[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 40 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E413]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         HONORING ROBERT LARSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2010

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today to 
honor my friend Robert Larson and pay tribute to his life and legacy.
  Robert Larson was a real estate executive, philanthropist, community 
leader, and dear friend. His keen knowledge and distinguished career 
positioned him as one of the industry's most respected executives. He 
was chairman of the Larson Realty Group, a family-owned real estate 
investment company; chairman of Lazard Real Estate Partners LLC, a 
merchant banking business; and chairman of the board of UDR, Inc., one 
of the country's largest real estate companies. He spent 26 years with 
the prestigious Taubman Company, where he was elevated to chief 
operating officer, chief executive officer, vice chairman of Taubman 
Centers, Inc., and chairman of the Taubman Realty Group during the 
course of his tenure.
  The knowledge and insight Mr. Larson provided the Federal Government 
in the wake of the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s were integral 
to successfully restructuring our savings institutions and recovering 
from the crisis. President Bush and President Clinton appointed Mr. 
Larson to the Thrift Depositor Protection Oversight Board, where he 
served from 1990 to 1995 and was made chairman of the Board's Audit 
Committee. The Board was established by Congress to provide direction, 
oversight, and funding to the Resolution Trust Corporation.
  Throughout his life, Mr. Larson's commitment to southeast Michigan 
was unyielding and he worked to bring new investment and opportunity to 
Michigan's economy. His contributions to Michigan extended far beyond 
the real estate industry: he served as the director and chairman of the 
ULI Foundation, a trustee of the Children's Hospital of Michigan, 
director of the Detroit Zoological Society, chairman of the Cranbrook 
Educational Community, chairman of the Greening of Detroit, and trustee 
of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, among many other boards and causes.
  Unquestionably, though, Mr. Larson's most durable impact was on his 
family, his colleagues, and those of us who knew him. We remember him 
for his profound intellect, his endless energy, and his tremendous 
warmth. He is survived by his beloved wife, Bonnie, their six children, 
and eleven grandchildren. I extend my deepest condolences to them on 
their loss.

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