By Jones of Lubbock                                    H.R. No. 435
         76R8750 MDM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, R. C. Taylor  will mark a momentous occasion on
 1-2     April 22-24, 1999, when he joins with his employees and customers
 1-3     in celebrating the 50th anniversary of R. C. Taylor Wholesale,
 1-4     Inc., in Lubbock; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Founded by Mr. Taylor on March 28, 1949, as the R.
 1-6     C. Taylor Wholesale Tobacco Company, this successful enterprise
 1-7     began with three employees, one delivery truck, and a
 1-8     2,400-square-foot building to house merchandise consisting of
 1-9     tobacco, candy, school supplies, and concessions; and
1-10           WHEREAS, In 1997, the business moved into a
1-11     52,000-square-foot warehouse with a diverse inventory that has
1-12     expanded to include general merchandise, and by last year, the
1-13     company had 56 employees who met customers' needs in the entire
1-14     Northwest Texas area, with annual sales of an estimated $34
1-15     million; and
1-16           WHEREAS, R. C. Taylor's son, Robert, now manages the  family
1-17     business, in which he has been actively involved since 1971, and he
1-18     currently serves as president of the Texas Association of Wholesale
1-19     Distributors, a post the elder Mr. Taylor held in 1967 and 1968;
1-20     and
1-21           WHEREAS, Before establishing the highly successful business
1-22     based in Lubbock, R. C. Taylor owned a grocery store in Childress,
1-23     where he moved in 1945 after serving with the United States Army
1-24     Medical Corps; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, An esteemed civic leader, Mr. Taylor is a member of
 2-2     the Masonic Lodge and has committed his time to the United Way,
 2-3     Open Heart Club, which he led as president, Lubbock Health Facility
 2-4     Development Corporation, and Lubbock Center Corporation, which
 2-5     assists in the development of the city's downtown area; he received
 2-6     the Texas Association of Wholesale Distributors' Citizenship Award
 2-7     in 1991 and  was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Downtown Rotary
 2-8     Club, which he guided as president; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, For 50 years, R. C. Taylor Wholesale, Inc., has
2-10     served the Lubbock community, and the Taylor family's
2-11     uncompromising dedication to professional service, quality
2-12     merchandise, and fair business practices is truly deserving of
2-13     special praise and recognition at this time; now, therefore, be it
2-14           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-15     Legislature hereby commend R. C. Taylor and his family and
2-16     employees on the 50th anniversary of R.  C. Taylor Wholesale, Inc.,
2-17     and extend to them warmest best wishes for continued success; and,
2-18     be it further
2-19           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-20     prepared for R. C.  Taylor as an expression of high regard by the
2-21     Texas House of Representatives.