[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 201 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1178-E1179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING A GREAT HUMANITARIAN AND OUTSTANDING PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS 
                    OF MR. RAYMOND M. ``RAY'' FRITZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TROY A. CARTER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2023

  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate an 
outstanding gentleman and blessing to the Greater New Orleans 
Community, Mr. Raymond M. ``Ray'' Fritz. He was born on November 30, 
1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana to the late Rosemary Favre. He grew up 
in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, attending Corpus Christi Elementary 
School.
  Mr. Fritz's mother and grandparents, Mr. Joseph Favre and Mrs. 
Cecilia Milanes Favre, supported him and helped shape him into the 
honorable man he is today. His mother worked three jobs to provide him 
with the opportunity to attend St. Augustine High School. Allowing him 
this opportunity was important to her because she wanted Mr. Fritz to 
attend a school that was designated for the education of young men from 
African American families of New Orleans who embrace a willingness to 
grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. In addition to his mother and 
grandparents, his uncle, Dr. Anthony Favre played an instrumental role 
in his life.
  Upon completion of his secondary education in 1963, an instructor at 
the high school, Father Phillip Berrigan, SSJ saw something special in 
him and urged him to go to St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas. 
Father Berrigan even helped him acquire financial support. Taking 
advantage of this opportunity, Mr. Fritz completed a degree in Finance, 
and later completed double master's degrees in finance and taxation. He 
put his Finance degree to use and has worked for many well-known 
corporations like Shell Oil, Xerox, Clarify, Inc. and Terayon, Inc., to 
name a few. He was even involved in taking both Clarify, Inc. and 
Terayon, Inc. public.
  Mr. Fritz has travelled the world and has seen extreme poverty 
firsthand. In his heart, he wanted to make a difference in the lives of 
those less fortunate, and he chose to focus his efforts on his 
hometown. He vowed not to allow mothers and their sons to be subjected 
to the hardships he and his family faced when

[[Page E1179]]

he was young. He created a 4-year scholarship fund at his beloved Alma 
Mater, St. Augustine High School. To date, he has gifted over $1 
million in advancing the education of African American males attending 
St. Augustine High School since the year 2000. To further benefit his 
beloved High School, Mr. Fritz has donated $500 thousand to renovate 
the school library.
  Mr. Fritz's generosity did not stop there. He decided to address the 
increasing homelessness by working with the Corpus Christi--Epiphany 
Parish Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in New Orleans. The mission of 
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is ``a network of friends, inspired 
by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world 
through personal relationships with and service to people in need.'' 
Their service provides aid in the form of intervention, consultation, 
or through direct financial or in-kind service. His generosity has 
provided over $200 thousand to date to this organization and continues.
  In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Corpus Christi--Epiphany Parish 
built a Community Resource Center to provide a facility that serves the 
needs of the Greater New Orleans Community. This center recently became 
the home of the New Orleans Public Library REACH Center, as an 
extension of their current African American Resource Collection (AARC). 
The REACH Center is a new initiative from the library that will feature 
a community event and resource center, free coworking space, and a 
public art gallery. This initiative is guided by a strong focus on 
equity, diversity, and inclusion and aims to be a thriving community 
center that empowers individuals and businesses to reach their full 
potential. The Community is blessed to have Mr. Fritz as a major donor 
revitalizing a multipurpose property to serve the City of New Orleans.
  Mr. Fritz is a gracious life partner to Cheryl Feldman, proud father 
to his two sons--Derek Fritz and Dorjan Fritz, loving grandfather of 
five, and doting great-grandfather of two.
  The Religious Order of the Josephite Fathers and Brothers, alumni and 
students at St. Augustine High School and parishioners of Corpus 
Christi-Epiphany Catholic Church are eternally grateful for the vision, 
guidance, and philanthropic generosity of Mr. Raymond M. Fritz. He will 
be forever remembered for all his contributions to improving the lives 
of those in the community and advancing the student's education.

                          ____________________