| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The maritime industry and the city of Houston lost |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | an admired leader with the passing of James T. Edmonds on May 11, |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | 2014, at the age of 69; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Appointed to the Port Commission of the Port of |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | Houston Authority in 1996, Jim Edmonds served as its chair from 2000 |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | to 2013; he recognized the importance of investing in the port's |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | future, and in the wake of 9/11, he skillfully guided the |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | modernization of security; and |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Edmonds worked tirelessly to promote the growth |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | of the port, which today ranks among the world's busiest and leads |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | the nation in foreign waterborne tonnage, U.S. imports, and U.S. |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | export tonnage; his tenure saw the completion of several major |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | projects, including the deepening and widening of the Houston Ship |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | Channel and the expansion of the Bayport Terminal; moreover, he |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | helped raise the port's profile by strengthening its small business |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | development program, planning a freight rail initiative, and |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | expanding environmental stewardship efforts; and |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Deeply committed to the greater community as well, |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | Mr. Edmonds devoted more than a quarter-century to the Memorial |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | Hermann Health System, offering notable direction as a member of |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | many of its boards; he chaired the Hospital System Board from 2007 |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | to 2008, and he was a member of the board and executive committee of |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | the Greater Houston Partnership; in addition, he was a trusted |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | advisor to numerous business and government leaders over the course |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | of four decades; and |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, The son of James and Patricia Edmonds, Mr. Edmonds |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | was born in Wichita, Kansas, on June 10, 1944; he graduated from |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | Abilene Christian University, and early in his career, he worked as |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | executive assistant to Houston Mayor Louie Welch and as |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | administrative assistant to Governor John Connally; subsequently, |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | he became a consulting principal with KPMG-Peat Marwick, and he was |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | a founding partner in an investment banking concern before |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | establishing his own business consulting firm, Edmonds and Company; |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | and |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, James Edmonds made a profound impact on Houston |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | through his decades of civic engagement and public service, and his |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | accomplishments will continue to benefit residents in the years to |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | come; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James T. Edmonds and |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, be it further |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James T. |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | Edmonds. |
|---|