By King H.R. No. 1117 75R16529 WMS-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Mary Nan West has devoted her 1-2 time and energy to the cause of agriculture in the State of Texas, 1-3 and among her greatest accomplishments in this regard has been her 1-4 service to The Texas A&M University System as a member of its board 1-5 of regents; and 1-6 WHEREAS, At the age of 18 she began overseeing operations on 1-7 her grandparent's Rafter S Ranch, and that invaluable experience 1-8 enabled her to develop the leadership skills, integrity, and 1-9 unshakeable values that have been the hallmark of all her many 1-10 efforts; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Ms. West was appointed to The Texas A&M University 1-12 System's board of regents in 1991, and her fellow regents selected 1-13 her to hold the regent's chair, making her the first woman to be so 1-14 honored; and 1-15 WHEREAS, During her highly productive tenure as a regent at 1-16 Texas A&M University, she consistently made the needs of students 1-17 her first priority and never allowed her distinguished colleagues 1-18 to forget that the "A" in A&M stood for agriculture; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Truly a trailblazer in her field, Ms. West was the 1-20 first woman to serve on the Texas Animal Health Commission, and 1-21 the first of her gender to hold the office of president of the San 1-22 Antonio Livestock Exposition Board, where she later served as 1-23 chair; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Under her able leadership the San Antonio livestock 2-1 show's volunteer corps quadrupled and its scholarship fund 2-2 increased dramatically; in addition, she established from show 2-3 funds an education program to teach San Antonio's schoolchildren 2-4 where their food supply originates; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Throughout the history of the Lone Star State, 2-6 agriculture has played a significant role in the state's economy, 2-7 and Mary Nan West's many achievements in this vital area are indeed 2-8 worthy of special legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it 2-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-10 Legislature honor Mary Nan West on her commitment to the promotion 2-11 of agriculture in the State of Texas and her extraordinary service 2-12 to The Texas A&M University System as a member of the board of 2-13 regents; and, be it further 2-14 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-15 prepared for Mary Nan West as an expression of high regard by the 2-16 Texas House of Representatives.