Raymond Galant elevated food and drug coverage, 91

Raymond Galant, a member of the National Press Club during his Washington career in public relations and as highly regarded reporter covering the food chemical industry, died Jan. 27 due to complications from Covid-19.  He was 91 and had lived in Boca Raton, Fla.

Galant was born in Mahanoy City, Pa., and got his first reporting job with the Mahanoy City Record American. He earned a BA degree in journalism from Penn State University in 1952 and later endowed a scholarship for communications students from Schuylkill County, Pa.

While in the Army, Galant was assigned to Ft. Belvoir where he worked as an Army newspaper reporter and became the managing editor of the Veterans Edition of Army Times.  He was discharged in 1953 and worked in public affairs, becoming public relations director for American Waterways Operators.  From 1958 to 1961, Galant was assistant editor of F-D-C Reports.

In 1961 he joined Food Chemical News, where he eventually because vice president. He was honored in 1985 at the 28th education conference of the Food Drug Law Institute for having "contributed significantly to journalism and the food and drug field."  He was a strong advocate for enforcement of the federal Open Meetings Act.

Galant and his wife of 67 years, Shirley, raised three children in Virginia's Washington suburbs.  A die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, Galant organized a protest group that in 1988 got Media General to rescind its decision to drop broadcasting Cub's games. Survivors include his wife, three children and four grandchildren.