[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING GWEN TOMBERGS ON WINNING THE QUAD-CITIES ATHENA 
                            LEADERSHIP AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHERI BUSTOS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 7, 2019

  Mrs. BUSTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gwen Tombergs 
for winning the Quad-Cities Athena Leadership Award for empowering and 
mentoring women throughout their careers. Ms. Tombergs is the first 
female president in the Southern Professional Hockey League for the 
Quad-City Storm.
  The Quad-Cities Athena Awards were founded 14 years ago by a group of 
women focused on female leadership and gender diversity. Ms. Tombergs 
embodies the spirit of this award through her work in our community. 
She has had an outstanding career where she led the way and shaped the 
lives of women at places such as casinos, Lujack's, the Quad-City Times 
and the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce--culminating with the 
nomination for this distinguished award. However, Ms. Tombergs did not 
stop there--she has taken on multiple leadership roles within the Quad-
City Thunder CBA Basketball Team, the Quad-City Sports Center, the New 
York Mets and now the Quad-City Storm hockey team. Ms. Tombergs has 
been a steadfast advocate for young women in the Quad-Cities region, 
and is an asset to our community. I am grateful for her leadership and 
wish her continued success in the future.
  It is because of dedicated leaders like Ms. Tombergs that I am 
especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam 
Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Gwen Tombergs for 
winning the Quad-Cities Athena Award and thank her for empowering women 
in everything she does.

                          ____________________