[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MR. ROY L. CLAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2015

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of 
Mr. Roy L. Clay. Known throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and the 
nation as a computer engineer, investor, community leader and a 
dedicated husband and father, Mr. Clay has left an indelible mark on 
our nation.
  Mr. Roy L. Clay was born in Kinloch, Missouri on August 22, 1929. 
Even at a young age, Mr. Clay was inspired to learn. In 1947, seven 
years prior to the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of 
Education, Mr. Clay was granted an academic scholarship to attend Saint 
Louis University. He graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in 
Mathematics and, by 1956, he was among the first modern computer 
programmers.
  After serving as a computer programmer in what is now the Lawrence 
Livermore National Laboratory in California, Mr. Clay was invited to 
join David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard Co., to build the 
first reliable computer. Mr. Clay established software development, 
directed research and development of all computer products, and served 
as the General Manager of the computer division. By the time he left 
Hewlett-Packard, he was the highest ranking African American employee 
in the company.
  Mr. Clay's contributions to the information technology sector 
continued to grow. In 1971, Mr. Roy L. Clay consulted with Kleiner 
Perkins Caulfield and Byers, a venture capital firm, to evaluate their 
investments in computer related firms such as Tandem Computer Company, 
Compaq Computer Company, and Intel. Then, in 1977, Mr. Clay founded 
ROD-Electronics to develop the first electronically controlled 
Dielectric Withstand tester. This test ensured that a product is safe 
from fire or electrical shock. Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM, AT&T, and 
Xerox adopted his Dielectric Withstand tester and added it to their 
production lines. In 2003, in recognition of his many accomplishments 
in Silicon Valley, Mr. Clay was inducted into the Silicon Valley 
Engineering Council's Hall of Fame.
  Beyond his contributions to the information technology sector, Mr. 
Roy Clay has been a dedicated member of his community. He was the first 
African American to serve as City Councilman and Vice Mayor for the 
City of Palo Alto in 1973. Mr. Clay is also a Founder and Emeritus 
Board Member of the Olympic Club of San Francisco Foundation; founded 
with the purpose of generating funds to support underprivileged 
children in the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area.
  Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an 
outstanding individual, Mr. Roy L. Clay. His dedication and efforts in 
the information technology sector have impacted so many lives and 
helped to break the barrier for many African Americans throughout 
California and the nation.

                          ____________________