By: Button, Madden, Carter H.C.R. No. 130
(Senate Sponsor - Carona)
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 13, 2011;
May 13, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
Administration; May 20, 2011, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 20, 2011, sent to printer.)
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, In the global economy of the 21st century, the
establishment of business links to countries outside the United
States is of growing importance to the State of Texas, and areas
that figure prominently in this type of development contribute
greatly to the state's commercial progress; and
WHEREAS, One especially fertile location for the growth of
international business is the city of Richardson; long a center for
computer and communications technology and the site of many
divisional or regional corporate headquarters, Richardson has also
attracted more than 30 companies from foreign countries; the firms
hail from 15 nations around the globe, including Canada, China,
Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United
Kingdom; and
WHEREAS, These enterprises compete in a variety of
industries; while many specialize in technology-oriented fields
such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and
software development, others focus on workforce management,
security, air transportation, and heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning, among numerous other endeavors; and
WHEREAS, The city has also been chosen as a base of operations
for domestic companies that maintain operations abroad; these firms
further Richardson's involvement in international business and
allow area residents to benefit from the opportunities available in
foreign markets; and
WHEREAS, To build on the city's connection to global
commerce, civic leaders are opening the Mayor's Office of
International Business, a partnership between the City of
Richardson and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, and the chamber
is also establishing a new Richardson International Business
Advisory Committee; these initiatives are designed to attract
investment by companies from other countries, to support locally
based firms seeking to develop their business abroad, and to open
new international markets for the city's entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, The Richardson Economic Development Partnership
also plays a key role in nurturing global business alliances, and
its work includes hosting delegations from around the world who
visit North Texas to learn about the area and assess prospects for
commercial partnerships; and
WHEREAS, Another factor that makes the city so inviting to
international companies and business leaders is its thriving
multicultural character; Richardson is home to people from a broad
range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions and offers a
vibrant mix of restaurants, specialty stores, and places of worship
that reflects the diversity of the population; in addition,
cultural centers such as the Raindrop Turkish House and the Dallas
Chinese Community Center further the cosmopolitan environment; and
WHEREAS, With its emphasis on developing international
business as an important component of the local economy, Richardson
stands as an admirable model for the way that Texas communities can
compete and prosper in the decades ahead, and its achievements are
indeed deserving of special legislative recognition; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate Richardson as the official International Business
Capital of North Texas.
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