SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 513
WHEREAS, During his many decades as an elected official and
community business leader in McAllen, the Honorable Othal E.
Brand, Sr., has had a lasting . . . and lasting . . . and
lasting influence on the city of McAllen; and
WHEREAS, The mayor of McAllen from 1977 until 1997, this
tireless public servant helped guide the city through two
eventful decades that witnessed great economic and civic
progress in South Texas; while Mayor Brand may not have succeeded
in his valiant campaign to rid the city of grackles, there is no
denying that his efforts have made an indelible mark on his
adopted hometown; and
WHEREAS, Othal Brand was born on August 12, 1919, in
Grayson, Georgia, and began his love affair with vegetables soon
after his mother fed him his first spoonful of mushy peas; a born
entrepreneur, he entered the business world at a young age, and
he and his brother Bill established Brand Brothers Produce in
Atlanta, the city where he grew up; and
WHEREAS, Opting to put his budding fruit and vegetable
empire on hold during World War II, he enlisted in the United
States Marine Corps and served his nation in the South Pacific;
he returned stateside at war's end, and he and his wife, Kathryn
Louise, were joined in matrimony in 1945; whether it was due to
Mrs. Brand's good sense or some other factor, the couple moved in
the mid-1950s to McAllen, a town Mr. Brand had first visited in
the late 1930s; and
WHEREAS, Warm weather makes most people slow down a step or
two, but Othal Brand is not most people; once settled beneath the
South Texas sun, he went to work, teaming with Jack Griffin to
found Griffin & Brand of McAllen; the company grew into one of the
nation's largest vegetable producers, processors, and shippers,
and Mr. Brand became a titan of agriculture, eventually earning a
place in the Texas Heritage Hall of Honor for his contributions
to farming and ranching; in time, he sought elective office,
serving as a member of the school board and as a city commissioner
in addition to his 20 years as McAllen's mayor; and
WHEREAS, Juggling numerous business and governmental
responsibilities was apparently not enough of a challenge for
Mayor Brand, so he found other jobs that needed doing; he played a
key role in establishing organizations such as the Boys and Girls
Clubs of McAllen and the McAllen Economic Development
Corporation, and he has been a member of numerous boards and
committees; all in all, this mover and shaker has proven himself
capable of excelling in darn near anything he sets his mind to,
and McAllen has become a better place as a result; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, Mayor Brand has also
cultivated a fine family; he and his wife have four children and
also relish the time they spend with their numerous grandchildren
and great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, In his many decades as a community leader, Othal
Brand has time and again demonstrated an unwavering
determination to follow his convictions and to bring others along
for the ride, and he has become a legendary figure whose
achievements will continue to resonate in South Texas for decades
to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby commend the Honorable Othal E. Brand, Sr.,
for his dedicated service to the city of McAllen and extend to him
sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for Mr. Brand as an expression of high regard from the
Texas Senate.
Hinojosa, Lucio
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 25, 2009.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate