E2340 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 9, 2008 

ASIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL 

ASSOCIATION 32ND ANNUAL GALA 

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY OF INDIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with 

sincere admiration that I recognize the Asian 

American Medical Association, which will be 

hosting its 32nd Annual Gala on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at the Avalon Manor in 

Merrillville, Indiana. Each year, the Asian 

American Medical Association pays tribute to 

prominent, outstanding citizens and organizations for their contributions to the community. 

In recognition of their efforts, these honorees 

are awarded the prestigious Crystal Globe 

Award each year at this annual banquet. 

The Asian American Medical Association 

has always been a great asset to Northwest 

Indiana. Its members have selflessly dedicated 

themselves to providing quality medical service to the residents of Indiana’s First Congressional District, and they have always demonstrated exemplary service through their 

many cultural, scholastic, and charitable endeavors. 

At this year’s charity ball, the Asian American Medical Association will present the Crystal Globe Award to one of Northwest Indiana’s 

finest citizens, Mr. James Gagan. Born in Chicago, Illinois on May 6, 1930, James Lawrence Gagan learned the importance of serving his community from a young age. This 

would become evident in his two separate 

stints in the United States Army between 1948 

and 1954. Following his military service, Jim, 

as he is known by those closest to him, relocated to Northwest Indiana in 1956 and 

worked as a finance company manager until 

1958. At that time, he founded a collection 

and prorating business now owned and operated by his brother, Larry. An astute businessman, Mr. Gagan later moved on to the oil industry when, in 1963, he founded United Penn 

Oil and Gas Company. Focusing on the leasing, drilling, and production of oil and gas 

wells, the company expanded to serve an 

area covering nine states. Remarkably, Jim’s 

entrepreneurial success did not end there. In 

1971, he conceived a new company that incorporated with United Consumers Club, Inc. 

Now known as Direct Buy, this company is 

now the most successful private buying club in 

the world, with more than one million members and 163 locations throughout the United 

States and Canada. Beginning with the vision 

of Jim Gagan, Direct Buy has become the 

gold standard in the merchandising industry. 

Mr. Gagan’s impressive contributions to his industry are truly a source of pride for the First 

Congressional District. In addition, Jim has 

also been a partner in the development of one 

of California’s premier golf clubs, Big Horn 

Country Club in Palm Desert, California, which 

has gained national recognition, and he has 

been an active participant in the restoration of 

Innsbrook Country Club, one of Indiana’s oldest golf courses. 

While his re ́sume ́ is already impressive in 

and of itself, it is his service to those in need 

throughout the Nation that is most astonishing. 

Entirely funded by profits from Direct Buy, Jim 

formed the Friendship Foundation in May of 

1985. This outstanding foundation, like Jim, is 

solely focused on improving the quality of life 

for those who are in need. Since its inception, 

the Friendship Foundation has contributed, 

both locally and nationally, to many people 

through organizations such as: Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Christian Haven 

Homes, Shults-Lewis Homes, Ronald McDonald House, The Caring Place, Baptist Children’s Homes, Visiting Nurses Association, 

Meals on Wheels, Hebrew Association for the 

Deaf, Greater Hammond Community Center, 

Special Olympics, Opportunity Enterprises, 

Wycliffe Bible Translators, Respite Care Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Boy 

Scouts of America, Lake County Child Abuse 

Center, Hospice Home Care, Children’s Memorial Hospitals of Indianapolis and Chicago, 

as well as many local food pantries, churches, 

and civic charities. Also, through Direct Buy, 

local nursing homes have annually received 

more than 1,500 Christmas gifts, consisting of 

much needed goods, and more than 1,000 

children have had a brighter Christmas thanks 

to their efforts through the local Angel Tree 

project. For his efforts on behalf of his community, Jim has received many honors, including the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash, 

presented by the governor of the State of Indiana, in 1981. 

Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my 

other distinguished colleagues join me in commending the Asian American Medical Association, as well as this year’s Crystal Globe 

Award recipient, Mr. James Gagan, for their 

outstanding contributions to their communities 

and beyond. Their unwavering commitment to 

improving the quality of life for the people of 

Northwest Indiana and throughout the United 

States is truly inspirational. For these reasons, 

the Asian American Medical Association, its 

members, and Mr. Gagan are to be recognized, and I am proud to serve as their representative in Washington, DC. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF E. & J. GALLO 

WINERY’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Speaker, I along 

with Congressman COSTA rise today to commemorate the 75th anniversary of E. & J. 

Gallo Winery, a historic company that embodies California’s agricultural prestige. Over 

the last 75 years, E. & J. Gallo Winery has 

transformed the winemaking industry in the 

United States and has made significant contributions to the economic strength and vitality 

of California. 

Following the Prohibition era in 1933, two 

brothers, Ernest and Julio Gallo, decided to 

start their own winery. After discovering an old 

University of California pamphlet on 

winemaking in the basement of the Modesto 

Library, they began their business with only 

$5,900 on hand, a keen business sense, and 

an entrepreneurial spirit. Over time, they grew 

their small, family-owned business into one of 

the largest wineries in the world. 

The Gallo brothers recognized the fertile soil 

of the San Joaquin Valley as an ideal location 

for starting a winery. Competing against hundreds of startup wineries across California following Prohibition, they quickly rose to the top 

by making wine affordable to everyday people 

instead of marketing solely to the upper echelons of society. Their business model caught 

on and E. & J. Gallo Winery quickly became 

one of the most respected in the business. 

Decades later, E. & J. Gallo Winery has become one of the most influential wineries 

worldwide, with over 60 unique wines from a 

wide variety of locales. They have made a 

commitment to environmentally sustainable 

farming and have become a model for the rest 

of the industry. The Gallo Winery employs 

4,600 people in the state of California, providing critical highly skilled employment opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley. 

E. & J. Gallo Winery has been honored with 

countless awards for achievement in 

winemaking, including the American Society of 

Enologists Merit Award—the wine industry’s 

highest honor—in 1964 for outstanding leadership in the wine industry, the Gold Vine Award 

from the Brotherhood of the Knights of the 

Vine wine fraternity, the 1983 Distinguished 

Service Award from The Wine Spectator, and 

the Winery of the Year Award in both 1996 

and 1998 by the San Francisco International 

Wine Competition. 

Few companies rival the generous spirit of 

E. & J. Gallo Winery. Throughout the state of 

California, they invested in local communities, 

including an endowment for the Gallo Center 

for the Arts in Modesto, and the establishment 

of the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California at San Francisco for research into genetic, biochemical 

and neurobiological aspects of alcohol abuse. 

Madam Speaker, it is our great honor and 

privilege to recognize E. & J. Gallo Winery on 

the advent of their 75th anniversary. Their 

contributions to the wine industry, to agriculture, and to the San Joaquin Valley are an 

inspiration to us all and we continue to wish 

them great success for many years to come. 

f 

ON THE OCCASION OF THE 

RETIREMENT OF DIANA HART 

HON. RALPH REGULA OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, as you 

know, I will be retiring from this House at the 

conclusion of this Congress, but today I rise to 

pay tribute to a member of my staff, Diana 

Hart, who will also be retiring from service in 

this House. 

A native of New Orleans, Diana lived in 

Germany for many years but decided to make 

the Washington area her home in the 1980s. 

Diana holds an associates degree in paralegal 

studies and joined my staff in 1986. As our office manager, Diana is also usually the first 

person a visitor to my office meets or a caller 

speaks with. Over these nearly 22 years of 

serving constituents and assisting guests, 

Diana has provided a warm welcome and a 

helpful demeanor with a continued focus on 

our office motto of ‘‘Constituents First.’’ 

Over the years, we have come to know 

Diana as a cat lover who is extremely devoted 

to her two cats. However, recently a new passion has inched its way into Diana’s heart. 

That passion is her new grandson and her 

soon-to-arrive granddaughter. In her retirement, Diana is looking forward to being able to 

spend more time with both her grandchildren 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with REMARKS