[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 136 (Tuesday, October 16, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1702-E1703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING MR. LEONARD JAMES CANTY, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2012

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
exceptional life of Mr. Leonard James Canty, Jr., community stalwart 
and entrepreneur, co-founder of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. 
and founder of the Black Economic Council, BEC. ``Len,'' as he was 
known, was a trailblazing businessman committed to supporting and 
promoting minority- and women-owned businesses. Known as a hard-working 
and talented visionary, a passionate advocate and a man of great faith, 
Mr. Canty has left an indelible mark on Bay Area communities. With his 
passing on September 22, 2012, we look to Len Canty's legacy and the 
outstanding quality of his life's work.
  Born on April 26, 1945, to Leonard James and Elisabeth Canty, Len was 
part of a large family growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. A U.S. Air Force 
veteran during the Vietnam War, Mr. Canty moved to Oakland, CA, upon 
his honorable discharge in 1968. There he met his loving wife and 
lifelong partner of 42 years, Kyra. Mr. Canty worked for United 
Airlines and in real estate, until launching his own mortgage brokerage 
firm, Canty & Associates, in 1984.
  Throughout his entrepreneurial success, Mr. Canty never lost sight of 
the needs of his community. Among his many career milestones, he was a 
founding member in 1988 and an eventual President of the 100 Black Men 
of the Bay Area, Inc. A tireless champion for African American equality 
and opportunity, he was Chairman of the 1993 African American Economic 
Empowerment Conference and a lecturer in the African American 
Entrepreneurship program at California State University, East Bay. In 
the early 1990s, he founded a private equity venture capital fund for 
small, minority- and women-owned businesses. And, in 2005, after a 
decade of investment banking, he founded the Black Economic Council, a 
national 501(c)(3) headquartered in Northern California.
  Today, the BEC celebrates its Second Annual Game Changers and Bridge 
Builders Awards in tribute to its founder, Len Canty, who epitomized 
the qualities of positive change and collaboration. As an organization 
facilitating local business development, economic sustainability and 
job creation to advance the economic platform of Black Americans and 
underserved communities, BEC is a leading advocate in promoting the 
equity and self-sufficiency of Black communities through stronger 
economic infrastructure.

[[Page E1703]]

  Len Canty's tireless work to open access to intellectual and economic 
capital for communities of color stretched to many fields. He 
frequently traveled to Washington, DC, to fight for initiatives and 
spoke extensively about financial fitness, health disparities, supply 
diversity issues, regulatory bodies and equal access to federal and 
corporate contracts. His numerous accolades included, most recently, 
the 2012 ``Spotlight Award'' from the Bay Area Business Roundtable.
  On a personal note, Len was a longtime friend and supporter. His 
``tough love'' was a constant source of inspiration. Our conversations 
were deep and authentic. He was truly a visionary and a magnificent 
leader who always kept his ``eyes on the prize.'' Moreover, Mr. Canty 
was a church Deacon and a man of deep compassion. He demonstrated a 
strength and commitment to both his immediate family and the extended 
family that he created within our community.
  Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors an 
outstanding individual and inspiring community leader, Mr. Leonard 
James Canty, Jr. He was a dear friend, a respected colleague and 
mentor, and a beloved husband, father, son, grandfather, brother and 
uncle who will be deeply missed by an extended group of loved ones. I 
offer my sincerest condolences to Len's surviving family and to the 
many friends and associates whose lives he touched over the course of 
his incredible life. The Bay Area and the nation has lost one of its 
greatest advocates for economic justice. May his soul rest in peace.

                          ____________________