By Solis H.R. No. 1247 77R17338 MW-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Sonia Perez of McAllen has been accorded a great 1-2 honor with her receipt of the 2001 Outstanding Young Texas Ex 1-3 Award; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Mrs. Perez graduated with honors from The University 1-5 of Texas at Austin in 1978; a life member of the Longhorn 1-6 Foundation and The Texas Ex-Student's Association, she presently 1-7 serves as vice chair of The University of Texas College Advisory 1-8 Council and is Southwestern Bell's executive director-external 1-9 affairs for the South Texas Border Region; and 1-10 WHEREAS, In 1996, this notable civic leader was appointed by 1-11 President Clinton to the Advisory Council of the Border 1-12 Environmental Cooperation Commission, and Governor Ann Richards 1-13 named her to the board of the Texas Department of Commerce; she was 1-14 also the first woman to serve as president of the McAllen Chamber 1-15 of Commerce; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The founding president of the McAllen Communities in 1-17 Schools program, Mrs. Perez recently has completed her second 1-18 three-year term on the national board of the Public Broadcasting 1-19 Service and currently serves as chairman of the Valley Initiative 1-20 for Development and Advancement; moreover, she has been deeply 1-21 involved with federal, state, and local campaigns, raising funds 1-22 for church and community initiatives, and recently helped to raise 1-23 $6.27 million for the Hidalgo County Historical Museum, where she 1-24 has been a board chair; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Her dedication and tireless efforts have not gone 2-2 unnoticed as she was named 1995 AVANCE's Rio Grande Valley Mother 2-3 of the Year and 2000 McAllen Woman of the Year; and 2-4 WHEREAS, A contributor to many local, state, and national 2-5 issues, Mrs. Perez has given selflessly of her time and her 2-6 expertise to helping others, and she is truly a great asset to the 2-7 Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it 2-8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-9 Legislature hereby congratulate Sonia Perez for receiving a 2001 2-10 Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award and commend her for her countless 2-11 good works; and, be it further 2-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-13 prepared for Mrs. Perez as an expression of high regard by the 2-14 Texas House of Representatives.