H.R. No. 741
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, An admired community leader received well-deserved
recognition when Dr. Cary A. Israel was named the 2009 Citizen of
the Year by the Plano Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Since 1999, Dr. Israel has been president of the
Collin County Community College District (Collin College), in which
capacity he oversees the education of more than 46,000 students on
seven campuses in North Texas; during his tenure, Collin College
has frequently been recognized for the quality education it
provides, with its faculty members winning many notable awards;
Collin is home to three recipients of the U.S. Professor of the Year
honor, which is more than any other community college in the nation;
moreover, Dr. Israel is widely respected by his peers; he serves on
the executive and legislative committees of the Texas Association
of Community Colleges, the SunGard Higher Education Executive
Advisory Council, and the advisory council of the Center for
Community College Education of Texas A&M University--Commerce; he
further belongs to the advisory board of the University of North
Texas Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education and is a
former president of Texas Campus Compact, a coalition of college
and university presidents; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his professional responsibilities,
Dr. Israel has found time to give back to his community in numerous
ways; he is a member of the board of trustees of the Medical Center
of Plano, the Texas Institute Advisory Board for Sustainable
Technology Research, the Plano Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board,
and the Plano Rotary Club; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Israel has been named a Mentor by the Collin
County Children's Advocacy Center, and he is the recipient of the
Service Award from the Collin County League of United Latin
American Citizens; his honors also include two CEO of the Year
Awards from the American Association of Community College Trustees,
the Phi Theta Kappa Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, the
Plano Community Forum Award, and a Special Award of Merit from the
Plano Chamber of Commerce, among many others; and
WHEREAS, This accomplished educator draws on a broad range of
experience; after earning a bachelor's degree with highest honors
from Michigan State University, he went on to attain his law degree
from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law; his long and
successful career has included service as president of Raritan
Valley Community College in New Jersey, the Illinois Community
College System, and Front Range Community College in Colorado; and
WHEREAS, For more than a decade, Dr. Cary Israel has played a
leading role in making Collin College one of the premier community
college systems in the nation while also benefiting residents of
the Plano area through his other endeavors, and it is indeed fitting
that his many contributions have been recognized with this
prestigious award; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Cary A. Israel on being named
the 2009 Citizen of the Year by the Plano Chamber of Commerce and
extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success with his
important work; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Israel as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Taylor of Collin
Paxton
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 741 was adopted by the House on March
8, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House