[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 60 (Monday, April 5, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING THE LIFE OF JOHN KNOX

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                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 5, 2021

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of 
John Knox.
  John was raised in Richmond, California, where he attended John F. 
Kennedy High School. He graduated from the University of California, 
Berkeley and went on to obtain a Juris Doctorate from Berkeley Law in 
1987. After completing his education, John began working as an attorney 
at Orrick and dedicated himself to his career as a public finance 
lawyer.
  After six years, John was promoted to partner. He mastered the 
technical aspects of being a lawyer, but also understood the importance 
of developing strong business relationships. John built a local 
government practice throughout the Bay Area, which he transitioned to a 
municipal restructuring practice. John and his law partner guided 
cities through bankruptcy with John handling the public financing and 
restructuring of debt. In 2012, John and his partner helped Stockton, 
CA file for bankruptcy protection, which was the largest U.S. city 
bankruptcy filing that year. This work with cities earned them 
recognition as ``Attorneys of the Year'' by California Lawyer magazine 
in 2013. John received this same recognition, known as the CLAY award, 
in 2005 and 2017. In addition to this work, it was also John's idea to 
use Social Impact Bonds to revitalize distressed properties in Richmond 
and transition them to those in need of affordable housing.
  In his personal life, John met his future wife, Aracely, in high 
school when they were partnered for a class project. John and Aracely 
married in 1981 and had four children. John also had a love of music, 
especially jazz, which he developed during childhood when he started 
playing piano. As a teenager and young adult, John played music 
professionally as part of a band. His friends and family remember his 
piano playing as effortless and always drawing a crowd.
  Sadly, John passed away in February at the age of 64. Please join me 
in honoring John for his many contributions to our community.

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