[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 97 (Thursday, June 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1227-E1228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATING MR. RICHARD E. WITTEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2008

  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments of Mr. Richard E. Witten and to congratulate him on 
receiving the Anne Frank Distinguished Advocate Award. Mr. Witten's 
deep commitment to education and the Jewish experience is unparalleled.

[[Page E1228]]

  A graduate of Columbia College and Harvard Law School, Richard began 
his career practicing corporate securities law in New York City. In 
1981, he began working at Goldman Sachs and Co. where he rose to 
Partner and Managing Director from 1990 to 2002. Currently the Senior 
Managing Director of The Orienta Group, an investment and advisory 
firm, Richard also serves on the Board of Directors of Jets.com, a jet 
charter company with offices in New York City, Boston and Phoenix.
  Richard contributes to and advocates on behalf of a number of 
charitable causes, several of which are educational institutions. He is 
a Vice Chairman of the Columbia University Board of Trustees and a 
member of the Board of the Columbia Investment Management Company. He 
is the Chairman Emeritus of the Board Visitors of Columbia College, a 
Trustee of the National Museum of Jewish History in Philadelphia, and a 
member of the Executive Committee of Gilda's Club of Westchester.
  Mr. Witten has balanced his distinguished career and philanthropic 
work with an equally impressive family life. He and his wife, Lisa, 
live in Mamaroneck, New York. They have three children, Anne, Alex and 
Jeffrey. A gifted writer, Richard recently published his first novel, 
Divided Loyalties, a historically accurate depiction of his father-in-
law's experience during the Second World War.
  Additionally, through their private foundation, Richard and his wife 
have also provided the primary funding for iTeach, a program developed 
by Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners Aid Research Centre to 
improve delivery of HIV and TB care in South Africa.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize my good friend Mr. Richard E. 
Witten for a successful career in finance and unparalleled devotion to 
charitable causes. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his 
tremendous accomplishments.

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