[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 1, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING THOMAS L. BERKLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2001

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas L. Berkley for his 
contributions to the community and to the Nation.
  Mr. Berkley was bom in Illinois in 1915. At the age of four, he and 
his family moved to Southern California. In 1936, he attended Fullerton 
Junior College, where he would later earn an Associate of Arts Degree. 
He went on to UCLA and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in 
Business Administration and Finance. Mr. Berkley was accepted into 
Hastings Law School in the San Francisco Bay Area, and became active in 
the NAACP. He received his Juris Doctor in 1942 and was admitted to the 
California State Bar a year later.
  After finishing his academic career, Mr. Berkley proudly joined the 
United States Army. He fought bravely in World War II and achieved the 
rank of Second Lieutenant.
  At the end of the war, Mr. Berkley came back to Oakland and became 
the head of one of the Nation's largest integrated, bilingual law 
firms. He helped established the careers of notable men such as Judge 
Clinton White and Allen Broussard, and former Mayors of Oakland, Elihu 
Harris and Lionel Wilson.
  Mr. Berkley was not only active in law, but also active in business 
and in the media. He was the president of Berkley International Ltd., 
Berkley Technical Services and CEO of Berkley Financial Services. Mr. 
Berkley also was the publisher of the Alameda Publishing Corporation, 
which publishes the Oakland, San Francisco, and Richmond Post 
newspapers.
  Mr. Berkley is a visionary and a motivator. He helped turn the Port 
of Oakland to a world-class facility. He saw the need for guidance to 
our children, so he served as a director for the Oakland Unified School 
District. He saw the need for social and economic improvement in some 
of Oakland's neighborhoods, so he became an advisor to the Greater 
Acorn Community Improvement Association.
  Mr. Berkley has lead a tireless and committed crusade to better our 
society. He not only helped spur business development, but he also 
helped individuals achieve their goals and dreams.
  I am honored to salute and take great pride in celebrating with his 
family, friends and colleagues the distinguished accomplishments of 
Thomas L. Berkley.

                          ____________________