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[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E73-E74]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

       RECOGNIZING WALTER DIAS FOR HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE ON GUAM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 13, 2009

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Walter Dias 
for his civic involvement and community service on Guam. Walter Dias, 
known to his family, friends, neighbors and coworkers, as ``Wally,'' 
has resided on Guam over the past 15 years and been active in our non-
profit community. Wally was recently promoted by his employer, 
Continental Airlines, and is relocating to Hong Kong to assume the 
position of Managing Director of Greater China and Southeast Asia.
  Wally is the eldest of five sons and two daughters of Walter Sr., and 
Virginia Dias. He grew up in a small town in the resort area of the 
Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelors of Science 
degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University before 
beginning his career at Price Waterhouse and later at Geo Source Inc. 
In 1987, Wally started his airline career in the finance division of 
Continental Airlines, and in 1993, he moved from its corporate 
headquarters in Houston to Guam to serve as the Director of Marketing 
for Continental Micronesia. Wally was later promoted to Vice President 
of Sales and Marketing, a position through which his involvement with 
our non-profit community on Guam grew.
  Wally promoted travel to the Pacific islands of Micronesia through a 
``Warmth of Paradise'' campaign that he developed while at Continental 
Micronesia. Through this campaign, the cultures of the Pacific islands, 
including of the Chamorro people of the Marianas, is showcased. Wally 
also sought to foster greater relations between the civilian and 
military community on Guam, and to support education initiatives 
focusing on Guam's military history. When Guam celebrated its 50th 
Annual Liberation Day in honor of the island's liberation from Imperial 
Japanese Forces in 1944, Wally helped coordinate the travel of more 
than 2,000 liberators to Guam for this special event. Wally also worked 
with the Military Historical Tours to fly veterans from the Battle of 
Iwo Jima for the battle's 50th anniversary commemorative program.
  His work in our community extended beyond those of us who call Guam 
home. Wally helped coordinate the transportation of 2,000 Kurdish 
refugees from Iraq to Guam, and later from Guam into the mainland of 
the United States for settlement, in 1996. He was instrumental in the 
founding of the Ayuda Foundation, a humanitarian organization that has 
helped thousands of people from the Micronesian islands access medical 
supplies and health care. Wally also helped establish the Wings for 
Life One Pass medical account program. To this day, the program has 
helped transport more than a hundred patients to receive proper medical 
treatment. These are lasting examples of Wally's efforts on behalf of 
our community on Guam and the greater Micronesia region.
  It is on the occasion of his promotion and relocation to Hong Kong, 
that the people of Guam recognize him for his community service and his 
leadership in helping to develop our visitor industry.

[[Page E74]]

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