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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Gordon Echtenkamp has retired from his role as |
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| 6 | 7 | | president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas after four |
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| 7 | 8 | | decades of outstanding service to the YMCA organization; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A native of Fremont, Nebraska, Gordon Echtenkamp |
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| 9 | 10 | | spent countless childhood hours at the local YMCA, where he went on |
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| 10 | 11 | | to become a youth club leader in his teens; in 1976, he began his |
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| 11 | 12 | | professional career with the organization, and over the next 26 |
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| 12 | 13 | | years, he worked at YMCA locations in Kansas City, Memphis, |
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| 13 | 14 | | Houston, Phoenix, and Des Moines; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Echtenkamp joined the YMCA of Metropolitan |
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| 15 | 16 | | Dallas as its president and CEO in January 2002; over the course of |
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| 16 | 17 | | his distinguished tenure, the organization served more than 300,000 |
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| 17 | 18 | | residents of the greater Dallas area, with 4,500 children |
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| 18 | 19 | | participating each day in its after-school and camp programs; under |
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| 19 | 20 | | Mr. Echtenkamp's leadership, the organization's fund-raising |
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| 20 | 21 | | efforts generated more than $110 million, in addition to capital |
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| 21 | 22 | | development initiatives totaling $80 million in contributions for |
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| 22 | 23 | | new YMCA facilities and updates to existing locations across North |
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| 23 | 24 | | Texas; in recognition of his invaluable contributions, |
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| 24 | 25 | | Mr. Echtenkamp has been named president emeritus of the Dallas Y; |
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| 25 | 26 | | and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has further invested his time |
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| 27 | 28 | | and talents as chair of the Character Coalition of North Texas, the |
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| 28 | 29 | | Texas Alliance of YMCAs, the YMCA Employee Benefits Plan, and the |
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| 29 | 30 | | YMCA North American Network, and as a member of the Association of |
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| 30 | 31 | | YMCA Professionals and the United Way Campaign Cabinet; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Widely admired by his peers, colleagues, and the |
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| 32 | 33 | | community at large, Gordon Echtenkamp has greatly advanced the |
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| 33 | 34 | | mission of the YMCA, and his efforts have indeed contributed to the |
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| 34 | 35 | | well-being of residents across North Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 36 | 37 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Gordon Echtenkamp on his |
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| 37 | 38 | | retirement from the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas and extend to him |
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| 38 | 39 | | sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 40 | 41 | | prepared for Mr. Echtenkamp as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 41 | 42 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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