[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13142]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO LINDA GRANDQUIST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 2013

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize 
Linda Grandquist for being named a 2013 Women of Influence honoree by 
the award-winning central Iowa publication, Business Record.
   Each year, Business Record undertakes an exhaustive review to 
identify a standout group of women in the Greater Des Moines area who, 
as the publication notes, ``have made a difference.'' An impressive 
group of inspiring female leaders are selected annually for this 
prestigious distinction, which is based on combined criteria of 
community involvement, career success, and being a role model for other 
women to emulate. The 2013 Women of Influence honorees join an 
impressive roster of more than 130 women who have changed and are 
continuing to change our communities for the better.
   Linda Grandquist has never forgotten the inspiration and influence 
derived from her grandmother's place as a female doctor. It was this 
that led Ms. Grandquist and a friend to start a business in the 1960s 
that was essentially a temp service for female medical assistants or 
dental assistants--a rare venture. In the late 1970s, she embarked upon 
a real estate career and had a sales volume exceeding a million dollars 
her first year, cementing her as one of the few women in the ``million 
dollar club.'' Additionally, Ms. Grandquist recently has joined the 
Prairie Meadows board of directors, where she serves on the legacy 
grant committee and reads each of the some 500-plus grant applications 
the organization receives. She also serves on the board at UnityPoint 
Health, volunteers with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, and serves on 
the Blank Park Zoo board. She prefers to do it all without seeking the 
spotlight.
   Mr. Speaker, it is a profound honor to represent leaders like Linda 
Grandquist in the United States Congress, and I am pleased to recognize 
her for working to better both her community and the great state of 
Iowa. I invite my colleagues in the House to join me in congratulating 
her on receiving this esteemed designation, thanking those at Business 
Record for their great work, and wishing each member of the 2013 Women 
of Influence class continued success.

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