December 12, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 199 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MICHAEL A. HOULEMARD, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 12, 2019

  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael A. 
Houlemard, Jr. for more than twenty years of leadership as the Fort Ord 
Reuse Authority (FORA) Executive Officer and congratulate him on his 
retirement.
   Mr. Houlemard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up in 
Pasadena, California. He studied at University of California, Santa 
Barbara and graduated with a degree in Political Science before 
completing a Master of Arts degree in Urban Studies at Occidental 
College. Following his studies, Mr. Houlemard participated in the 
prestigious CORO Foundation fellowship program.
   Mr. Houlemard's early career included a gubernatorial appointment as 
a Deputy in the California Department of Housing and Community 
Development, time as a Project Manager for the Pasadena Redevelopment 
Agency, and leadership roles as Executive Director of the Southern 
California Urban Coalition, Deputy Director of the Pasadena Urban 
Coalition, and Assistant Dean/Director in the University of California 
at Santa Barbara Office of Veterans' Affairs.
   As Executive Officer of FORA, Mr. Houlemard oversees the broadly 
representative agency located on the Monterey Bay, which is responsible 
for former Fort Ord's conversion to civilian reuse program. Mr. 
Houlemard also oversees a $100 million munitions and explosives cleanup 
of 3,400 former Fort Ord acres. In this role, Mr. Houlemard's decisive 
leadership and expertise resulted in FORA being designated a military 
base reuse national model by the Department of Defense. Mr. Houlemard's 
work has also been lauded by the Association of Defense Communities, 
earning him their Local Reuse Authority Executive of the Year Award, 
and the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, earning him their Ruth 
Vreeland Public Official of the Year Award.
   Michael A. Houlemard, Jr. has served the central coast of California 
with adept leadership and tireless dedication over the past two 
decades, making FORA a model agency for the potential of a civilian 
reuse program. I hope that Mr. Houlemard enjoys his well-earned 
retirement spending time with his beloved wife, Christina Valentino, 
watching his favorite pastime, baseball, and visiting his cherished 
hometown of New Orleans. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join 
me in recognizing his years of service and encouraging him to let the 
good times roll (laissez les bon temps rouler).

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