[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21811]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         HONORING LARRY FORTUNE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 6, 2001

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor Larry Fortune, the 
president of Fortune Associates, who was recently featured in an 
executive profile for the Fresno Business Journal newspaper. The 
question and answer Executive Profile, printed in the Fresno Business 
Journal on August 6, 2001, reads as follows:

       Q. What is your essential business philosophy?
       A. By attracting and utilizing the most experienced and 
     professional agents in the market we can give the most 
     experienced and professional service to our clientele.
       Q. What is your best professional accomplishment?
       A. The recruitment and engagement of our current sales 
     staff.
       Q. If you could effect any change in the community, what 
     would it be?
       A. I would reduce taxes, fees and red tape so as to lure 
     employment to the Fresno area.
       Q. Goal yet to be achieved?
       A. I have many goals, not least of which are:
       1. Write a book.
       2. Produce a TV series about agriculture in the San Joaquin 
     Valley.
       3. Travel throughout Russia, the Orient and Africa.
       4. Get two kids through college and off the Larry 
     scholarship plan.
       5. Start a landscape award program in Fresno.
       Q. What is a good yardstick of success?
       A. Each time a current customer refers a new client to us, 
     we are being successful.
       Q. What is the best way to keep your competitive edge?
       A. We continually talk with accomplished, experienced and 
     professional agents in the community always looking for a 
     mutually beneficial situation.
       Q. Toughest business decision?
       A. To switch from a ``residential'' office to a 
     ``commercial'' office in 1995.
       Q. Who has been your mentor?
       A. My father, Don who died four years ago. Hardly a day 
     goes by without somebody in the community reminding me of 
     what a ``great, trustworthy friend'' my father was.
       Q. Three words that best describe you?
       A. Happy-Alive-Family
       Q. Person you are most interested in meeting?
       A. My children when they are adults.
       Q. What is your organization's five year vision?
       A. We believe that we will maintain our position as one of 
     Fresno's top two or three preeminent commercial brokerages, 
     not by expanding but by continuously providing the same high 
     level of professional, competent service that got us where we 
     are today.
       Q. What is the community service project, organization or 
     event closest to your heart?
       A. Tree Fresno has probably done more to better the 
     appearance of Fresno and raise the community pride in the 
     last several years than any other organization.
       Q. Best business advice you've ever received?
       A. That even though customers sometimes do not want to hear 
     the truth, they will always remember favorably the person who 
     tells the truth.
       Q. Three greatest passions?
       A. My wife, my kids, my business.
       Q. Favorite way to spend leisure time?
       A. Traveling or working in the yard.
       Q. Most influential book?
       A. Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer.
       Q. Death row dinner?
       A. Shish kabob, rice pilaf, carrot and raisin salad and 
     chocolate cake.

  Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my friend Larry Fortune for his years of 
dedicated and distinguished service to his community. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Fortune many more years of 
continued success.

                          ____________________