17296 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 157, Pt. 12 November 14, 2011 Bobby Thomson was born in 1923 in Glas- IN RECOGNITION OF CONNIE ARTICLE OF CHINESE TELECOM gow, Scotland, the youngest of 6 children and CORVELO FIRM HUAWEI’S ROLE IN ENA- emigrated to the United States with his mother BLING IRAN’S STATE SECURITY and siblings in 1925 to join his father in Staten HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA NETWORK Island, New York. He grew up in OF CALIFORNIA and quickly became a baseball standout both IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HON. FRANK R. WOLF in school athletic leagues and on the city’s Monday, November 14, 2011 OF VIRGINIA sandlots. After graduating from high school in Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1942, he signed with the New York Giants for honor that I rise today to recognize a faithful Monday, November 14, 2011 $100 a month. and tireless volunteer in the Atwater commu- Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I submit an Octo- Despite his fledgling professional baseball nity, Connie Corvelo. ber 27 Wall Street Journal article that summa- Connie grew up in the Visalia area on her career, Bobby Thomson left the Giants in rizes Chinese telecom firm Huawei’s role in family dairy in Goshen where her parents, Jo- 1943 to enlist in the Army Air Corps and enabling Iran’s state security network. At the seph Pereira and Balvina Orique Pereira, were trained as a bombardier in Victorville, Cali- dairy farmers dating back to 1935. Connie’s same time that the U.S. and its allies are in- fornia, and served until 1945. After leaving the father immigrated to the United States from creasing efforts to support pro-democracy and Army Air Corps he rejoined the New York Gi- the Azores Islands and her mother was born human rights activists, Huawei is empowering ants and became a starter by 1947. He played in California. She attended schools in Goshen the Iranian regime to suppress these groups. with the Giants through 1953 with a batting and graduated from Mt. Whitney High School [From the Wall Street Journal, Oct. 27, 2011] average of .279 and an average of 25 home in Visalia in 1955. CHINESE TECH GIANT AIDS IRAN runs and 94 runs batted in (RBI) each season. Connie married her loving husband George (By Steve Stecklow, Farnaz Fassihi and He had a career-best season in 1949 with a Corvelo in 1988. George farmed and Connie Loretta Chao) .309 batting average, 27 home runs, and 109 worked for the Merced Sun Star as an Admin- When Western companies pulled back from RBI. istrative Assistant to the General Manager for Iran after the government’s bloody crack- down on its citizens two years ago, a Chinese On October 3, 1951, Bobby Thomson hit 10 years. Connie and George purchased ‘‘Out to Lunch’’ in 1993 and started a catering busi- telecom giant filled the vacuum. what became known as ‘‘The Shot Heard Huawei Technologies Co. now dominates ness. As Atwater Chamber members, Connie ’Round the World.’’ It was in the the bottom of Iran’s government-controlled mobile-phone and George have catered meals for organiza- industry. In doing so, it plays a role in ena- the ninth inning in the deciding game of a tions, reunions, birthdays and many other playoff for the pennant. The bling Iran’s state security network. events. Connie and George retired from the Huawei recently signed a contract to in- New York Giants were trailing the Brooklyn restaurant business in 2000 but have contin- stall equipment for a system at Iran’s larg- Dodgers two runs to four and there were run- ued their catering company to this day. Their est mobile-phone operator that allows police ners on second and third. Thomson stepped catering company was named Business of the to track people based on the locations of up and proceeded to knock Dodger pitcher Year in 2004–2005 by the Atwater Chamber of their cellphones, according to interviews ’s second pitch down the left- Commerce. with telecom employees both in Iran and Shortly thereafter, Connie embarked on a abroad, and corporate bidding documents re- field line and over the fence for a game- and viewed by The Wall Street Journal. It also pennant-winning three run . The cookbook writing adventure. Her first cook- has provided support for similar services at ‘‘Shot Heard ’Round the World’’ was so spec- book, titled My Portuguese Mother’s Kitchen, Iran’s second-largest mobile-phone provider. tacular that it caused WMCA–AM broadcaster was published in 2010. Her second cookbook, Huawei notes that nearly all countries re- to