88R27889 BPG-D
By: Guerra H.R. No. 1481
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Alonzo Cantu has greatly benefited the Rio Grande
Valley through his tireless endeavors as an entrepreneur and civic
leader; and
WHEREAS, The son of Mexican immigrants, Mr. Cantu worked in
the fields alongside his parents before they started a small
construction company; he went on to become the first in his family
to graduate from college, earning his bachelor's degree in finance
from the University of Houston; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cantu subsequently followed in his father's
footsteps, embarking on a career as a builder in the late 1970s; the
president and CEO of Cantu Construction and Development, he later
branched into real estate development, title insurance, and health
care; in 1999, he and a group of nine doctors established Doctors
Hospital at Renaissance Health System, which grew into one of the
nation's largest physician-owned hospitals, and he serves the board
as finance committee chair; he is also chair of Lone Star National
Bank, a Hispanic-owned and operated financial institution;
venturing into sports, he acquired two minor-league teams, the Rio
Grande Valley FC Toros, a United Soccer League squad, and the Rio
Grande Valley Vipers, an NBA development team; and
WHEREAS, A pillar of the region's business community,
Mr. Cantu serves in numerous key leadership roles; he is a member of
the boards of the University of Houston and the Hidalgo County
Regional Mobility Authority; moreover, he works to advance the
quality of medical care as chair of the Border Health Political
Action Committee; he is a founder and chair of the Advocacy Alliance
Center of Texas, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to
encouraging participation in civic life and increasing the number
of voters; in addition, he is founder and chair of the Valley
Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarships (VAMOS), a
nonprofit organization that has raised millions of dollars to help
deserving students in Hidalgo, Starr, and Cameron Counties attend
college; he is the recipient of numerous accolades, among them the
2012 University of Houston's President's Medallion and its
Distinguished Alumni Award; and
WHEREAS, Alonzo Cantu has contributed significantly to the
prosperity of the Rio Grande Valley through his business ventures
while setting an inspiring example of philanthropy, and his
achievements have earned the respect and admiration of all who are
privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Alonzo Cantu for his accomplishments and
extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Cantu as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.