coordinated leadership effort, clearly paid off 

when much of the County was affected by severe flooding a few years ago. The response 

was swift and organized, mitigating what could 

have been a serious disaster. 

The Losh family is also a source of pride to 

Vern. His wife Teresa is an accountant at the 

Sonoma County Office of Education and marathon walker for several charitable causes; his 

son Allen is a Specialist in the Army serving 

as a combat medic ready to be deployed to 

Iraq on Thanksgiving Day; his daughter Whitney is a student at San Francisco State in the 

Public Health field. Whitney just finished her 

first marathon for the Leukemia Lymphoma 

Society. 

Perhaps since, as his biography states, he 

‘‘currently serves as the Grand Emperor of the 

Cosmic Order of Fire Gods, an honor he has 

held since birth,’’ Vern Losh won’t fully retire. 

He plans to continue as Chair of the SonomaMendocino Red Cross, Chair of the Volunteer 

Fire Fighter Committee of the California State 

Fire Fighters Association, and as the California representative to the National Volunteer 

Fire Council. He will also become a volunteer 

firefighter for the City of Healdsburg. And he 

will continue his teaching at the California 

Community College. 

Madam Speaker, Sonoma County will miss 

the skills of Chief Vernon Losh, but we thank 

him for helping to make our emergency services strong. We know he will appreciate having time for his family and his hobbies—photography, football and all sports, attending Giants and 49er games . . . and firefighting. 

f 

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF NOEMI 

ANDERSON 

HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to celebrate Noemi Anderson of 

Petaluma, California, for an unusual accomplishment. Noemi just turned 111 years old, 

making her the oldest person in Sonoma 

County, the 67th oldest person on earth, and 

even the oldest known member of the American Association of University Women 

(AAUW). 

Noemi doesn’t know the secret of her longevity. She has always exercised, eaten her 

vegetables, and quit smoking over 50 years 


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