[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 27, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO COLVIN W. GRANNUM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 27, 2012

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and to honor 
Colvin Grannum, for his commitment to developing his community.
  Born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Mr. Grannum graduated from 
Erasmus Hall High School. He earned an undergraduate degree from the 
University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Georgetown University 
Law Center. He serves as a member of the board of directors of the New 
York City Workforce Investment Board, Center for New York City 
Neighborhoods (CNYCN), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), 
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood 
Development Center, Inc., and Head Start Sponsoring Boards Council.
  He has served on advisory boards of JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs 
New Markets Fund, Fannie Mae, HSBC Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of 
New York, and Pratt Center for Community Development, just to name a 
few. He also served as a trustee of the Brunswick School, in Greenwich, 
Connecticut. Mayor Bloomberg appointed Mr. Grannum to serve on the 
Mayor's Commission for Economic Opportunity, and former Governor 
Spitzer appointed him to the then Governor-elect's Housing Policy 
Transition Team.
  Mr. Grannum practiced law for over 17 years primarily as a litigation 
attorney before embarking on his career in community development. He 
has been employed by the United States Department of Justice, the New 
York State Attorney General, the NYNEX Corporation, and the New York 
City Corporation Counsel, respectively, where he held a variety of 
senior level positions and was responsible for handling and supervising 
litigation, including trials, appeals, and regulatory proceedings.
  Colvin Grannum has served as president of Bedford Stuyvesant 
Restoration Corporation (Restoration) since March 2001. Under Mr. 
Grannum's leadership, Restoration is experiencing a robust resurgence. 
Restoration provides services and programs in the areas of arts and 
education, including Bedford Stuyvesant Head Start, the Restoration 
Information Technology Education (RITE) Center, the Youth Arts Academy 
and the Restoration Dance Theater, and economic development, including 
the Restoration Capital Fund.
  Prior to joining Restoration, Mr. Grannum served as a founding 
director and the chief executive officer of Bridge Street Development 
Corporation (BSDC), a faith-based not-for-profit community development 
corporation affiliated with Bridge Street African Methodist Episcopal 
Church in Brooklyn, New York.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Colvin Grannum for his 
outstanding accomplishments and dedication to his community.

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