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Rep. Anna G. Eshoo

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John N. Hunter, a 2011 recipient of the St. Madeleine Sophie Award. The Award is given by the Sacred Heart School Community in Atherton, California, to individuals who have made sustained and significant contributions to the schools and embody the goals and criteria of a Sacred Heart education. John Hunter's commitment to the mission of Sacred Heart education spans decades, is an inspiration to everyone, and has earned him the coveted St. Madeleine Sophie Award.

John N. Hunter is a 1951 graduate of Stanford University and served his country as a member of the United States Army. He is a successful entrepreneur and has made significant contributions in the fields of education and community development.

John N. Hunter joined the Sacred Heart Schools Board of Trustees in 1978. This was a time of transition for the schools. John helped craft the first strategic plan and was a leader of the schools' first capital campaign. He has served on the board of the Religious of the Sacred Heart's Oakwood Retirement Community, and played a key role in expanding the facility and building a chapel.

John has been married to the former Josephine Kegley since 1959, and they are the proud parents of five children: Julene, Wendi, Elizabeth, John and Mary, all of whom attended Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating John N. Hunter as he receives the St. Madeleine Sophie Award and salute him for his tireless work, his humility, his wonderful sense of humor, and his lasting commitment to the extraordinary education of the Religious of the Sacred Heart and their schools in Atherton, California, where generations of children have been shaped, strengthening our community and our country.