7680 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 155, Pt. 6 March 17, 2009 icon as the musicians that he worked with and Always an innovator, Ralph Mercado pio- wife to husband Orlando and mother of two promoted, Mercado was a visionary innovator neered the presentation of salsa music in Afri- boys, Gabriel and Daniel. She is also active in who helped popularize tropical music world- ca, South America, Asia, and Israel. He was a number of civic and charitable organizations wide, including New York’s mixture of popular one of the first to bring Latin music concerts including the Greater Naples Chamber of Latin rhythms know as ‘‘salsa.’’ to such prestigious venues as Radio City Commerce, the Children’s Museum of Naples, Mercado etched his name in the history Music Hall with Julio Iglesias’ New York per- the American Heart Association, the Fifth books by building a record label whose var- formance; Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall; Third Bank, the Ronald McDonald House, ious components (from a publishing company the Beacon Theater; and Madison Square Hospice of Naples, Catholic Charities and Lit- to a video and film production arm) helped Garden. eracy Volunteers, and was the founder of the make and take salsa to some of the largest The truth of course is that Mercado’s death Council for Hispanic Business Professionals. stages around the world. A catalog of award- this week leaves a tremendous void in the As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I winning international hits across three dec- hearts of not just his family and friends but ask you to join me in congratulating my dear ades transformed the Latino music industry, also countless Latin music fans around the friend Mayela Rosales for her invaluable con- bringing respect not only to talented artists but world. However, his body of personal and pro- tributions to the Hispanic community and her also providing young Latinos with a way to fessional work leaves a distinguished legacy dedication to professionalism and commu- connect with their parents, their roots and their whose impact can be seen not just in the in- nicating accurate and valuable information to communities. dustry he helped create, but also in the count- residents of Southwest Florida. It all started in Brooklyn on Sept. 29, 1941. less lives that his music touched. Little boys f The son of a Dominican dockworker and a and girls can dream of singing the songs that Puerto Rican factory worker, Mercado often their parents know and love thanks to Ralph’s TRIBUTE TO THE BARTELSO commented that he learned merengue, the extraordinary commitment, energy and dis- BRAVES typical dance from the Dominican Republic, in cipline . the hallway of the family’s fifth-floor walkup as So Madam Speaker, rather than mourn his HON. JOHN SHIMKUS soon as he could walk. He first fell in love with passing, I hope that my colleagues will join me OF ILLINOIS the rhythms while at the Palladium Nightclub in celebrating the life of Ralph Mercado, Jr. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES when he was only 16, watching the big bands His is an inspirational story for all Americans, Tuesday, March 17, 2009 of Machito, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez. one that exemplified greatness in every single As a teenager, he was famed for producing way. Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today ‘‘waistline parties’’ in apartment building base- f to pay tribute to an outstanding group of stu- ments where a couple’s admission was a dent athletes from Bartelso, Illinois. penny per inch of their dates’ waistline. HONORING MAYELA ROSALES The Bartelso Braves of Bartelso Elementary Using the same concept, he then opened School, defeated Centralia Trinity Lutheran the 3 & 1 Club where he began booking local HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART 49–26 to capture the Southern Illinois Junior Latin bands such as Eddie Palmieri and Richie OF FLORIDA High School Athletic Association Class S State Ray & Bobby Cruz, among many others. This IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Championship. The win followed victories in led to Mercado’s first management, booking, the quarterfinals over Rome and in the Tuesday, March 17, 2009 and promotions company called semifinals over Waltonville. Showstoppers. He promoted legendary R&B Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I want to congratulate Coach Gigi Kohrmann acts that included James Brown, Aretha Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an ex- and Assistant Coach Abby Winkeler for all of Franklin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Stylis- ceptional businesswoman, journalist and com- their work with their team. I especially want to tics, the Chi-lites, starting a salsa-soul music munity activist from Naples, Florida, Mayela congratulate the members of the 2008–2009 trend. Rosales. As Executive Vice President of Bartelso Braves state championship basketball Mercado also continued to open many Azteca America SWFL and host of the most team: Emily Koelling, April Gebke, Madison doors to up and coming artists. He helped to popular Spanish language TV show in South- Thole, Kaitlyn Albers, Katlyn Albers, Paige expand the Fania All-Stars, promoted dances west Florida, D’Latinos al Dia, Mrs. Rosales is Varel, Torre Kohrmann, Nicole Loepker, Noel at the Cheetah Nightclub, and presented Latin an example of what can be achieved through Loepker, Jillian Menkhaus, Erin Brueggemann, jazz at the Red Garter and, later, at the Vil- hard work and dedication. Sophie Rickhoff, Elle Gebke, Chloe Beckmann lage Gate and other downtown venues. His With a degree in Journalism and Commu- and Madison Haake. partnership with Jack Hooke, the late Tito nications from the University of Zulia in her These young ladies have made our commu- Puente’s longtime manager, helped create the native country of Venezuela and 12 years of nity proud, and have brought home the cham- Salsa Meets Jazz Series at the Village Gate experience in the field, she came to the U.S. pionship trophy to Bartelso. I wish them all the and the Latin Jazz Jam as part of the JVC 13 years ago. Since then, she has worked to- best in their future academic and athletic en- Jazz Festival. wards ensuring that the fast-growing Hispanic deavors. A great judge of talent, Mercado opened community in Southwest Florida has access to f RMM Management in 1972 representing Eddie news and information through Spanish lan- Palmieri and Ray Barretto. He went on to guage television programming and print. In HONORING MILCA GUTIERREZ manage virtually every name in the industry, 2003, Media Vista Group, the company she including its two biggest stars: Tito Puente and owned, integrated with Media Vista Publica- HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH Celia Cruz. His concerts grew more popular tions and now produces the D’Latinos Maga- OF CALIFORNIA and by 1987 the wildly successful ‘‘Latin zine, D’Latinos online and D’Latinos al Dia IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tinge’’ nights at the Palladium on New York’s program. Mrs. Rosales is Executive Director of 14th Street were bringing 3,000 ‘‘salseros’’ to the monthly magazine and host of the tele- Tuesday, March 17, 2009 dance every Thursday night. Mercado man- vision show, which has been the only live, Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise aged these events until 1992, when he re- Spanish language program in the area for six today to congratulate Milca Gutierrez upon focused his energies on the creation of a years and airs every weekday in more than being named as the Children’s Miracle Net- record label, RMM. 400,000 homes. work’s ‘‘California Champion Across America’’ Mercado expanded his venture into numer- In 2006, Mrs. Rosales, in partnership with for 2009. Miss Gutierrez will be honored on ous companies including RMM Records, RMM her husband Orlando Rosales and others, ac- Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at Children’s Hos- Filmworks, and two publishing houses. With quired local TV station WTPH 14 Azteca pital Central California at an event to kick off over 140 artists signed to RMM Records, the America Southwest Florida in Naples. The sta- the local and national public awareness pro- label sold millions of recordings a year. The tion serves as a venue for Spanish language gram. recipient of countless awards and proclama- programming and news including D’Latinos al Milca Gutierrez, of Fresno, California, was tions, Ralph Mercado was honored with a Life- Dia. diagnosed when she was four months old with time Achievement Tribute by Billboard Maga- In addition to her business ventures and ca- a rare disorder called ontogenesis imperfecta, zine in 1999. reer in journalism, Mrs. Rosales is a dedicated commonly known as brittle bone disease. This

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