R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The August 31, 2001, retirement of Lois Neill Ewald
 1-2     as executive director of the Texas Optometry Board will bring to a
 1-3     close an outstanding tenure in public service in behalf of the
 1-4     citizens of Texas; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Born in Blanco, Mrs. Ewald was valedictorian of her
 1-6     high school class, earned a secretarial science degree from
 1-7     Durham's Business College, and is a graduate of the LBJ School of
 1-8     Public Affairs Governor's Executive Development Program, Class II;
 1-9     and
1-10           WHEREAS, This esteemed professional started her career with
1-11     the state as a clerk with the Texas Highway Department, now the
1-12     Texas Department of Transportation, ultimately became a division
1-13     director, and helped establish the Texas Tourist Development
1-14     Agency; she then managed a law firm for several years before
1-15     returning to state employment in 1973 as executive director of the
1-16     Texas Optometry Board; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Under Mrs. Ewald's dynamic leadership, a staff of
1-18     six licenses and regulates approximately 3,000 optometrists in the
1-19     Lone Star State; and
1-20           WHEREAS, A founder of the Health Professions Council,
1-21     Mrs. Ewald currently chairs that organization's training committee
1-22     and is a member of the administrative committee; she has headed
1-23     several committees of the Association of Regulatory Boards of
1-24     Optometry (ARBO), participates on the ARBO Data Collections
 2-1     Committee, and has played a key role in establishing a national
 2-2     databank for optometrists; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Her well-deserved accolades include a nomination for
 2-4     Woman of the Year by the Executive Women in Texas Government in
 2-5     1998; she was the first recipient of the Dr. William D. Pittman
 2-6     Optometric Leadership Award presented by the University of Houston
 2-7     College of Optometry in 1996, and she received the Leadership Award
 2-8     1996-Productivity Bonus Program from the Texas Incentive and
 2-9     Productivity Commission; and
2-10           WHEREAS, Lois Ewald is an exceptional asset to the State of
2-11     Texas, and it is indeed a pleasure to pay tribute to her for her
2-12     outstanding professional achievements; now, therefore, be it
2-13           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-14     Legislature hereby recognize Lois Ewald on the occasion of her
2-15     retirement from the Texas Optometry Board and extend to her best
2-16     wishes as she embarks on a new phase in her life; and, be it
2-17     further
2-18           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-19     prepared for Mrs. Ewald as an expression of high regard by the
2-20     Texas House of Representatives.
                                                                       Pitts
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 1218 was adopted by the House on May
         25, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House