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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Paul Foster of El Paso is being inducted into the |
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Texas Business Hall of Fame on November 14, 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Business Hall of Fame, which recognizes |
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the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding business |
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leaders, works to perpetuate and inspire the values of |
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entrepreneurial spirit, personal integrity, and community |
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leadership in all generations of Texans; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of East Texas, Paul Foster spent his |
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teenage summers working in the oil fields, welding pipes, digging |
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ditches, and cleaning tanks; he earned his bachelor's degree from |
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Baylor University in 1979 and his certification as a CPA before |
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embarking on a career in the oil refining industry; the former vice |
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president and general manager of the Border Refining Company, |
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Mr. Foster became president and chief executive officer of Western |
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Refining in 1997, and his continued leadership as executive chair |
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has helped the El Paso-based company become one of the largest of |
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its kind in the country; he is also co-owner of Mountain Star Sports |
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Group, which owns and operates baseball teams across the country; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply committed to seeing his adopted hometown of |
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El Paso flourish, Mr. Foster presented a $50 million gift to Texas |
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Tech University to support its four-year medical school in El Paso, |
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which was named the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in his honor; |
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furthermore, he and Jeff Stevens, the current president of Western |
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Refining, donated $6 million to help build the Foster Stevens |
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Basketball Center at The University of Texas at El Paso; Mr. Foster |
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has invested personally in the city's revitalized downtown, and his |
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commitment to communities on both sides of the border has been |
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demonstrated by his work with the Paso del Norte Group and the |
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Borderplex Alliance; in addition, he is a member of numerous |
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professional organizations, including the Greater El Paso Chamber |
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of Commerce Board of Directors, the Business Advisory Council at |
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UTEP, the Bank of the West Board of Directors, the El Paso Regional |
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Economic Development Corporation, and the Texas Economic |
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Development Corporation; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Foster has further served his community as chair |
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of the El Paso Chapter of the American Red Cross, and he supports a |
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number of charities in Juarez, El Paso's sister city; appointed to |
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The University of Texas System Board of Regents in 2007, he was |
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elected vice chair of the board in 2009, a position he continues to |
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hold today, and he also serves as chair of The University of Texas |
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Investment Management Company Board of Directors; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his vision and innovation, Paul Foster has |
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distinguished himself as a successful and influential figure in the |
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El Paso business community and beyond, and he is indeed deserving of |
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this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, |
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hereby congratulate Paul Foster on |
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his induction into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Foster as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Marquez |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 112 was adopted by the House on June |
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25, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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