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“TRIBUTE TO ROBERT L. OZUNA” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S2610-S2611 on March 11, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO ROBERT L. OZUNA
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Robert L. Ozuna, Chief Executive Officer of New Bedford Panoramex Corporation from 1966 until his death on March 6 at the Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina, California. He was 69.
Robert Ozuna was the oldest of four children born in Miami, Arizona to Mexican-American parents. In 1940, after his father's death, Robert moved with his mother, brother and sisters to East Los Angeles, where he worked steadily from an early age in order to help support the family.
As Founder and President of New Bedford Panoramex Corporation (NBP), Robert Ozuna became one of the most successful Mexican-American entrepreneurs in southern California. He gained his business experience on the job and his engineering education by attending night school in the California community and junior college system.
In 1966, Ozuna began to build his company with a second mortgage on his home, and a few electrician's hand tools, hard work and entrepreneurial instincts into the thriving electronics manufacturing business it is today in Upland, California. NBP designs, develops and manufactures electronic communication systems and remote monitoring systems for its primary client, the United States Government.
Robert Ozuna's hard work and dedication were given public recognition when he received the Department of Transportation Minority Business Enterprise Award for 1987 and again for 1991. He received the Air Traffic Control Association Chairman's Citation of Merit Award in 1994. He was an active member of The California Chamber of Commerce for various cities and a founder of Casa De Rosa Annual Golf Tournament, which he started to raise funds for the Rancho de Los Ninos Orphanage in BajaMar, Mexico.
As industrious as Robert Ozuna was in business, he was equally involved sharing his prosperity with many philanthropic activities in his community. He sponsored many events in the Hispanic neighborhood where he grew up, and he was a founding director of the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Youth Athletic Association, which promotes educational, athletic and drug awareness programs for more than 60,000 youths in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.
Robert Ozuna is remembered by his employees at New Bedford Panoramex Corporation as a man with a deep passion for life. His concern for his employees and their families along with his abundant generosity to them was always present.
Robert Ozuna was married for 35 years to Rosemary, who passed away in November of 1998. He is survived by his mother Amella Ozuna, his sons Steven Ozuna and Jeff Dominelli, his daughters Nancy DeSilva and Lisa Jarrett, his sisters Lillian Gomez and Vera Venagas, and his brother Tony Ozuna. He also leaves six grandchildren.
Robert Ozuna epitomized the American dream, which promises to anyone who works hard and plays by the rules the opportunity to achieve great success. Robert Ozuna lived that dream. Though he will be greatly missed, his life and achievements will serve as an inspiration to generations to come.
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