[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 169 (Friday, December 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2219-E2220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO GURMALE SINGH GREWAL, 2001 DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2001

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a man whose 
leadership and achievements span the decades and who has touched the 
lives of so many across southeastern Michigan, Gurmale Singh Grewal, or 
Gary, as many of his friends and associates have come to know him. As 
members of the Building Industry Association of Southeastern Michigan 
and the Apartment Association of Michigan gathered together on November 
27, 2001 for their Leadership Recognition and Awards Night, they 
honored Gurmale Singh Grewal as their 2001 ``Developer of the Year''.
  As Singh Development Company CEO and a distinguished businessman, 
Gary has demonstrated outstanding dedication and commitment to his 
family, work, and community for many years. Beginning in 1921, Gary's 
grandfather, Sarwan S. Grewal, left his village in India for the United 
States, heading to California and then settling in Detroit. With a

[[Page E2220]]

strong interest in land and building development, Sarwan Grewal 
purchased the Wolverine Hotel in Detroit, which today is the current 
location of Comerica Park. Believing firmly in the traditions of 
family, hard work, and advancement, he brought his grandsons, Tahil, 
Lushman, Jeat, and Gurmale to the United States for their education. 
Upon the death of Sarwan, they unanimously agreed to carry on in their 
grandfather's footsteps. Gary received a degree in Business in 1973 
from Wayne State University, and in that same year established the 
Singh Development Company, Ltd. Chosen as the company's CEO in 1973, 
Gurmale still heads Singh Development today, now a third generation, 
family-owned and operated company.
  With current developments in many metropolitan Detroit area 
communities including Auburn Hills, Birmingham, Canton, Detroit, Novi, 
Northville, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield, and Wixom, Singh 
developments comprise over 5,000 multi-family and senior apartments, 
2,100 single family homes, and over 400,000 square feet of commercial 
property space. Today, Singh Development Company, Ltd. is one of the 
oldest Indian-owned companies in the United States.
  The Grewal family is also one of the oldest Sikh Indian families in 
the United States, and as Sikhs carry the honor in northwest India of 
being the ``Lions'' or ``Warriors'' through their shared middle name 
Singh, they strive to protect of all that is good. The Grewal family 
carries the Singh name with pride, and Gary and his family truly 
reflect this in their business ethics and practices today.
  Gary, like his grandfather before him, carries on the traditions of 
family, hard work, and advancement, and it is practice of these 
principles that has truly been the driving force in the success of 
Singh Development. He is a distinguished businessman, family man, and a 
leader in his community. It gives me great pleasure to honor Gary, for 
his leadership and commitment, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
saluting him for his exemplary years of dedication.

                          ____________________