R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The retirement of Rainey J. Crawford of Kansas City,
1-2 Missouri, on March 31, 2001, from the Ford Motor Company brings to
1-3 a close the noteworthy career of a distinguished gentleman; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Born and raised near St. Louis in Venice, Illinois,
1-5 Mr. Crawford earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education
1-6 from Southern Illinois University and a master of business
1-7 administration in advanced management from Michigan State
1-8 University; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Before joining Ford Motor Company, he played three
1-10 years of professional baseball with the Kansas City Athletics and
1-11 the St. Louis Cardinals, spent a year with the St. Louis Human
1-12 Resources Development Corporation as a counselor and community
1-13 developer, and taught in the St. Louis public school system;
1-14 furthermore, he served 11 years as a first lieutenant with the
1-15 United States Army Reserve; and
1-16 WHEREAS, This esteemed gentleman began his impressive tenure
1-17 with Ford Motor Company in 1966 at the St. Louis Assembly Plant in
1-18 labor relations; he advanced steadily through the company, holding
1-19 many noteworthy positions at several plants, and in 1982 he became
1-20 the employee relations manager at the St. Louis plant; since 1994
1-21 he has been the director of governmental affairs, and in this
1-22 capacity he has adroitly directed Ford Motor Company's state and
1-23 local affairs in a 13-state region in the central U.S.; and
1-24 WHEREAS, Mr. Crawford's myriad accomplishments while with the
2-1 company include success in such areas as hiring, training, contract
2-2 negotiations, safety, organizational development, and salary
2-3 administration; in addition, he has been integral to the creation
2-4 of numerous quality-of-work-life projects, and he coordinated the
2-5 company's affirmative action process for its entire North American
2-6 personnel and organizational staff; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Also active in his community, Mr. Crawford has
2-8 donated his time and talents to a host of worthwhile organizations,
2-9 including the Missouri and Arkansas chambers of commerce, the
2-10 Associated Industries of Missouri, the Urban League of Metropolitan
2-11 St. Louis, the Salvation Army, the YMCA, the St. Louis Business
2-12 Health Coalition, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City,
2-13 and the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance Advisory Board; in
2-14 addition, he has been involved with the National Black Caucus of
2-15 State Legislators, the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus
2-16 Foundation, the Missouri Governor's Goals 2000 Task Force, the
2-17 Governor's Advisory Board on Jobs for Missouri's Future, and the
2-18 Missouri Investment Trust Board; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Rainey Crawford is undoubtedly a man of immense
2-20 ability and integrity, and for his many years of dedication to the
2-21 Ford Motor Company and his community, state, and nation, he is most
2-22 deserving of special recognition at this time; now, therefore, be
2-23 it
2-24 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-25 Legislature hereby congratulate Rainey J. Crawford on the occasion
2-26 of his retirement and extend to him best wishes for continued
2-27 happiness; and, be it further
3-1 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-2 prepared for Mr. Crawford as an expression of high regard by the
3-3 Texas House of Representatives.
Lewis of Tarrant
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 310 was adopted by the House on April
20, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House