By Hunter                                         H.R. No. 61

      75R4730 JHS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, On January 30, 1997, Dian Graves Owen will be

 1-2     inducted into the 1996-1997 Texas Women's Hall of Fame, and this

 1-3     accomplishment is truly deserving of special legislative praise;

 1-4     and

 1-5           WHEREAS, The Governor's Commission for Women established the

 1-6     Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1984 as a means of recognizing

 1-7     exemplary women and their contributions to the Lone Star State;

 1-8     inductees are chosen for their commitment to a variety of fields,

 1-9     including the arts, business, civics, education, government,

1-10     health, and physical fitness; and

1-11           WHEREAS, Mrs. Owen is being acknowledged for her outstanding

1-12     achievements in the business world, and she will join nine other

1-13     notable Texas women chosen by a distinguished statewide panel of

1-14     judges from a field of more than 200 worthy applicants; and

1-15           WHEREAS, This exceptional woman is the cofounder and current

1-16     chairman of the board of Owen Healthcare, Inc., the premier

1-17     hospital pharmacy management company in the country; following the

1-18     untimely death of her husband, Mrs. Owen recommitted herself to the

1-19     company, employing her substantial business savvy and marketing

1-20     instincts to refashion this once-struggling enterprise into a

1-21     multimillion dollar empire; and

1-22           WHEREAS, A leader in the Abilene community, Mrs. Owen is a

1-23     pioneer for women in the business community; she is the first woman

1-24     to chair the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, and she enjoyed a major

 2-1     triumph when she was appointed as the Texas Department of

 2-2     Commerce's first chairperson; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, Mrs. Owen has received a host of other accolades and

 2-4     awards for her business and philanthropic efforts, including being

 2-5     named Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1996 by the Abilene

 2-6     Chamber of Commerce; she has earned multiple mentions in Working

 2-7     Woman and Savvy magazines and is considered one of the top female

 2-8     business owners in the country; and

 2-9           WHEREAS, Dian Graves Owen has distinguished herself among her

2-10     peers through her visionary efforts, and her dedication to her

2-11     community and her generosity of spirit are indeed an inspiration to

2-12     all Texans; now, therefore, be it

2-13           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-14     Legislature hereby congratulate Dian Graves Owen on her induction

2-15     into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and extend to her sincere best

2-16     wishes for continued success and happiness in the years to come;

2-17     and, be it further

2-18           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-19     prepared for Mrs. Owen as an expression of high regard by the Texas

2-20     House of Representatives.