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Regular Session, 2013
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 119
BY SENATOR BROOME
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Willie F. Hawkins for forty-two years of dedicated
public service.
A RESOLUTION1
To commend Willie F. Hawkins for his forty-two years of dedicated public service and wish2
him well in his retirement.3
WHEREAS, Willie F. Hawkins has provided forty-two years of distinguished service4
to the citizens of Louisiana and Baton Rouge in the areas of higher education, health care,5
and social services; and 6
WHEREAS, since 1984, he has served in several high level state health care7
administrative positions including sixteen years with the LSU System; and8
WHEREAS, in 1978, Willie Hawkins began his public service as the Executive9
Director of the Eden Park Community Health Center and also served as the Administrator10
of East Baton Rouge Parish Health Care Services; and11
WHEREAS, early in his professional career, he served in several not-for-profit12
positions in the Baton Rouge community including Director of Health and Social Services13
for Community Advancements, Inc., and Director of the Young Adult Offender Program for14
the Community Corrections and Rehabilitation Center; and15
WHEREAS, Willie Hawkins was the recipient of the two and one-half year16
prestigious Ford Foundation Fellowship Award in 1974; and17
WHEREAS, he was named Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor at LSU18 SR NO. 119
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Health Sciences Center New Orleans-Health Care Services Division and CEO of the Medical1
Center of Louisiana in New Orleans in July, 1999, having previously served as the Executive2
Assistant to the Vice Chancellor at LSU Health Sciences Center from July, 1997 to July,3
1999; and4
WHEREAS, prior to his service with LSU, Willie Hawkins served as the5
Confidential Assistant to the CEO of the Louisiana Health Care Authority from November,6
1993 to August, 1995, and January, 1996 to July 1997; and7
WHEREAS, under the Louisiana Health Care Authority, he served as the Acting8
Administrator of Earl K. Long Medical Center from August, 1995 to January, 1996, and as9
Assistant Administrator from April, 1984 to November, 1993; and10
WHEREAS, Willie Hawkins graduated from Southern University in 1965 with a11
bachelor of science degree in Business Administration and served as a Vista Volunteer at the12
Columbia University School of Social Work in 1966 and 1967; and13
WHEREAS, he is a veteran of the United States Army having served with the14
Military Assistance Command in Vietnam; and15
WHEREAS, Willie F. Hawkins retires on July 5, 2013, from LSU as the Director of16
Institutional Relations, a position he has held since February, 2004; and17
WHEREAS, he can be found on any given day, at any given hour, navigating patients18
through the often complicated Louisiana health care system; and19
WHEREAS, Willie Hawkins has not only provided professional administrative20
leadership in public healthcare for many years, he also personally ensured that thousands of21
patients were able to get medical appointments and emergency treatment regardless of their22
ability to pay; and23
WHEREAS, there is not a single local official of city or state government, a local24
minister, a city-parish department head, or a local community leader that Willie Hawkins25
does not know on a first-hand basis; and26
WHEREAS, he provided invaluable legislative assistance on behalf of LSU by27
keeping "watch" from a key seat on the House floor; and28
WHEREAS, Willie Hawkins was extremely instrumental in securing from the Brown29
family the donation of property that make up strategic parts of the new medical clinic and30 SR NO. 119
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urgent care center campus in North Baton Rouge; and1
WHEREAS, in 2011, while providing information to a legislator on a piece of2
legislation vital to LSU and attempting simultaneously to navigate a steep staircase in the3
Capitol, he fell and broke his hip sidelining him but not his telephone dialing finger for the4
remainder of the session; and 5
WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana is grateful for the dedicated and professional6
public service of Willie F. Hawkins and further recognizes his selfless contribution to the7
health care of Louisiana residents.8
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana9
does hereby commend Willie F. Hawkins for his forty-two years of dedicated public service10
and wish him well in his retirement.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to12
Willie F. Hawkins.13
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
Broome SR No. 119
Commends Willie F. Hawkins for his 42 years of dedicated public service and wishes him
well in his retirement.