HONORING THE LIFE OF ALFONSO "ALFY" FANJUL, JR.

On 2026-09-15, Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL-3) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF ALFONSO "ALFY" FANJUL, JR." in the House.

HONORING THE LIFE OF ALFONSO "ALFY" FANJUL, JR.

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E926] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF ALFONSO ``ALFY'' FANJUL, JR. ______ HON. KAT CAMMACK of florida in the house of representatives Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Alfonso ``Alfy'' Fanjul, Jr., a Florida agricultural leader who passed away on August 3 at the age of 89. Alfy was born in Havana, Cuba in 1937. His family had spent generations building a bustling sugar business. Then came Castro's communist revolution. In 1959, the Castro regime seized then land, mills, homes, and businesses. At 23, Alfy fled Cuba and came to the United States. Here, he helped rebuild what communism had taken away. He and his family built what became Florida Crystals in western Palm Beach County, a pillar of Florida agriculture. After his father's death in 1980, Alfy became chairman and CEO of the family companies, leading them for more than four decades. He understood something every farmer in my district knows. Agriculture is more than a business. It is a responsibility to the people who work the land and the communities that depend on it. Alfy was the living embodiment of that responsibility. He said his first obligation was to his employees, then his community, and then his shareholders. He was also a man of deep Catholic faith and a generous philanthropist, supporting charitable and educational institutions across Florida. Alfy often said that in America, anyone could succeed ``if you work hard and play by the rules.'' His life proved it. He lost nearly everything to a communist dictatorship, started again in Florida, and built a legacy through faith, family, hard work, and freedom. Alfy is survived by his wife Raysa, his daughters Crista and Lillian, his stepdaughter Raissa, four siblings, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. The Fanjul family are in my prayers. May Alfy rest in peace. ____________________