Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Airport Dedicated

By Sam Chu Lin
Special to AsianWeek

Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta returned to his hometown of San Jose this past weekend to attend a number of memorable events. First, San Jose’s airport was officially rededicated as the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, with the unveiling of a large sign. Also, Koichi Nishimura, a long-time friend and the chief executive of Solectron, presented Mineta with a lifetime achievement award at a sold-out luncheon hosted by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group.

A large crowd, including Mineta’s family and former campaign workers, gathered in a parking lot outside Terminal C to participate in the airport ceremonies. The city council had voted nearly a year ago to dedicate the airport to its favorite son. No ceremony ever took place because of the Sept. 11 tragedies and Mineta’s busy schedule. It was an emotional moment as he spoke to the crowd.

“I am extremely honored to have the San Jose airport named after me,” he said. “You can’t imagine what this means to this little kid from San Jose to have this airport named after him in his own hometown. It is a very touching moment. My mother and dad are probably looking down, very much surprised at what this little kid has been able to do.”

As he sat in the audience, Mineta’s older brother, Al, a retired physician, shared many of the same feelings.

“It’s pretty good to see this,” Mineta’s older brother stated with teary eyes. “He really has come a long way. If our parents were here, they wouldn’t believe it. Norm has always been interested in transportation, and he’s worked hard to improve it. He’s done a good job!”

Norm Mineta (right), and (left to right) son David, his wife Christine, Norm’s wife Deni and their grandaughter Lauryn.

Lofgren pointed out that Mineta, a long-time Democrat, is working in a Republican Administration, but for good reason.

“People who were critical of Norm don’t know him very well,” she stated. “He accepted this challenge because of his long-time commitment to public service and because of his love for America. I will be looking at this sign every Monday morning as I get on my plane to return to Washington, D.C. to join you to serve this nation.”

Honda, who was a protégé of Mineta and now represents his old congressional district, felt that this was a proud moment both for his friend and for all Asian Pacific Americans.

“For me, being a Japanese American and an Asian American, this moment has special meaning,” he said. “This is a wonderful expression and recognition that this community is made up of many smaller communities and that Asian Americans have been recognized through Norm.”

Mayor Ron Gonzales, who helped spearhead the drive through the city council for the name change, said it was fitting for the airport to be named for Mineta, so that “he is recognized while he’s alive. It’s an opportunity for him to celebrate that occasion with his family. I can think of no other person in San Jose’s history that warrants their name on this airport [more] than Norm Mineta.”

During the one-hour ceremony, Mineta used the opportunity to give an update about the security at the nation’s airports.

“As of today, we have now deployed federal screeners to more than 270 airports across the country,” he announced. Mineta also noted that the local airport that bears his name now has 450 federal screeners, and that, contrary to media reports, his department has worked hard to ensure diversity in all of its ranks.

“We are proud to report that currently 34 percent of the screeners are women and 39 percent are minorities,” he stated. “This is a higher percentage than the general work force. Here in San Jose, 56 percent of the screeners hired so far are minorities. While 8 percent of the entire American workforce is Hispanic, 11 percent of our TSA security employees are Hispanic. Some 22 percent of screeners nationally are African Americans, which is twice the number in the current civilian workforce.”

At a noontime luncheon on Nov. 1 attended by more than a thousand people at San Jose’s Fairmont Hotel, the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group honored Mineta. In another long line of firsts, Mineta became the first non-business executive to ever be honored by the corporate and civic booster organization.

Dr. Koichi Nishimura, last year’s lifetime achievement winner, made the presentation.

Nishimura, who is six years younger than Mineta, recounted how the two first met one another when they lived in the same San Jose apartment house complex in the early 1960s.

“He knew that I was a kid going to school and he just came up and said, ‘Hey, I’m Norm Mineta. If you need any help, let me know.’ ”

They had shared many similar experiences. The high-tech executive recounted how Mineta, as a teen, was sent to the internment camp at Heart Mountain while Nishimura’s family was interned at Manzanar.

“Norm Mineta is a great American story,” Nishimura commented. “He’s living proof that through hard work, integrity and commitment, you can achieve your highest goal in this country.” Just as Mineta had offered help to Nishimura, the former congressman and Secretary of Transportation has never forgotten that it was San Jose community leader I.K. Ishimatsu who gave him a ticket to a political dinner and encouraged him to get involved in the community.

“Mr. Ishimatsu told me,” Mineta recounted, “after we returned from the camps in 1946, we didn’t have access to our public office holders in those days, and we’re not going to let that happen again.”

That’s a vow and a promise Mineta has kept. After serving in Congress for more than two decades, he left to become a senior vice president at Lockheed Martin, but remained active in government as an advisor to transportation. He returned to government and public service when President Clinton asked him to become Secretary of Commerce, and, under President Bush became Secretary of Transportation.

“We just have to constantly stay involved in making government work,” Mineta stated. “Otherwise people will not have their voices heard.”