Raymond A. Watt
(February 26, 1919 - July 7, 2009)
Ray Watt founded his first construction company in 1947, and under his watchful guidance the company successfully grew from a small building business to a large real estate development organization, credited with more than $6 billion in completed projects.
Throughout the years, Ray was honored by numerous civic and business organizations for his commitment to the community and leadership in the industry. He was named “Builder of the Year” on several occasions and was a member of the Housing Hall of Fame of the National Association of Home Builders. He was a recipient of the American Lung Association’s National Humanitarian Award, the Los Angeles Business Council Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National Association of Home Builders award for major contributions to the National Housing Endowment.
Ray spent time as Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and President of the National Corporation of Housing Partnerships, a corporation established by Congress to accelerate development of middle and low income housing. He was Director of the Corporate Fund for Housing, a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing low-income housing in Southern California, and also served as Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco from 1972 to 1979.
Ray was an active supporter of the University of Southern California where he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law Degree and served on the Board of Trustees from 1968 to 2009. He also served on the Board of Directors of several civic organizations, including Los Angeles public television station KCET, the Los Angeles Area Council of the Boy Scouts, and Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Organization (HOBY).
Ray Watt was an innovator, builder, visionary, and family man. His life is an inspiration to us all.
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