famously exclaim, ‘‘The Gi- Out to Lunch: Memories and Recipes, has re- quire police access to cell networks, includ- ants win the pennant! The Giants win the pen- cently been released. ing the U.S. Connie is an active member of the Atwater Huawei’s role in Iran demonstrates the nant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby community. George and Connie have been ease with which countries can obtain foreign Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left- members of the Atwater-Winton Lions club for technology that can be used to stifle dissent field stands! The Giants win the pennant and many years. In 2006, as a member of the through censorship or surveillance. Many of they’re goin’ crazy, they’re goin’ crazy!’’ the technologies Huawei supports in Iran— Atwater Women’s Club, Connie volunteered to such as location services—are available on Forever the humble hardworker, Bobby share her prized chicken salad recipe and ex- Western networks as well. The difference is Thomson continued his baseball career pertise as a fundraiser for the restoration of that, in the hands of repressive regimes, it through 1963 and thereafter worked as a the clubhouse and yard. Within a few years, can be a critical tool in helping to quash dis- sales executive in order to, in his own words, this spirit of volunteerism has spread through- sent. ‘‘stay home more with my wife and daughter out the community and the historic building Last year, Egyptian state security inter- cepted conversations among pro-democracy and live a normal life.’’ His integrity, work has been painted, fenced, landscaped, air conditioned and much more. Connie and activists over Skype using a system provided ethic, and positive outlook helped him excel in by a British company. In Libya, agents private business and led him to become in- George continue to help with the salad event working for Moammar Gadhafi spied on volved in nonprofit foundations, such as New twice a year. It is this selfless volunteerism emails and chat messages using technology Jersey Arthritis Foundation, Tomorrow’s Chil- that has earned Connie the Atwater Women’s from a French firm. Unlike in Egypt and Club Volunteer of the Year Award. dren Fund, and the Optimist Club. In 2006, he Libya, where the governments this year were Connie has three children whom she adores overthrown, Iran’s sophisticated spying net- moved to Savannah, Georgia, to be closer to spending time with. Her son, Dr. Jon Nunes, work remains intact. his daughter and he quickly made friends in is a scientist with Roche and is married to In Iran, three student activists described the community due to his warm demeanor and Kelly Tanner Nunes. They have two daugh- in interviews being arrested shortly after he continued to live the life of a humble living ters, Jordan and Julie. Connie’s daughter, turning on their phones. Iran’s government legend, father, uncle, and grandfather. didn’t respond to requests for comment. Annemarie Nunes Cousino, lives with her hus- Iran beefed up surveillance of its citizens After a long and fruitful life, Bobby Thomson band Richard ‘‘Rick’’ Cousino in Maryland. after a controversial 2009 election spawned passed away during the evening of August 16, Rick recently retired from the United States Air the nation’s broadest antigovernment upris- 2010, in his Skidaway Island home in Savan- Force after serving as Crew Chief for many ing in decades. Authorities launched a major nah at the age of 86. years on Air Force One. They have two chil- crackdown on personal freedom and dissent. dren, Gabrielle and Zachary. Connie’s third More than 6,000 people have been arrested We commend Bobby Thomson on his out- child, Allison Nunes, is a meeting and event and hundreds remain in jail, according to standing baseball career and his famous three planner for an international company in Phoe- Iranian human-rights organizations. This year Huawei made a pitch to Iranian run home run known as the ‘‘Shot Heard nix. ’Round the World’’ and express admiration for government officials to sell equipment for a Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join mobile news service on Iran’s second-largest the devotion of Bobby Thomson to various me, and the Atwater Women’s Club, in hon- mobile-phone operator, MTN Irancell. Ac- charities and nonprofit foundations after his re- oring a truly wonderful member of the Atwater cording to a person who attended the meet- tirement from baseball. community, Connie Corvelo. ing, Huawei representatives emphasized

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