Fresno Chamber Holds Valley Business Awards Luncheon
FRESNO – John E. Horstmann received the 2013 Leon S. Peters Award Tuesday afternoon at the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center during the Fresno Chamber of Commerce’s 34th annual Valley Business Awards Luncheon.
Horstmann was named the recipient for his accomplishments and personal and public service. He said before the luncheon that having his family there to celebrate with him made the day more special.
John E. Horstmann
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive the award,” he said. “There’s so many people that are as deserving of this, ones that have not received it, the ones that have. This is about the community, it’s giving back to the community and what we can do.”
The luncheon was preceded by an Immigration Reform Roundtable hosted by Fresno CEO Al Smith. Jeff Lungren, director of Congressional and public affairs of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, joined by phone. He said the U.S. Chamber supports border security, and agrees the issue of immigration reform needs to be addressed.
“Ignoring the problem doesn’t allow it to go away,” Lungren said.
Don L. Riding, retired officer in charge of the Fresno Immigration and Naturalization Service, said many Mexican adult immigrants are granted amnesty, but their children aren’t legal citizens, and that sometimes breaks up families. Manuel Cunha of the Nisei Farmers League said a guest worker program will be implemented soon that is “functional and workable, for our industry.”
