By: Moreno H.R. No. 731 73R10902 PFG-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor 1-2 El Paso businessman Heliodoro "Lio" Valadez on being one of 10 1-3 finalists for the title of National Small Business Person of the 1-4 Year awarded by the Small Business Administration; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Mr. Valadez is the owner of the prosperous Best Buy 1-6 Tortilla Factory in El Paso and has been named Small Business 1-7 Person of the Year for the five-state region consisting of Texas, 1-8 New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas by the Small Business 1-9 Administration, which is the nation's largest financial supporter 1-10 of small businesses; and 1-11 WHEREAS, This enterprising businessman, who received only an 1-12 elementary school education, got his start in 1972 after the 1-13 restaurant where he was working as a short-order cook closed, 1-14 leaving him without steady employment and with a wife and nine 1-15 children to support; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Unable to find work, he began selling his family's 1-17 delicious homemade flour tortillas door-to-door, quickly gaining 1-18 legions of satisfied customers; and 1-19 WHEREAS, With the help of an $18,000 loan from the Small 1-20 Business Administration and a tortilla press that he invented with 1-21 fellow tortilla manufacturer Tony Perez, he began producing the 1-22 popular and versatile food item and within three months was making 1-23 600 dozen tortillas a day; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Mr. Valadez realized an important milestone in 1976 2-1 with the construction of a 12,000-square-foot tortilla factory on 2-2 El Paso Drive that was joined in 1978 by a restaurant that remains 2-3 a popular gathering place 15 years later; and 2-4 WHEREAS, A keen businessman, Mr. Valadez reinvested profits 2-5 in the company as Best Buy tortillas became increasingly popular, 2-6 and he expanded the factory and modified equipment to ensure that 2-7 the enterprise would continue to flourish and meet the rising 2-8 demand for this tasty staple of Southwestern cuisine; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Today this talented entrepreneur presides over a 2-10 tortilla empire that has grown from producing several hundred 2-11 tortillas a day to more than one million a day that bear on their 2-12 package the familiar logo of a man in a yellow sombrero; in 2-13 addition, the company produces more than eight tons of tostada 2-14 chips daily; and 2-15 WHEREAS, Currently, Mr. Valadez distributes his product in 2-16 cities through the Southwest, producing the tortillas in a 2-17 32,000-square-foot factory on Pendale Road that employs 70 people, 2-18 including five of the Valadez children; the entrepreneur attributes 2-19 much of his good fortune to the dedication of his employees and 2-20 adheres to his personal philosophy that their happiness is integral 2-21 to the company's success; and 2-22 WHEREAS, Throughout his remarkable career, Mr. Valadez has 2-23 received the loving support of his wife, Anita, and their nine 2-24 children, who have contributed to and shared in the family 2-25 enterprise; much as Best Buy has prospered, so has the Valadez 2-26 family, which has grown to include 25 grandchildren; and 2-27 WHEREAS, Characterized by his many friends, coworkers, and 3-1 family members as an energetic man of great vision and initiative, 3-2 Heliodoro "Lio" Valadez has significantly contributed to the 3-3 economy of his community and our state by bringing tortillas to 3-4 homes throughout the Southwest, and in the process he has realized 3-5 the American dream; an inspiration to the members of his community 3-6 and to small businessmen and women everywhere, he is indeed 3-7 deserving of special legislative recognition on the occasion of his 3-8 latest accomplishment; now, therefore, be it 3-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas 3-10 Legislature hereby congratulate Heliodoro "Lio" Valadez on being 3-11 nominated for the title of National Small Business Person of the 3-12 Year; and, be it further 3-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-14 prepared for Mr. Valadez as an expression of high regard by the 3-15 Texas House of Representatives.