SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 554
WHEREAS, The president and medical director of the Texas
Heart Institute in Houston, Dr. James T. Willerson, has made an
enduring contribution to the Lone Star State through his
significant achievements in the field of medicine; and
WHEREAS, A native of Lampasas, James Willerson went on to
graduate from The University of Texas at Austin and Baylor
College of Medicine; he was an intern, a resident, and a research
and clinical fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston
and a clinical associate at the National Institutes of Health in
Maryland; after returning to his home state, Dr. Willerson joined
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas as
a professor of medicine and director of the cardiology division,
and from 1989 through 2000, he was the chair of the Department of
Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at
Houston; he has also served as chief of medical services at
Memorial Hermann Hospital and as president of The University of
Texas Health Science Center at Houston; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his current roles as president
and medical director, Dr. Willerson is the director of
cardiovascular research and codirector of the Cullen
Cardiovascular Research Laboratories at the Texas Heart
Institute, and he is an adjunct professor at Baylor College of
Medicine and at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center; moreover, he has established the Institute of Molecular
Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases and TexGen
Research, and he is the founder of two biotechnology companies,
Encysive and Volcano; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Willerson has dedicated himself to his field
by participating in a number of organizations, including the
Association of Professors of Medicine and the Institute of
Medicine of the National Academies; he is a former chair of the
Cardiovascular and Renal Study Section of the National
Institutes of Health, and he has served on various boards and
committees of the American Heart Association; he has also been
elected a fellow in the Royal Society of Medicine of the United
Kingdom, and he was named an honorary member of the cardiology
societies of Peru, Spain, Greece, Venezuela, and Chile; and
WHEREAS, Renowned for his expertise, Dr. Willerson has
served as a visiting professor and invited lecturer at more than
220 institutions worldwide, and he has edited or coedited 24
textbooks, including the third edition of Cardiovascular
Medicine; he has published approximately 850 scientific
articles, and he has been active on the editorial boards for
several professional publications, including The New England
Journal of Medicine and American Journal of Cardiology; he was
also the longest-serving editor of Circulation, the journal of
the American Heart Association; and
WHEREAS, Recognized numerous times throughout his
exemplary career, Dr. Willerson has received the Distinguished
Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology, the
Medal of Merit from the International Academy of Cardiovascular
Sciences, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cardiovascular
Research Foundation, and the Living Legend Award from the World
Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons; for his work with the
American Heart Association, he was given the Award of Merit, the
Distinguished Achievement and Distinguished Scientist awards,
and the organization's highest accolade, the Gold Heart Award; he
was also named a Distinguished Alumnus of Baylor College of
Medicine and UT Austin and an "Outstanding Teacher" at UT
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and at UT Medical School at
Houston; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has demonstrated an
unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of his fellow
citizens, and he may indeed reflect with great pride on the
positive impact he has had on the lives of others; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby honor Dr. James T. Willerson on his notable
accomplishments, commend him for his work to improve the health
of people throughout the world, 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 Dr. Willerson as an expression of high regard from
the Texas Senate.
Huffman
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 1, 2009.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate