[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 111 (Friday, July 22, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     REMEMBERING TOM WILLIAMS, JR.

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, today I wish to remember a great 
man and a wonderful friend, Mr. Tom Williams, Jr. Mr. Williams passed 
away on June 21, 2011, in Scottsdale, AZ, and leaves behind his wife 
Gloria; son Tom Williams, III; daughter Nicol Williams-Pruitt; son-in-
law Jason Pruitt; and grandson Nicolas Pruitt. To Mr. Williams' family, 
please accept my condolences for your loss.
  Mr. Williams and I met through a shared passion for the advancement 
of America's small businesses. In fact, Mr. Williams started his own 
small business in 1982 in Oakland, CA, an accounting firm called 
Williams, Adley & Company. In the beginning, Williams and Adley were 
the only two employees, but over the next few decades, they grew to be 
a three-office firm with two locations in California and one in 
Washington, DC. The firm now boasts over 100 employees.
  In addition to his professional success, Mr. Williams has been a 
champion for small business-friendly legislation. He was a leader in 
changing the size standards for the accounting industry and fought 
tirelessly to improve access for small accounting firms to government 
contracts. Similarly, my colleagues in the Senate may remember language 
in the Small Business Jobs Act mandating annual reviews of the 
accounting firm size standards, a provision suggested by Mr. Williams.
  Mr. Williams was also a pillar in his community. He helped establish 
the San Francisco Chapter of the National Association of Black 
Accountants, NABA, served in a number of NABA positions, including 
president, and was awarded their Small Business Entrepreneur of the 
Year Award. He was also an active member of the California Society of 
Public Accountants.
  But perhaps the best description of Mr. Williams comes from the motto 
of the very company he created: ``Good people, doing great things.'' 
Mr. Williams, you were indeed a good person who did great things. I 
sincerely thank you for all of your contributions.

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