[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4844]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ALFRED ``AL'' YSRAEL

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 24, 2017

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy 
of the late Alfred ``Al'' Ysrael. Al was a former senator in the Guam 
Legislature, a business leader and generous philanthropist and 
humanitarian. He was born on April 10, 1930 and passed away on March 
10, 2017 at the age of 86. Al was an icon in our island community. He 
was a true pioneer in business and paved the way for many on Guam. He 
made invaluable contributions to our island economy and was 
instrumental in developing Guam's real estate and tourism industries.
  After finishing college in the Philippines, Al moved to Guam in 1951. 
He started his career working in a bowling alley, where he later went 
on to open and operate one of his own. He became a U.S. Citizen in 
1958, and his life has been a true example of living the ``American 
Dream.'' In 1960, Al married my sister Diana, and together they have 
five children and 15 grandchildren.
  Al was the founder of Tanota Partners, a family company which today 
owns numerous valuable real property on Guam, including the Outrigger 
Guam Resort and Dusit Thani Guam Resort. He was responsible for 
building Guam's first hotel and developed many other hotels in Guam's 
now vibrant tourist district in Tumon. Many of the modem developments 
in Guam's real estate industry can be attributed to Al and his 
innovativeness. Al's leadership and entrepreneurship created jobs and 
expanded real estate and development opportunities throughout Guam and 
the region. Al was inducted into the Guam Chamber of Commerce's Guam 
Business Hall of Fame in 2004 and named Guam Business Executive of the 
Year in 2006.
  In addition to Al's success in business, he also gave back to our 
community as a public servant and philanthropist. Al was elected to the 
12th and 13th Guam Legislature from 1973 to 1976, and served as Vice 
Speaker during the 13th Guam Legislature. He dedicated his life to 
improving our island and community, and he supported many charitable 
and non-profit causes. In recent years, Al and his family gave millions 
of dollars to the development of Guam's local private schools and other 
charitable organizations.
  I am deeply saddened by Al's passing, and I join the people of Guam 
in celebrating his life and remembering his contributions to our island 
community. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones and 
friends. I especially extend my condolences to his wife of 57 years, 
Diana; his five children, Michael, Elizabeth, Mariana, Catherine, and 
Donna and their spouses; and his 15 grandchildren. He will be dearly 
missed, and his memory will live on in the hearts of the people of 
Guam.

                          ____________________