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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, a celebrated |
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Texas entrepreneur and philanthropist, who died February 19, |
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2023, at the age of 95; and |
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WHEREAS, Billy Joe McCombs, dubbed "Red" for his red hair, |
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was born on October 19, 1927, in the small West Texas town of |
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Spur; descended from families of farmers, Red was taught the |
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value of hard work when he started his first business at the age |
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of nine; his unstoppable ambition, keen business sense, and |
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larger-than-life personality made him a legend and figure in |
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American industry and sports management, and his philanthropy |
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made the McCombs name synonymous with generosity as well as |
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excellence; and |
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WHEREAS, A successful football player during high school |
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in Corpus Christi, Red earned a scholarship to attend |
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Southwestern University in Georgetown; he paused his college |
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education to serve his country with distinction in the United |
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States Army for two years before returning to enroll at The |
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University of Texas under the GI Bill; and |
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WHEREAS, Realizing his true calling as a businessman, Red |
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left school and returned to Corpus Christi, where he sold cars at |
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the Ford dealership and excelled as a salesman through his |
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determination and charisma; he opened his first car dealership at |
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the age of 29 in 1957, and the Red McCombs Automotive Group |
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quickly expanded into an automotive empire; the enterprise |
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became the largest car dealership network in Texas and the |
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sixth-largest network in the nation; and |
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WHEREAS, A talented entrepreneur and a shrewd media |
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visionary, Red purchased San Antonio radio stations in 1972 with |
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his business partner, Lowry Mays, and together they founded Clear |
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Channel Communications; Red's intuition for franchise expansion |
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and his experience in business and advertising helped the company |
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to grow into the world's largest radio station conglomerate and |
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to become a dominating power in the industries of outdoor |
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advertising, live music, and sports management; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1973, Red purchased the Dallas Chaparrals |
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basketball team and relocated the team to San Antonio under a new |
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name, the Spurs; widely recognized as a trailblazer in sports |
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management, Red turned the Spurs and the Denver Nuggets into |
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national powerhouses and played a key role in shaping the modern |
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incarnation of the National Basketball Association; he spent a |
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number of years as the owner of the National Football League's |
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Minnesota Vikings, and by investing in Circuit of the Americas, |
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he was instrumental in the establishment of Formula One racing in |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Generous community benefactors, Red and his wife, |
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Charline, donated $50 million to The University of Texas business |
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school, which was renamed the McCombs School of Business, and $30 |
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million to the university's MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; |
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Red was a champion for education, and his philanthropy created |
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countless opportunities for students and young entrepreneurs in |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Red was blessed with the love and support of his |
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late wife, Charline, for almost seven decades; together, they |
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were figureheads in the San Antonio community and were greatly |
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involved in both state and national politics; Red and Charline |
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were blessed with three daughters, Lynda McCombs, Marsha |
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Shields, and Connie McNab, and he cherished his eight |
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grandchildren and his 11 great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, An esteemed civic leader and a titan of industry |
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who created more that 400 businesses, Red McCombs changed the |
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American automotive trade, professional athletics, advertising, |
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and radio broadcasting; he embodied the spirit of the Lone Star |
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State through his love of thinking big and his zest for |
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deal-making and adventure, and he leaves behind an inspiring |
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legacy for all Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Billy Joe "Red" McCombs; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of "Red" McCombs. |