Recognizing the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with great respect and admiration that I commend several remarkable leaders who have been honored as the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2020. This year's inductees include Edward Garza, Nick Popovich, Dr. Edward Williams, and Janice Wilson. Additionally, Cimcor was presented with the Enterprise of the Year Award.

Edward Garza is the president and owner of El Popular, Inc., which holds the distinction of being the oldest Mexican-owned business in the state of Indiana. Edward is the third generation of the Garza family to carry on the Mexican food corporation, which was started by his grandfather, Vincente Garza, in 1925, in East Chicago, Indiana. In 2001, Edward purchased the company and downsized the product line to four items: chorizo, mole paste, mole powder, and chocolate. While the business remains in East Chicago, Edward opened a second facility in Valparaiso. Under his leadership, El Popular has thrived and is looking forward to many years of continued success. Edward also gives much of his time to various charitable organizations including the Valparaiso YMCA, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Northwest Indiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Nick Popovich is the founder and president of Sage-Popovich, a global aviation and asset management firm located in Valparaiso and includes a hangar at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. The company, founded in 1979, has repossessed over 1,800 planes and helicopters throughout the years. Danger and risk are a part of the job, and Nick has seen his fair share. In 1986, he was seized by Haitian troops and spent seven days in prison after trying to repossess a plane for a bank in Port-au- Prince. Over many years, Nick continued to grow his business and adding services including consulting, asset management, expert witnessing, and part sales. In addition, the company is a licensed appraisal firm that does valuation for over 200 organizations. Sage-Popovich is currently expanding into Michigan, managing private planes for corporations and individual owners. The company gives back to the community in many ways including the transport of wounded combat veterans to medical facilities or to reunite them with their units. Sage-Popovich also sponsors scholarships for aviation and criminal justice students.

Dr. Edward Williams has been a pillar of the community of Northwest Indiana for many years. He is the president of OptiFormance Consulting Services, LLC. Working with people on personal development and customer service, Dr. Williams enjoys helping people reach their potential. Unofficially, he started his consulting business in 1988, providing services within churches, schools, and non-profits, before establishing the business as a formal entity in 1999. Dr. Williams is passionate about mentoring young people, and through his business and charitable endeavors, he has served as an inspiration to the youth of our community. He gives his time and support to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, serving as a board member for over thirty years and two terms as board president. In addition, he is involved with the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana and the Laini Fluellen Charities for breast cancer initiatives, among others.

Janice Wilson is the founder and retired CEO of NorthShore Health Centers. NorthShore was founded in 1995 in a high school as a clinic for teenagers, providing medical services while the students continued their studies. It has grown over the years to eight health centers and includes a dental clinic and behavioral health services, as well as three teen clinics throughout Northwest Indiana. The flagship clinic in Portage is now named in honor of Janice Wilson, and today, NorthShore serves more than 50,000 patients each year in Porter, Lake, and LaPorte counties. The organization continues its fundamental mission of serving the uninsured and underinsured. David Hall is the current CEO of North Shore, while Jan remains a consultant for the business. For her outstanding contributions to healthcare in Northwest Indiana, Janice has been named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce, and she is truly deserving of each and every honor bestowed upon her.

The recipient of the Enterprise of the Year Award is Cimcor, a global cybersecurity company located in Merrillville, Indiana. The company was founded by CEO Robert E. Johnson III and provides CimTrak software, offering intrusion detection and real-time remediation for their client's information technology systems and files. Some of Cimcor's reputable clients include NASA, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the United States Air Force, Cornell University, Nikon, and Zoom, among many others. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, Zoom has been imperative for families, businesses, schools, and government entities. Cimcor has provided security and compliance software to these organizations, proving to be a tremendous asset during these trying times. In addition to the United States, Cimcor serves twenty-seven countries in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Due to the outstanding leadership and employees at Cimcor who continue to innovate and develop new technologies, the organization continues to grow and expand worldwide.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my other colleagues to join me in commending these dedicated leaders and organizations upon their induction into the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame. They are truly deserving of this honor, and for their exceptional leadership and dedication to the region and beyond, each of them are worthy of the highest praise.

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