[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 82 (Friday, May 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF KENNETH H. HOFMANN

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                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 18, 2018

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 
Kenneth Harry Hofmann. I join his family and friends to celebrate his 
life and service to the community.
  Born and raised in the Bay Area, Ken attended Fremont High School in 
Oakland, and went on to graduate from Merchant Marine Academy. He would 
later be known as a dynamic builder, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
  In 1957, Ken started the Hofmann Company, which by the mid-1980s had 
built more than 30,000 homes and apartments throughout the Bay Area. He 
was also a two-time president of the Building Industry Association, and 
co-owner of the A's and Seattle Seahawks.
  A philanthropist in the community, Ken opened the De La Salle 
Academy, which provides a program--food, books, tutors--for 
underprivileged youth to help prepare them for high school. Ken was 
passionate about early childhood education and highlighted the 
importance of outdoor educational studies on nature, wetlands, and 
waterfowl protection in K-12 curriculums.
  As a conservationist, Ken operated a ranch in the Sacramento Valley 
where he converted farmland to wetlands to provide habitat for 
migratory waterfowl and songbirds. He also proposed the Pacific Flyway 
Center, a major educational facility that will introduce the public to 
bird flight patterns and inspire environmental stewardship.
  Ken will be remembered for his dedication to the Bay Area. He is 
survived by his wife, Jean, two daughters, and will be sincerely missed 
by everyone who knew him.

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