Former Managing Partner Ed Haller Passes Away

Former OGS Managing Partner Ed Haller, Jr. passed away on March 9, 2021 in Naples, Florida. He was 87 years old. He suffered a stroke following a heart procedure.

He was managing partner of OGS from 1988 to 1990. Previously, he was the partner-in-charge of the Audit, Accounting, and Management Controls (AAMC) group in OGS. He joined PW in Buffalo in 1957 and was admitted to the partnership in 1970. He retired in 1994. 

Ed is survived by his wife Joan, son Mark who also was a PWC partner and daughter Julie along with 6 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. 

His full obituary is here.

Remembering Joy Cipoletti

We are sad to report that Joy Cipoletti, 60, passed away on October 10, 2020 after falling during a hike up a mountain trail near the Great Sand Dunes National Park, south of Denver, Colorado. Joy was born outside of Pittsburgh and grew up in Colorado Springs where she later retired. She worked at PW in the 1980s-1990s.

Obituary / Gazette

Remembering Robert Parra

ROBERT JOSEPH PARRA, JR.

1940 - 2020

Bob passed away at home in Fernandina Beach, Florida, on Saturday, July 11, 2020. He was born in Calexico, California, and attended Calexico Union High School.  After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Engineering Sciences, he received his master's degree in International Economics from Georgetown University.  

Following his education, he served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.  In pursuit of his interest in finance, he joined Citibank/Citigroup with assignments abroad. He subsequently became Vice President and General Manager, Citicorp, New York and San Francisco. He was appointed head of the Office of Investment, Bureau for Private Enterprise at USAID, before accepting a position at PwC for nearly 20 years. Throughout his 50-plus-year career as an investment banker and consultant, he worked for multiple clients in international development organizations in 34 countries on six continents. More recently, he led public-private partnerships in infrastructure financing and transaction advisories for the power generation sector and renewable energy under Power Africa, a USAID initiative.

One of his greatest passions was mentoring the younger generation of consultants. In Bangladesh, he started two courses on Project Finance and Financial Modeling. Both courses are still taught today and are responsible for grooming the very first generation of project finance professionals in Bangladesh.

He also co-authored Financing Large Projects with M. Fouzul Kabir Khan, which was recommended or required literature in universities across the country, including Harvard University and Stanford University.  He was considered an excellent writer, and the "Rolls Royce" of his profession by his counterparts.

Bob was a passionate consultant and world traveler, adventurous foodie, and beautiful dancer. He was endlessly curious and had a zest for life. He loved to learn, and share his knowledge. 

He will be remembered for his strength, courage, inner peace, and eternal optimism which he exhibited throughout his life, but particularly in his final months.

Bob is survived by his wife, Martha Elortegui Parra; his three daughters, Christina Parra Baheri, Sophia Parra Rose (Bradley), and Alessondra Parra; his four stepsons, Kurt, Chris (Catherine), Luke (Victoria), and Peter Gibson; two grandchildren, Dillon and Sabrina Baheri; and his brother, William Parra (Margaret) and his family.

A funeral service will be scheduled for September. Please email sophiaparrarose@gmail.com if you’d like to be notified when a date and time is arranged. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name can be made to Community: Hospice and Palliative Care, the non-profit hospice center that cared for him with so much love in his final days: https://www.communityhospice.com/give/

Sima Fishman Passes Away

We are sad to pass on the news that Sima Fishman passed away on April 18, 2020 after losing her battle after an operation for pancreatic cancer in February. She worked at PW/PwC for 11 years from 1989-2000. She was a principal consultant and manager in the International and Policy/Research and Analysis groups. Some of us last saw her at Ann Hopkins life celebration in September 2018.

Sima touched so many lives professionally and personally. She leaves behind her loving husband Mark Cody and son Levi Cody.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network or the Shirley Mae/Michael J. Fund.

Obituary link.

Remembering Jim Horan

James Ray Horan passed away on May 14, 2019 in Princeton, NJ. He was an executive assistant and receptionist at OGS from 1996 until 2001 when he joined IBM during the PwC MCS acquisition where he worked for nearly 18 years.

Jim was killed by a car while walking across the street. He left behind his wife Deborah and daughter Evelyn.

A celebration of his life was held on Saturday, August 3.

Obituary in the Washington Post/Legacy.com