H.R. No. 2958 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Robert Hawkins is being inducted into the AFL-CIO Hall of Fame in 2009, and this occasion offers an ideal opportunity to reflect on his many accomplishments; and WHEREAS, Born in Waco in 1939, Mr. Hawkins began doing odd jobs at the age of 10 to help support his family; he joined the Army National Guard at 17 and later served in the United States Army, the Army Reserve, and the Texas State Guard before retiring as a colonel with 25 years of military experience; he has been awarded the Soldier's Medal and the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal; and WHEREAS, Mr. Hawkins joined the labor movement in the late 1950s while employed at General Tire and Rubber Company; he won election as treasurer of Local 312 of the United Rubber Workers and served as a delegate to the Central Texas Labor Council; shortly after his election as secretary of the council, he was laid off from General Tire, but he maintained his eligibility for the council by finding a temporary job at Library Binding Service and getting elected as a delegate from the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders and Bindery Workers Union; he eventually achieved the extraordinary distinction of having represented five separate labor unions as a council delegate, including the International Brotherhood of Plumbers and Pipefitters, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union, and the International Union of Operating Engineers; and WHEREAS, While working full-time and taking more than a full course load at McLennan Community College in 1966, Mr. Hawkins was also busy at the State Capitol, advocating forcefully in behalf of funding for an expanded statewide system of community colleges; he completed his associate's degree with honors as valedictorian of his class and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Albany on a National Guard scholarship; later, he earned a diploma in national security management from the United States National Defense University and served on the faculty of the Levern E. Weber National Guard Professional Education Center in Arkansas; dedicated to workforce education, he completed graduate course work in economic development at Georgetown University, earned a graduate diploma in industrial development from Texas A&M University, and completed advanced study programs through the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan joined the faculty of Texas State Technical College Waco in 1970; during his noteworthy tenure of nearly three decades, he taught courses, developed curriculum in vocational training programs, and served as director of apprenticeship programs before retiring as vice president of special programs; since 1972, he has served the state on countless boards and commissions, primarily concerning workforce training and economic development, and he represented Texas at two White House economic conferences; appointed to the Capitol Council of senior advisors by Governor Ann Richards in 1991, he has served on the Rehabilitation Council of Texas and the State Independent Living Council, among others, and currently serves as dean of the Texas Workforce Investment Council, as chair emeritus and dean of the Central Texas Economic Development District board, and as chair emeritus of the Heart of Texas Economic Development District board; and WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his community, Mr. Hawkins was first appointed to the Bellmead City Council in 1988 and has served as mayor four times; he serves on the current city council and received the 2009 President's Award from the Bellmead Chamber of Commerce; he is Past Master of Bellmead Masonic Lodge 1329 and holds memberships in several Masonic bodies; moreover, he is a lifetime member of AMVETS and of the Sons of the American Revolution and serves as executive vice president of the 143rd Infantry Regiment Association, 36th Infantry Division; a valued member of the First United Methodist Church in Hubbard and a devoted father and grandfather, Mr. Hawkins is supported in all his endeavors by his wife, Ladean Hawkins; and WHEREAS, Robert Hawkins has made a lasting difference in the lives of innumerable Texans as a labor leader, an educator, and a public servant, and he has earned the profound respect and admiration of all who know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Robert Hawkins on his induction into the AFL-CIO Hall of Fame and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Hawkins as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Dunnam Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2958 was adopted by the House on June 1, 2009, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gattis Menendez Allen Geren Merritt Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anderson Guillen Moody Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Berman Hamilton Naishtat Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bonnen Harless Orr Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Burnam Hernandez Patrick Button Herrero Paxton Callegari Hilderbran Pea Castro Hochberg Phillips Chavez Hodge Pickett Chisum Homer Pierson Christian Hopson Pitts Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Cook Hughes Riddle Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Crabb Isett Ritter Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Creighton Jones Rose Crownover Keffer Sheffield Darby Kent Shelton Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Edwards Legler Thibaut Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eissler Lewis Truitt Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant England Madden Turner of Harris Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Marquez Villarreal Fletcher Martinez Vo Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flynn McCall Weber Frost McClendon Woolley Gallego McReynolds Zerwas