1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 917 1-2 WHEREAS, The Senate of Texas is proud to recognize 1-3 Mary Nan West, former chair of The Texas A&M University System, 1-4 who brought her leadership skills, integrity, and unshakable 1-5 values to the position; at the young age of 18, she was overseeing 1-6 operations on her grandparents' South Texas ranch, the Rafter S 1-7 Ranch; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Appointed to The Texas A&M University System's board 1-9 of regents by the governor in 1991, Mary Nan West was selected by 1-10 her fellow regents to hold the regent's chair, becoming the first 1-11 woman to fill that position; and 1-12 WHEREAS, While serving on the board of regents, Mary Nan West 1-13 made the students in The Texas A&M University System her first 1-14 priority; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Mary Nan West never let her colleagues forget that 1-16 the A in A&M stood for agriculture; and 1-17 WHEREAS, The first woman to serve on the Texas Animal 1-18 Health Commission and the first woman to serve as president and 1-19 chair of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Board, she oversaw 1-20 the successful growth of the show's scholarship fund, and she 1-21 quadrupled the show's volunteer corps; and 1-22 WHEREAS, From stock show funds, this outstanding woman 1-23 established an educational program to teach San Antonio 2-1 schoolchildren about where their food supply originates; now, 2-2 therefore, be it 2-3 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-4 75th Legislature, hereby congratulate Mary Nan West for her 2-5 lifetime of work and contributions to Texas agriculture and 2-6 extend appreciation to her for her six years of extraordinary 2-7 service to The Texas A&M University System; and, be it further 2-8 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 2-9 her as an expression of the heartfelt esteem of the Texas Senate. 2-10 Ogden 2-11 ______________________________________ 2-12 President of the Senate 2-13 I hereby certify that the above 2-14 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 2-15 on May 29, 1997. 2-16 ______________________________________ 2-17 Secretary of the Senate 2-18 ______________________________________ 2-19 Member, Texas Senate