[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING RALPH GRANT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 13, 2009

  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary life of Mr. Ralph Grant. An Oakland icon, loving father, 
husband, friend, and compassionate soul, he will be dearly missed by 
all who knew him. Ralph passed away on February 2, 2009.
  Ralph was my accountant but, more importantly, he was my friend; he 
was my brother. Like many, I could totally trust him with my private 
business and I benefitted from his ``tough love.'' As his client, he 
gave me solid advice on my personal matters. My former company, the 
W.C. Parish Co., Inc., survived many ups and downs thanks to Ralph's 
genius, his patience and his wise counsel.
  Mr. Grant was a graduate of McClymonds High School in Oakland, CA. 
His educational experiences included earning both his Bachelor of Arts 
(Accounting) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from 
San Francisco State University, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) 
degree from Golden Gate University.
  Mr. Grant's professional accomplishments are extremely impressive and 
span the areas of law, accounting, taxation, investment banking, real 
estate, and professorship. Mr. Grant was a J.D. as well as a CPA. He 
founded Grant & Smith, LLP, a certified public accounting and 
management-consulting firm, located in Oakland, California which has 
serviced the San Francisco Bay Area for over thirty years.
  Prior to establishing Grant & Smith, LLP, Mr. Grant's professional 
experiences included five years as an Internal Revenue Service Agent 
with the United States Treasury Department, and three years as an 
instructor in taxation and small business management at San Francisco 
State University. He was also a real estate broker, an officer of RVS 
Realty & Mortgage Corporation, and a member of RVS Investment Advisors 
of California, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm.
  Mr. Grant was licensed with the California State Bar, the California 
State Board of Accountancy, the Supreme Court of the State of 
California, the United States Tax Court, California Department of 
Insurance, and the California Department of Real Estate. Mr. Grant also 
passed the Series 7 and 66 examinations.
  Mr. Grant's organizational affiliations included memberships with the 
National Association of Black Accountants, American Institute of 
Certified Public Accountants, California Society of Certified Public 
Accountants and Charles Houston Bar Association. Mr. Grant was elected 
to and served as the 2004-2005 Western Region Representative and San 
Francisco Bay Area Chapter Director for the National Association of 
Black Accountants Division of Firms.
  With all of these professional accomplishments, Mr. Grant's deep 
commitment to the community was unparalleled. Mr. Grant was a 
philanthropist who cared deeply about youth and education. He regularly 
provided volunteer services as a board member to entrepreneurial and 
youth focused not-for profit organizations such as the Marcus Foster 
Educational Institute, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, 
Eddie Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund, Donald McCullum Youth Court and 
the Oakland Private Industry Council. With all of these activities, one 
of Mr. Grant's favorite pursuits was coaching in the Oakland 
Metropolitan Babe Ruth Baseball League, and he often joked that this 
occupied his ``spare time.''
  Several years ago I had the opportunity to work with Ralph to take 
the team to Cuba. My official duties prevented me from going, but Ralph 
and I enjoyed many conversations about his experience in Cuba. He was 
truly a Renaissance man who had dreams and worked to make them come 
true.
  Ralph showed us how to live life to its fullest and he showed us how 
to die with dignity and with grace. For that we are deeply grateful. 
Although we will miss him in our daily lives, his spirit will be kept 
alive by embracing his mantle of service, mentorship, strength, 
commitment and compassion.
  Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes Ralph Grant, 
honoring his incredible life and inspiring legacy. We thank his family 
for sharing this amazing human being with us, especially his wife, 
Gloria Grant, his two children, Casey Grant and Kimberley Henderson, 
his son-in-law Lee Henderson, and a host of additional family members 
and friends. May the Grace of God reassure his family that his soul is 
resting in eternal peace.

                          ____________________